Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-08
FIRE DRILL AT
CIGAR FACTORY
State Labor Inspector Con-
ducts Test This Morning.
1877 Employees There.
| MIN. 81 SEC. TO vACATE
New Automatic Alarm Sys-
TEN Is Approved -0ther Lo-
cal Plants Must Follow.

In conformity with the REQUIRE
ments of the Ballantine bill which
became effective April 4 last, some
local factories have installed fire
signal and lighting devices for the
safety OF employees and others are
preparing to comply. BY means OF
a new automatic system Installed in
the Perth Amboy Cigar Works a re-
markable record was established to-
day, when during q test the 1,277
employees left the building, a three
story brick structure, in one-minute
and f~ifty-seven seconds. w. J.
Seder, an inspector for the Bureau
Labor of New Jersey, under whose
supervision the test and an inspec-
ton was made this morning, de-
~clares it remarkable that SO many
people, many of whom were girls,
could clear a three-story building in
such good time. He approved the
system, but gave orders for ar addi-
tfonaI fire escape to be erected in
the center In the front part of the
building.
Other Plants to Follow.
Under the Ballantine bill factories
must be equipped with suitable de-
vices for the safety Of employees In
case OF fire. Gong, flash or other
signal alarm systems must be In
stalled and there must be ample
f1re-fighting mechanism, manned by
skilled and trained workers. The
Rosenthal handkerchief factory and
the Perth Amboy cigar works are
foremost among those who have
complied in a most satisfactory man
ner. A recent inspection was made
Of the RosenthaI factory system.
Systems will probably shortly be in
stalled In the Standard Underground
Cable works and the Chesebrough
Manufacturing Company's vaseline
factory: In the former a fash sys-
tenn will be required, 1t Is stated.
A gong and whistle arrangement
is In use In the cigar works. Gongs
can be rung separately on any OF the
three floors. or they may be sound
ed simultaneously and a whistle
blown to call out every employe.
There are four stations containing
apparatus and w. III. Whittmore Is
chief of the department. A brigade
OF seven men are under him. 1t la
their duty to stand at exits during
lan alarm and assist IN sliding en-
ployes out Of the building.
Men Stationed at Exits.
-Four men are stationed at the
end of exits and 1t is their duty to
notify the fire chief when the build
Ing has been completely emptied of
people. Every good means OF fight
Ing fires is then resorted to. The
aim Is to saw human life first. Out
OF the total number OF employees $50
are girls. There are f1fty-six work
ing In the cellar, 1911 on the first
floor 759 on the second floor, and
271 on the third floor.
During the first test this morning
Inspector Seder sounded a dummy
gong ON one floor at a time and each
floor was emptied In good time.
After all employees had returned a
general alarm was sounded through
out the factory and but one minute
and fifty-seven seconds had elapsed
when the last employe was safely
out OF the building.
The building is equipped with two
fire escapes, mi at each end. A
third will have to be erected In the
front. Following the inspection In
spector Seder left in an automobile
for New Brunswick.