Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-11-09
FIND FACTORY
F|RE-TRAP; ALL
DOORS BLOCKED
Captain 0asser Reports to Col.
Bryant Flagrant Vio-
Iation.
THIRD AND FOURTH FLOORS
FOUND TO BE DANGEROUS
Disaster Would Have Followed
if Fire Had oc-
CURED.

Startling disclosures which might
endanger great loss of life have been
brought to light by Captain C. Albert
Gasser. OF the Bureau of Combustibles
and Fire Risks, when it was found
that fire-escapes on the third and
fourth floors Of a factory building at
sS-s7 Chestnut street had been cut
off, thus exposing fragrant violation
of the State law.
This morning Captain Gasser met
with the safety committee. composed
of Superintendent Of Buildings Will
lam F. O'Rourke and James w. Ward,
license inspector, and submitted a
letter which he will forward to
Colonel Lewis T. Bryant. commits
sioner of the department of labor at
Trenton. The communication was
approved by the safety committee.
and it is believed that the depart
ment Of labor viii take steps at once
TO prosecute the owner,
In q paragraph OF Captain Gassers s
letter the facts are self-explanatory
and are as follows: Ever so often
we run into something that jars us
tremendously and stirs us to resent
ment. Today Inspector Theodore
Moehring, of this bureau, reported
the blocking of fire-escapes on the
third and fourth floors of the four
story brick factory building at 1897
Chestnut street, this city. Scarcely
able to credit the report went to
this address with Inspector Moehring
and found that some one had built
toilets in front of the fire. escape
doors on the third and fourth floors,
thus absolutely blocking these fire.
escapes and rendering them useless.
If it were not so tragic it would be
a joke
The letter in part which has been
sent to Colonel Bryant IS as follows:
Whenever inspectors of this bureau
find violations OF the labor laws they.
call attention to suca shortcomings
and in majority of cases owners
and tenants willingly comply with
suggestions made, especially when.
such suggestions are based on COM
mon sense.
Occasionally we find violations
which are serious, and these we refer
direct to your department, as your
letter files for the nve years last past
will readily prove; and, by the same
token scores of Violations Of our fire
prevention code have been referred
to us from your office and by your
inspectors. In this spirit of co-opera-
tion we have profited greatly.
Zone reason for this letter is 4
strong desire to offset criticism which
seeks to hold officials responsible for.
loss of life by burning. l am sure
these toilets were built after your in
spector's last visit, for no sane man
would think of passing or approving
any such monstrous thing. How often
must buildings be inspected? Arc Of
ficials supposed to be in constant at
tendance everywhere?7' Impossible.
MY contention is. and has been
for years, as expressed publicly and
privately, that the responsibility for
the safety of employees rests morally
upon the shoulders of the employer,
A manufacturer should procure an
occupancy license from the depart
ment of labor before he occupies a
building. | am led to believe that
you are also of this opinion. You do
this now in the case of bakeshope.
Doesn't experience prove that It
should be done in all cases? In New
ark we require persons manufactur-
ing or storing or handling explosives
and highly-infiammabl materials to
secure a permit, and this system has
proven its value.
why not an amendment to the
labor laws at the coming session OF
the Legislature making 1t necessary
TO secure an occupancy license from
your department? If this is thought
to be too drastic, why not insist upon
an occupancy license in all establish
nents where women are employed?'
Captain Gasser says he is unable to
take any steps, since the matter is
entirely in the hands Of the depart
ment Of labor. A suggestion that
legislative enactment be carried out
overcoming this condition has been
made.
with the story of the loss of twelve
lives in Brooklyn factory fire,
where conditions were almost parallel
with some conditions here, the need
for stringent factory regulations.
especially where girls are employed,
is urged.
Had fire broken out in this Chest
nut street factory building the girls
would have had no means OF escape
except a wooden staircase. While
fire-escapes are attached to the builds
ing, they serve as an ornament, ana
are void of practical use. because the
fire exits have been converted as
toilets.
A. p. Morris, owner OF the building
and president of the Newark Second
Hand Machinery Company, said this
forenoon that the offending obstruc-
tions would be removed by o'clock
today. He said that he did not know
Of their presence and really has no
control Of such things except in cases
OF official complaint like the present.
The tenants put up fixtures to suit
themselves, he said, and then when
complaint is made they try to shift the
blame to the landlord.
III. Al. Wilson, president of the II. A.
Wilson Company, manufacturers OF
platinumware on the third floor of
The building. said this forenoon that
the distractions to the fire escape
we're in place when his concern moved
II, A year and a half ago and, that he
never had considered them serious
enough tv remove them.
He declined to permit the COM
nlained of conditions to be seen by
renorter for the Evening Star, but
said that he had invited the inspec-
tion by Captain Gassers staff. About
100 workers, mostly girls, are em-
pioyed in the place and the company
nf the tiil6-ng in addition to the third
fjoor which has been occuDied since
the sprins u 1s1A