The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-18

New Fire Department messenger. Fireman
Looney is doing the work formerly done by
of $4,000
Above-Robert Adamson, Fire Commissioner.

four on Chatham Square, twelve on
Third avenue and a large number of
others through the East Side along
the river fronN and elsewhere.
The inspectors found the conditions
I in a great many of these cases eX-
ceedlngly dangerous. In one lodging
house on the Bowery the rear fire es-
| cape was found to terminate in a court.
In general, the orders issued by Che
Fire Commissioner provide for the fol-
lowing safety measured for lodging
houses:
Enclosure OF stairways.
Self-closing freproof windows on all
fire escapes.
Installation OF interior electric alarm
systems.
Installation OF time detectors
Guards around stoves
Four feet alsles
Removal Of obstrudlions to rre es.
capes.
Providing stairs to roof from the top
OF ba.conies Of fire escapes,
The FOREGOING orders isn,ied against
these lodging houses have either been
compiled ~lth or are in process OF be-
ing compiled with. In each one OF the
sixteen houses owned by the Boston
syndicate the inspectors report prompt
compliance with the fire prevention
orders.
In the matter OF theatres moving
picture shows and dance halls, Commits
sioner Adamson and Chief HammItt of
the Fire Prevention Bureau adopted
new plan to make these places
safe from fire. A theatre must be H.
censed by the Police Commissioner.
who requires a certificate from the Fire
Department that the theatre has COM
pied with the regulations of THE lat
ter before the issuance OF the license.
Effective cooperation between the
License Bureau and the Fire Depart-
ment has been secured by an arrange
ment whereby the licenses for moving
picture theatres and dance halls which
fall to comply with reasonable prompt
ness with the orders OF the Fire Depart-
rnent are revoked and not reissued until
the conditions have been reported nv
the Fire Department to be satisfactory.
This plan has worked so we'll that the
Fire Department Is having little diff
Guilty with moving picture theatres and
dance halls. In effect the License BIZ
reau has become an enforcing bureau
for the fire prevention orders in those
places.
The number Of fire prevention orders
complied with since January I, 1914,
shows an increase of IAN per cent.
Through the reorganization OF the bu-
reau the Fire Commissioner estimates
that ts wording capacity has been
practically doubled.
Another important section OF Com
missioner Adamsons report treats of
the changes and economies which have
been made in his department since the
first OF the year. The Fire Commits
sioner shows that he has already
effected total saving OF 1888, 76l0s az
a result Of the open market purchase
OF supplies, the REIMBURSEMENT of fire
companies due to motorization. the re-
leased equipment for new companies
and the turning over 10 the city Of
Fire Department buildings valued At
about 100000.
All this has been accomplished in
spite OF the tremendous increase IN the
volume OF work done by the depart
ineht' the number OF fire prevention
orders complied with having increased
py '& per cent, and the uniformed
iorce having made nearly half n mil
non nre prevention INSPECTIONS OF q
KIND never before undertaken by tn.
department.
The Fire Department budget for the
wear 1915 will be $26,420 less than the
budget for the year 1914, notwithstand-
Ing II provides for the men and eauip-
ment NJ twenty new companies with an
average salary payroll Of $4,000 each,