Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-01
MADISON SCHOOLS
ARE JUDGED SAFE
Committee, However, Recon-
mends New Stairs, Fire Es-
capes and Other Changes.
Especial to the Evening star


MADISON, May 1.-Contrary to the
version Of President of the Board of
Education, Eli G. ? Partridge, as we'll
as to the reports of the State inspec-
tor of schools. the committee appoint
ed by the Board of Education to in
Vestigate the safety of the Green Ave-
nue. School building. stated in hand
ing their report to f. L. Van Etten,
chairman of the building committee,
last evening, that all the talk about
these buildings being unsafe is not
only greatly exaggerated, but abso-
lutely untrue They. stated that both
Buildings are in safe and sound con-
dition, and much better than the COM
mittee had expected to find them, in
view of the late discussion on the
subject. They saw fit to recommend
some changes. however, but nothing
s,q great as 1t was expected would
1a We to be done by President Part
rftlgte.
Al the last meeting of the board the
cornrr.sittee was appointed. 1t consists
Of Fire Chief Samuel A. Gruver and
former Chiefs John B. McGrath and
Alfred p. Smith They made a thor
oueh inspection of the building and
later cal.Ned Unexpectedly and asked
for a fire drill. The schools We're
emptied in minute and twenty-nine
seconds. Building No. l was empty
: In fifty-one seconds.
Recon lrnend Other Stairs.
In reference to the fire-esoape on
the east side of Building No 2, the
committee stated that they considered
this in its pres emit condition to be un-
safe. and recommended that the pres
ent stairs of two flights be replaced
with stairs of four flights and bal
comics. and that the stairs and bal
comics be enclosed with heavy wire
mesh gra ting. They also recommend
ed that the window In the rear of a
room of the first floor be cut level
with the floor and a fire-escape erect
ed The committee thought, however,
that it would be better to install new
3 hre-escapes than to try to fix the old
ones.
Most of the other recommendations
made by them were under considera-
{ tion by the building committee, or had
been made as recommendations to the
board. Following are some of them:
That fire. proof doors be placed in
the arches of the passages between
the two buildings.
Changing of two doors in the second
story of Building No. from swinging
inward to be made to open out.
Inat the FOOInS On the thru hOOI VI
Building No. 2 be discontinued for
school purposes.
To the effect that the ceiling of the
boiler rooms be covered with sheet
iron and that sheet-iron be placed on
all pipes leading from furnace to
Aues.
That Janitors be instructed to re-
port for duty on the first floor at the
sound of a fire-alarm in the building.
Do Not Coincide.
The recommendations of this COM
mittee are not in total agreement IN
any way whatever with the sugo es-
! tons of the State inspector and Pres
: identr Partridge. 1t was thought that
the stairways would have to be torn
out and replaced with concrete. When
. the building committee reported at a
meeting several months ago that they
were not yet ready to take up this
question, Mr.. Partridge registered a
written protest against the acton OF
the committee. At the last meeting
he threa tened to notify the state de-
parment of education unless what ne
thought the proper action is taken.
1t is not known whether or not he
has carried out his threat to write the
State about the matter and suggest
that they take coercive action.
The next meeting of the board will
! be held on next Wednesday evening,
and at this time the report will be
read before the entire board.