New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
ADAMSON CURBS
SCHOOL FIRE PERIL
Thousands of Children
Were Endangered Daily
by CarelesSneSS.
COMBUSTIBLES IN
MANY STRUCTURES
Erasmus Hall Worst of 2O3
Buildings Inspected Commits
Sioner Denies Charges.

Robert Aosmsou lIso Comm 'tohe'
.i,brr..teo his renort 20 Mayor Nlicn'i
.ester5ay relative 20 IRE prcvenuo"
conditions 800 the public schools. i''
commissioner began The invest g".'""
ssi March ~ the rcqucs OF me va! "'
.ouovIrg charge made ODD sefe,A'
articles which appeared h ihe press "f
Charles G.. Arm tror o. c'N. engine
hat most o. ftc public schools o. '''
.ity were "irct.a7s.
The INQUIRY r.sC.'c, H me I'r"oI'
~ ,omo.,.c So. % standards.
rtty ,r number. covering both struc'
.r.1 and hoaso cleaning conditions
.,kicb zero fna'Iv adopted by iht
goa-d o. Educa' and when az,
.ordlnc TO the FIRE head. have ocsu
.orplied with In practically o" '"'
A spccial board maze care Ui
..,c.ion Of -03 schools. Wncn 'ne.~'- "a
no s,>tv-sever specifically menuoncI
,v Nr. Armstrong. In me summary w.
ate repor, Ma AdamsOu said ma" D..
moved that 90 was not o,I
.bsreed that every pubic s."o''
building m the city was 3I'''SS ,.el
Inspection OF 2o8 senGols s" -
A.t bsd FIRE conditions. due 70 car
$3.50 - no said. and that IN nu
49,. others considerable woooe"
s-..-,ct,op should be removed ana we
,-os ~ exit better safegusrded, but 70
,.-o,,,d vras found which would )uSt4y
4 - ,weening Characterization OF al -
.afe Provision for the correetion %
III nDsafo conditions is made IN me
new safety standards
III Are drills in the schools we're
round 20 be excellent, he talo' eNS 49,,
COR lack Of uniformity, ana inc ~
,nics provide for that needed Ielo,n
We recommended that the work .. pr
.oc,ion in the schools, as proNineu VI
der the new safety standards, oe 80,
nieted by the Board OF huuo~'' -.
Also that provision be mas ~ t;or
board for supervising ny 60 r,ak .
,o1j+or whose duty 10 shall be 70 nleAe
Sn..o -. ;nsnections and see that the
.sfetv standards are observed III '''
building. o.;sl hoard Of
i-.nn,,ion consisted Of Deputy Shiet
WIllism 7. Begin, Battalion Chiei
.rLo-oa. = Dougherty and Frames "
o;tay Ave- prevention inspector.
Psferring 20 their reports. Mr. Aosih,
-, aointed out that the most SERIOUS
.ondition was presented by me glouP
- old wooden buildings at the trssi"u Is
g.u Jt;gb school. Brooklyn. The bohru
%. -s.ornrended that the use o. tnese
i.,,;i5ings for classes be discontinued az
orce hut on request OF the boa,u
rducstiop. declaring that II "ou1u o
ronossibie TO provide Accommodations
~ +ba pupils on short notice, rem
-, ,ias made and the buildings
80 nerrnitted 20 remain open aiter
+birtvlone fire prevention measures
.nyocsted we're complied with
i, was stated that room would oe
son1d for these classes IN the new
building, or elsewhere, when 'he 'H'i
Tbe hazards found were chiefly due
n earelessness or thoughtlessness OF
ianitors and principals, and not 70
structural faults. A case IN pony We
Public School %, st LlnoleunlV.I,e
staten Island, where the inspectors
found I 900 pounds o. calcium caIoloe
tored in the cellar in the same room,
With various oils, sswdust and general
,ebool supplies. Another example OF
no came kind Of csrelessness was
found AZ the Curtis High School annex
a Tottenviue. where automobile IN
,truction. with all the necessary aces
sories. engines. gasolene, etc, was De-
ng given in the basement
Film Show Imperils Many.
Al Public School 50, Glenmore, stone
and Watkins avs. Brooklyn, motion
lic,ure show was found In full blast
.be portable booth for which was rest
nc on strips Of wood laid across the
hacks Of chairs and the operator or
,gbich had no certificate Of fitness. the
performance was stopped and orders
issued prohibiting the use OF portaole
booths in the schools.
The inspectors declared that Puohe
School 100. on l3Sth St, between LenoN
and Fifth avs, was practically tene-
rnent factory" because OF the comous-
rble materials used IN instrucung eie
lneptarv classes on the upper floors OF
he building. A carpenter shop, CON
tanning much combustible material, was
found on the first floor Of No. lO9, az
pa "a 2le East Goth ct. which school
nss az attendance Of 5000 children.
In Public School {. on the East side,
which houses 2.482, il was found that
Il was the habit Of the jsnitor to NIX
oil and sawdust on the open cellar
floor for cleaning purposes. In No. o.
Tdgecombe Az. and l40th st., the entire
electric wiring was found in bad con
8ition. and accommodations Of sawdus'
and shavings we're discovered In the
rarpenter shop. where paints were
,tored
non-freproof building, No. S. Mad
.on Az. and East S6th st., defective
.moke pipe led from the incinerator 70
IN. boiler. steam pipes were covered
With wood castings and accumulation:
~ old furniture. desks and discarded
hooks were found IN the cellar. thus
.mperilling $500.
Similar careless" conditions existed
m many other schools inspected. all o.
Nh,ch were promptly corrected wher
4.....t,, az che Board OF FduCa