Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-12
STATE TO ENFORCE FIRE ESCAPE
-s LAWS IN CITIES WITHOUT =
ORDINANCES.
INSPECTORS TO VISIT 90
TOWNS WITHOUT LAWS
State Regulations Will Be Enforced in
Those Cities Having No Adequate
Laws Suitable Fire Escapes For
Hospitals Soueht-Transmission Line
Testimony to Be Printed.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to imeS-Repuoncan.
Des Moines. April IAN inquiry or
the part Of the state labor commission
& er, A. L. Ur,ck, who has charge OF en-
forcing the fire escape laws and the
theater regulations as regards fire
shows that there arc number OF
cities in Iowa Of more than $1,000 in
habitantS which have no city Ordi-
nances at all with reference 70 theater
fire escape regulations. Commissioner
Trick is instructinG his inspectors To
cisit these cities soon as possible
and inspect the theaters and require
that state regulations AS to exits.
width Of aisles. freedom from chairs
in afsles and similar provisions be
compiled with.
Where suitable city ordinances for
the regulation of theaters and other
public meeting places exist these local
ordinances will take precedence over
state regulations but where no ordi-
nances exist the state will require its
provisions be followed strictly.
a. From data now being ColleCte ed
showing the regulations Of the ordi-
nances regarding theaters and other
public buildings in Iowa cities which
have such ordinances the state COM
missioner is trying to work out set
Of Uniform rules and regulations which
can be put in force in the larger
towns and cities thruout the state.
Many Of the county seat towns have
little regulation locally OF their public
meeting places as to fire escape pro-
visions. The state commissioner hopes
to get his inspectors into these towns
and see to It that proper precautions
are instituted.
Commissioner Trick had a confer
ence Of hospital superintend dents and
fire escape manufactures a few days
ago to try and work out some fire es-
cape suitable to use in hospitals A
number Of hospital heads and fire es-
cape manufacturers attended and from
the Interchange Of ideas It Is hoped
to work out some sort Of an escape
which Will be suitable to hospitals.
= To Print Transmission Testimony.
The state railroad commission Is
planning to have printed digest Of
the testimony ana Information given
at the hearing recently held on trans
mission lines and telephone lines and
Of this problem Of Interference with
telephone service caused by high ten
sion lines along the same highway.
There were a number Of experts who
z testified and 1t is believed that no such
mass OF Information with reference to
this modern problem has ever yet been
gotten together.
81 Many requests have come to the
Z commission for a digest Of this testi-
4mony and the inqutrers say they will
h4 Ill - Iz$.
they can get them. By requiring a
small payment for the pamphlet the
. commission believes that most Of the
of.
State House Notes.
The state board of education will
meet at Cedar Falls Thursday. The
board has had to take over the COM
pletion OF two new buildings at the
Iowa state College. Ames, because the
contractor was not able to go forward
with the work.
The long delayed report OF the sur
vey commission has not yet been given
out. The preliminary report was pre-
scented to the board almost two month rs
ago but the final has not yet beer
completed.
The state library not long ago re-
ceived a shipment Of a German en-
encyclopedia and upon examination +
was found that the maps Of German
cities had all been removed. State
Librarian Johnson brigham imme-
diately wrote the publishers about i
and they replied that this had beer
done by order Of the German govern.
ment. Since the war the German gov
eminent has prohibited the circulation
Of all German maps, particularly thos'
Of the cities. They fear that the wa
aviators Of the enemy may use thu
maps in making raids by aviation or
their cities.