New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
ALL APPARATUS HAS ITS FAIL
INGS.

All apparatus developed by man has
its failings and cannot be depended
upon. Under these circumstances we
must not rely too positively upon their
working at the critical moment.
| do not wish from the above state
ments to be considered as inimical to
sprinkler systems. They are the best
fire extlnquishers yet invented. | would
: like to see them in every factory and in
every building where they can serve
their purpose, but they have their field
and should be relegated TO ii and not
have powers attributed TO them which
they do not possess They are not life
savers, except indirectly, nor fire es-
capes, and therefore do not add TO the
exit facilities OF building.
Fire drills are now compulsory by
| law, bur because Of the inadequacy Of
the stairways to accommodate the
large number of people allowed on
, each floor Of the ulti-storied factory
buildings it is impossible to empty the
latter by any co-ordinated fire drill
which will take all the occupants OF
all the floors out OF the building at
once, as would be necessary in case Of
fire. and practically all the drills that
are now being installed about the city
are opera bouffe, pure and simple, eX-
/ cept where there are very few people
on each floor or there is a separate fire.
proof stairway from each floor or there
is a division wall which runs trans
versely through the building with
proper openings in it closed by fire.
proof doors, and when this safety feat
ure is introduced no fire drill is neces-
sary.
The laws as they now stand initiate
against the introduction Of the division
wall and other desirable improvements
in buildings, a. ii IS still possible to
employ practically the same number of
people on floor 10 conduct business
as before the new laws were enacted.
Notwithstanding the fact that they are
not safe from the fire hazard.
presented a paper year ago at the
spring meeting Of the American So
ciety Of Mechanical Engineers at Bal
timorc on the subject Of The made
quacy Of the stairway" TO handle a
crowd and advocated the introduction
Of the division wall as a safety feature
in it's place. Shortly after this occa-
sion the Binghamton Clothing Com
pany's fire. at Bnghamton, ~ Y. oc-
CURED. at which thirty-hve lives were
lost, Notwithstanding the fact that they
had fire drill in II. Commenting on
this occurrence, The Engineering
News" in an editorial said:
This terrible disaster at Binghamtor
makes especially timely the valuable pa
per OF n. T. j. Porter read at the recent
. Baltimore meeting Of the American So
ciety Of Mechanical Engineers. Elsewhere
In this issue We reprint Mr.. POTter's pa
per practically m fun. and We wish here
TO call especial attention 70 his recon-
{ meudatiOn sOf the division WalD, which
appears TO be By far the most practicable
and meTltorious suggestion eve made fOi
safeguarding the lives Of employees In the
upper stories Of factory buildings.
In the first place Mr. Porter demon
strates conclusively In his paper whst
every engineer who has carefully studied
. the subject well knoWs-that by no form
OF vertical fire escape ever built or pro
posed. whether IL be stairways inside OF
outside, ladders or any other means. is Il
possible for the hundreds Of people EN-
ployed in the upper stories OF high LOT
buildings 10 reach the street in safety
before a FIRE has spread fast enough {,
cause destruction.
The trouble rs that all safeguards OF
which energy has hitherto been expended