The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-30
INSPECTOR OF FIRE ESCAPES PROVIDED FOR BY COMMISSION Will Also Look After Eleva- tors-Another Step in
 the Campaign
MUST COMPLY WITH
 BUILDING LAWS
Proclamation Issued Warning Owners That They Must at Once Make Such Changes as Necessary
 or City Will Act

In addition to the appointment of a
 elevators. the city commissioners yes terday issued formal proclamation to all property owners. agents and occu- pants of buildings in the city that they must at once make such changes in their buildings as are necessary to | comply with the building code or the city will institute proceedings against them at once
 This incident together with the re- cent authorization of additional fire | fighting apparatus has convinced many citizens that the commissioners are fol-
 lowing definite policy of improvement
 of the fire department and added pro-
 lection to the city from fire The series
 of changes and new fire and building
 regulations began immediately after
 the big Birmingham Railway, Light and
 Power company fire. and the end of the
 campaign Is apparently not yet in sight The commissioners decline to dis
 cuss the matter. and indicate that there is no connection between the many in- cidents that have occurred since a few days after the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power fire when Sid Middle- ton was appointed as a second assist ant chief of the fire department
 Proclamation of Commission
 The proclamation Is as follows:
 Whereas, we are advised that
 many buildings in the business sec ton of our city do not conform to the requlrments of our building code, especially In regard to the prOteCtiop of life in case of fire Therefore, we, A. O. Lane. James Weatherly and George B. Ward. board of commissioners of the city of Birmingham, do here with proclaim to all property own- CTS, agents and occupants of all buildings in the city that they must proceed at once to make such changes in their buildings as is re- | qurcd In the building code, for the | protection of life and property, and notice is hereby given that the city | will proceed against ar such own l CTS, agents or occupants who have | not conformed to the requirements by July i, 1914.
 The appointment of special inspector of elevators and frescapes has been au- thorized by the commissioners and he l will be put to work at once, 1t is stated. To Rigidly Enforce Laws Tn line with a general tightening of the lire regulations and ire protection Of the city. the commissioners say they intend to see that there are fire escapes at the proper places on all buildings in the city where they are needed This will apply especially 10 the old buildings of the city which were built. IL Is said. before ades quate fire escape and Ire protection regYp lations were in force and which hall
 never complied with them since. VII The commissioners have recently aot
 thorized the purchase of some $35 0M
 worth of fire fighting apparatus. they have called for several recommendations
 regarding fire protection and building laws from Building Inspector Matthews
 and from Fire Chief A. V. Bennett. They
 have passed new laws regarding con- tractors complying with the building laws, and in every way are trying to guard against another catastrophe such as the
 Birmingham Railway. Light and Power
 company fire some few weeks ago. and (Continued on Page Ten)