Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-05-08
HOsTELRIEs MUST
HAVE RIAL FIRE ESCAPES
Must Also Pay Special Taxa Hotel
Commissioner.

All hotels, rooming houses, apart
ment houses and restaurants In Abb
lene must have fire escapes-not
merely a piece of rope hanging In
side window. but an iron stairway
running down the side OF the build
ing. This is the effect of the laws
passed at the recent legislature, ana
Il states explicitly that the fire es-
cape must be stairway which does
not 20 downward at an agile greater
than az degrees. It must not be
less than two feet in width, and on
the outside It must have railing
at least thirty inches In height. II
must have landing for every floor,
and the landing must not be In size
less than six by three feet. The law
does not state whether or not OK
ception will be made in the case OF
those lodging houses and restau-
rants which have but two stories
indeed, 1T doesn't except even those
of one story. The law requires that
ample openings must be provided at
each story for admission onto the
fire escape, and that red lights must
be kept burning every night at these
openings to indicate their location.
The new law strictly defines the
meaning of the words "hotel,
"rooming house apartment house"
and restaurant" and those houses
or hotels coming under one defini-
ton, connot use the name OF the
house coming under another defi-
milton, under the penalty of law.
For instance a h0tel cannot call IT.
self a "rooming house." a rooming
house cannot call itself an apart
ment house and an apartment house
cannot call itself restaurant" nor
can any one of them use any of the
names of the others on its sign.
According to new law hotel IS
la house that provides both food ana
sleeping accommodation. 1t must
have at least five rooms for use as
sleeping apartments, and must nave
one or more dining rooms or cafes In
connection. Such only, says the law.
shall have the right to use the name
"hotel," although it is not neces-
sary that the word "hotel" appear
on its sign.
A house which has five or more
rooms with sleeping accommodations
for the public, without serving FOOD
either in a cafe in connection or In
dining room, "rooming house. f."
Any name may be used for the room
ing house provided the name hotel
is not used.
A building containing single rooms
or suites for light housekeeping, or
both, without serving meals, and
where there are one or more FAM
lilies or tenants aggregating twenty
people. has been named by the leg
islature an apartment house and
may use any name except hotel OF
rooming house.
Every place at which meals are
served to the public, and which mas
no sleeping accommodations, Is des
ignated as restaurant" and shall
have the right to use any name ex
cept hotel, rooming house or apart
; ment house.
On or before January l, 1914
every hotel, rooming house apart
ment house and restaurant mus
| have license, paying the sum Of a.
least 50 therefor. Houses havinl
Twenty or more rooms shall be re
uuired to pay SO, and for every ad
ditional ten rooms over twenty al
additional fee of 81 must be paiC
annually.
Every business affected by THU
law must comply with its require
ments within six months after III
massage, which means by next Aug
ust. If the proprietor does not D!
that time comply, he will be fine'
IS for every day he refuses or ne
elects to comply and if he does no
comply within thirty days his plac'
of business shall be closed.
The new law provides for the ap
pointment of hotel commissions
who shall receive salary of $2OO
annually, and whose duty 1t shal
be to see that hotels, rooming house
and apartment houses and restau
.u.n1r, NTH the law.