New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-11
FOR NEW MILL EXIT Law
rnolneer Would Make Enclosed
Stairways Mandatory.
EVEN IN LOW FACTORIES
Such Legislation the Lesson of
Binghamton Fire, Declares
Whiskeman.


90 minimize the danger of fire In low
.octorv buildings is recommended in
renor, 10 the State Factory Investigating
l,or,rnissIon by James P. Whiskeman, its
advisorv engineer. who investigated the
p,,gbanton Clothing Company fire.
,h~ough which thrty-two persons lost
their lives.
The state Industrial Board in the ex
ercise OF its discretionary power has the
authority 10 require the stairways in
fsctorv buildings. regardless OF height.
N be inclosed IN partitions OF fire-resist-
ing material In the light OF the Bing-
ban,ton disaster. which Mr.. Whiskeman
saws shows the great fire hazard in low
factory buildings the engineer recon-
mends that instead Of leaving It dis
orstIonary with the industrial board
there he enacted the following mandatory
requirement:
IAN stalrways serving as required
means Of exit In factory buildings two
stories or over in height. in which more
than twenty-five persons are employed
on or above the second story and in
which there is no horizontal exit or ex-
terror inclosed hreproof stairway. shall
be inclosed by partitions OF approved fire.
resisting material, extending continu-
ously from the basement"
Mr.. Whiskeman says the circumstances
surrounding the origin and rapid spread
Of the Binghamton fire and the accom-
ranving destruction OF life forcibly Illus
trate the following points:
neglect 70 exercise simple and ordinary
precautionary measures against the out
break OF FIRE by the removal OF readily
preventable causes.
"Second-The necessity OF removing
waste materials. cuttings and rubbish
from the floors OF factory buildings and
storing them IN fireproof receptacles. AL
factory floors should be thoroughly swept
AT least twice each day. and all waste.
etc. kept in fireproof receptacles and re-
moved from the building at least once
each day. or be baled and stored in fire
proof Enclosures.
"Third-Automatic sprinklers are es-
sential and should he provided IN all
factory buildings where the nature OF
the work done and the materials used
may readily cause A fire.
"Fourth-The necessity OF efficiently or
gsnized fire drills and private FIRE de-
partments. equipped with auxiliary fire
fighting apparatus Fire drills. in con-
junction with fire alarm signal system,
should be conducted at frequent intervals
in every factory building. with special
regard 10 the exit facilities. so that II one
exit should be cut off the efficiency Of
the drill and the opportunity for escape
may not be lessened
"Fifth-The necessity % proper and SUI
fcient exit facilities. All factory build
ings Of two or more stories In height
should he provided with 81 least two eff
fcent means of exit. remote from each
other.
"Sixth-The necessity for the Enclosure
Of stairways I'm all factory buildings. with
doors Of hre-resisting materials.
"Seventh-The utter inadequscy OF the
so-called outside fire escape has again
been tragically demonstrated"
The foregoing requirements. according
10 the report. are fully covered by laws
now in effect or which will take effect
on October l.
As 20 the origin OF the Bnghamton
blaze. Mr.. Whiskeman says he is OF the
opinion that the fire originated In tire
cellar in the neighborhood Of the main
stairway and had got considerable head
way before II was discovered. The loss
Of life would have been much greater
had IT not been for the second stairway
IN the front OF the building from the sec
ond floor 20 the first floor. he says.