Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-27

of the fire department were interviewed
today, and they all admit that a repe-
tition of the High street fire is not
only not impossible but probable in
this city.
Chief Ashley. in reply to a reporters
question az to whether another holo-
caust was likely in this city. said:
"At the coroner's jury inquest I said
that another holocaust may be ex-
pected at any moment. / told them
that there are many places in Newark
as bad as the n ih High street, and
i say the same thing now. In my
opinion, the laws are to blame. and not
the fire department. Why, just think,
despite the fact that In the last two
years more than 1000 new buildings,
costing more than $27, 900, 600, have
been erected In this city, the fire de-
partment has not purchased any new
apparatus.
we are growing away from u
city" continued the chief. w need
more men, more apparatus, better laws
and more power. The buildings should
be made safer. We ought to get at the
cause of a thing and not at h effect.
Abolish the cause and you abolish the
evil"
Commissioner Burke, of the Fire
Board, agreed to all that the chief said,
and in addition:
"Our laws seem to be provided with
plenty OF exits and fire-escapes for
owners who care more for their pocket
books than for the lives of heir I'M
ployees. But in the event of q dis
aster we find hat there are no exits
or Microscopes for factory workers.
"Some manufacturers seem to safe
guard the interests of their employees
by having private fire departments
and oil modern Improvements, but 9TH
ers dodge the laws, and the laws are
so made that they can be lodged by
the mercenary.
We also need laws that will put
persons responsible for such dis
asters where they belong. The present
laws are too lax" Commissioner Burke
also thought that the department
should be given more power.
Captain c. Albert Gasser, superin-
tendent of the bureau of combusti-
| bles and fire risks, felt deeply on the
subject, and after Commissioner Burke
had said thai the department of which
| Mr.. Gasser Is head Is working without
fear or favor, the captain said:
Better Laws Needed.
Every disaster of this lind en-
phasizes the need for conservation
laws; laws that will prevent a repeti-
ton. We want definite laws n strict
laws. Although our fire prevention
| code is in existence for only three
months We find that it is doing a won
| derful amount of good, which shows
that it was badly needed But laws or
no laws, / feel that each employer
should consider himself in duty bound
to protect the lives of his employees.
He is under certain moral obligations
to his workers and must protect them.
No man should put 500 girls in a fac
tory that has locked doors
Captain Gasser will send out a letter
to all employers reminding them OF
| their obligation to their employees, and
urging them to comply with all the
regulations that apply to the preven-
ton of fires.
Commissioner Burke further said
that the fire department seems TO get
the brunt of criticism in case of fire.
Following the High street fire it was
criticised for not having enough nets.
The nets used in New York, he said,
did no good. So many persons fell into
them at one time that they burst. Good
buildings are more essential, he
thought, thar good nets, but both
should he supplied.
Summing up the situation as de-
scrlbed by ali the officials, 1t amounts
| to this: Newark and New Jersey needs
laws that will make buildings safe,
laws tina will increase the force in the
I..Ilr-. o,J Ir. Al.a 4
will enable the fire department to buy
more apparatus. build more. fire houses
and have more men. Until this Is done,
they say, the lives Of the workers in
this city and State are not safe.