New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-28

maximum number OF stalrWhEe' an" ="
they are freproof and protected by self
closing fireproof doors We waive inc
right ia require fire escapes. we con-
slider an interior stairway in hreproot
tower as far better means of escape
than an outside fire escape.
Stairway Doors Not Fireprcof
IN the case Of the Asch Building the
stairways were hreproof and were IN
firerroof towers For that reason We
would have waived the requirement for
an outside fire escape. But we would
have required self-closing frerroof doors
such as there were not on these stair
was The doors on the upper floors were
rot freproof We require nov meta
doors with v-ireslass panels We DO nor
REQUIRE the doors TO be kept open be-
cause they may be provided With bur-
slar proof devices that operate when the
doors are opened The windows are the
same Thev may have burglar PROOF
devices. and for that reason We O. not
REQUIRE them ~ he kept open as means
of egress
The dimensions Of the stairwavs have
been open - 4 great deal of question
There is no Law or rules IF the bureau
governing The size Of the stsir~ays. We
require them 70 be built % size that
we consider - be sufficient for the uses
stairwa~s IN the Asch Building we're
! deemed Of sufficient size ~ the bureau
az the time the building was constructed
The great defect in that section Of
the law is that the number IF etairwavs
Is in no way affected by the height IF
] the building Two st3irways are re-
CURED in building covering FIVE thou
/ sand s9uare feet II makes no difference
whether the building Is two stories high
or twenty and II is rnanifestly absurd
/ that the stairs that would he sufficient
/ for q building half DOZEN stories high
would accommodate the crowds that
would rush down them from a sky
/ scraner Of twenty or more stories.
IT is quite true that this building
conformed 70 the law az the time that
Il was built and that there are many
changes that would he demanded ~ the
present time. II is also true that the
bureau has the power 70 order any
/ changes that II sees At 70 make build
ing conform 70 the law as il is az pres
ent or 70 the requirements Of the bu-
reau: but y is also true that We do not
hear Of violations Of the law in old
I y VI.
called 20 our attention. And. again, II
would often work a great hardship on
the owners Of the building to require ex
tensive changes.
"This Is especially true in the case 81
fre escapes. There are many old build
ings on the East Side that do not CON
form 10 the present law In the matter Of
fire escapes. They have the old fash
toned escapes that We're long ago con-
demned hv the bureau. AT the present
time We require that ali fire escapes
on new buildings shall incline at an
angle Of less than sixty degrees. Most
If the escapes on East Side tenement
houses are Of the old perpendicular style
But II We ordered the owners 10 change
them to conform TO the present law II
might he necessary to return again next
wear and order another change because
the vhim Of some legislator had decided
on a new angle.
"In the case or the Asch Building the
FIRE escapes were undoubtedly of the
size and style ordered by the bureau at
the time the building was put UP. al
though they would not ne passed TODAY.
we REQUIRE now FIRE escapes to he az
! least twenty inches wide and TO have
tread Of six inches on the Asch Build
ing the escapes were rot more than
eighteen inches and had only four
inch tread.
Another requirement We make TODAY
lis for a balcony from three and one-half
fee, To four feet wide, while on the
Asch Building the balcony vas only
three feet wide. The escapes on the
Ascb Building were nearly perpen-
Gicular. and this would not he allowed
TODAY. but Il We had considered the
, stairwavs 10 be fireproof towers we
would have waived the question Of the
fire escapes.
"rhe drop ladder at the bottom of the
escape was in compliance with the law.
The law SAYS that there must be drop
ladder reaching 20 the ground, which
was the cas Sc in the Asch Building. The
worst feature was that the escape ended
In an inclosed court. There is nothing
in the law 10 prevent this but If IT had
been called 10 the attention Of the
bureau we would have ordered q change.
Fircoroof Passage Required.
ct is the practice Of the bureau in
: AL cases where a fire escape ends In an
, oren court 70 require freproof pas
, sage from the court 10 the street This
rassage may he through another build
, ing. or il may he through the cellar of
, tbe building on which the escape IS
p rlaced. but We always require freproof
massage 10 the street and this would
have been done i'm the case Of the Asch
Rril6ing. If the situation had been called
10 our attention.
1T may he that al the time the build
, ng was put ny there was ar opening
from the court 10 the street through
, some other building or by way Of an
alley. | have heard that there vas some
: such provision az that time. and that
there was an agreement that # the old
: buildings then standing in that block
were replaced by new ones an opening
+ from the court would be provided