New Britain herald., 1919-05-05
FIRE PREVENTION
WORK IS RESUMED
Capt. Barnes Submits Figures Of
Activities Of Bureau During Year

Captain Eugene T. Barnes, who was
placed at the head of the fire preven-
ton bureau about a year ago, has
compiled an interesting report con-
corning local conditions In the re-
port Captain Barnes recommends
stricter means of fire prevention and
the taking of steps to abolish menaces
which now exist. Under the supervi
sion of Captain Barnes, the bureau
has proven its worth, and the fact that
80 fire escapes have been erected, is
an indication that careful attention is
being given the work
The report of Captain Barnes is as
follows:
ION inspection and rcinspection, tho
unsanitary conditions of the back
yards and areas in the mercantile dis
trict and in cellars and closets from
an accumulation of rubbish and waste
paper has proved to be a problem
hard to prevent by the inspectors, as
one week they find a bad condition
and order it cleaned up. and in an
other week they find it just as. bad.
The solution of this problem would
seem to be for the city to collect and
dispose of these collections.
Enough waste paper could be
baled and sold to aim ost pay for the
collection Of same. l would recon-
mend that in the near future the city
appropriate money to build an incin-
orator to burn old rubbish and collect
and bale waste paper. BY so doing
| it would dispose of q great fire hazard
! and the city would have cleaner yards
| and cellars I would recommend thai
| an ordinance be made so as to give
| the fire department moro power in
! removing rubbish and waste paper
| from buildings and areas connected
| There should be q reasonable tllne
| limit for the removal OF the @tn".
! Il would also recommend that all
| public buildings such as theaters.
! schools churches hotels, apartment
| buildings. etc, where heating ap-
| paratus is in the same building be
| provided with a sprinkler system in
the boiler room, and theaters to have
| the same on the stage overhead and in
the dressing rooms under the stage
The report of the activities of the
bureau is as follows: Inspections.
buildings, 1903; persons affected, "a
$50; yards and areaways, 1850; Access
sibility unsatisfactory; oily waste,
rags, refuse, etc, 146; waste paper,
2S3; orders issued. 237; metal waste
cans needed. 1870 places; general con-
292; bad, 106; ashes not properly dis
posed of, 147; boilers, etc. unsatis-
factory, "a; chimncys in need of re-
| pair so: gas stoves, protection Insult
| ficfent, A.; gas stoves, connections
| unsatisfactory, 80; gas stoves, other
conditions unsatisfactory, 21; coal
| stoves, unsatisfactory conditions, rs;
! hall lights unlighted, 1856; electric
| conditions, good, 1862; fair, 1903; bad,
| 6; notices referred, 6; gas, swinging
| jets found, 142: gas, open lights near
| com bustibles, 63; gas guards needed,
| 81: gas. other conditions, 7; over
crowded show windows, s. careless
smoking, a. gasoline in buildings. ex-
cessive quantity, 4; gasoline, fire or
| lights near, T. kerosene in buildings,
| excessive quantity, 3: kerosene, fire or
lights near, I; powder, fireworks, oils,
paints, acids, etc, 9: dynamite, 3:
, match storage unsatisfactory. 2.
! Fire escapes found, 102; fire escapes
| insufficient, 1856; fire escapes obstruct-
| ed, %; fire escapes needing repair, IS;
! fire shutters, s. needed, s; fire doors,
! 10; needed, 10; exit doors INSTRUCTED,
| %; exit doors opening in, 1856; halls or
| stairways obstructed, 146; windows
/ obstructed, 10; fire pals required, II
| places; chemical eXtin guishers re-
! CURED, 50; chemical extinguishers
tagged, 20; inside hose, condition
| good, 20; automatic sprinklers, 10
| places.
Unsatisfa Glory conditions reported,
| 1895; unsatisfactory conditions rein
| spected. 3SS: unsatisfactory condi-
| tions, verbal suggestions by inspector,
! 282; unsatisfa Glory conditions, condi-
| tions notices by inspecting officer, So
| unsatisfactory conditions, recommen-
dations by inspector, ESQ; unsa tisfac-
| tory conditions, rem edied through in
! spector or inspecting officer, 327; un-
| satisfactory conditions, fire escapes to
| building inspector, 1923; unsatisfactory
conditions. fire exits to building in
! spector, 1926; unsatisfactory conditions
| fire shutters to building inspector, 5;
| unsatisfactory conditions, fire doors to
, building Inspector, 8; unsatisfa Glory
| conditions building to building inspec-
| tor 108; unsatisfactory conditions to
| electrical superintendent 6; unsatis-
factory conditions, by police, II; UNI
: satisfactory conditions reported to the
board of health, 80; unsatisfactory
conditions reported to board of water
commissioners, 3; unsatisfactory con-
ditions reported to property owners,
80.
Special notices, "a; verbal notices
complied with, 331; written notices
complied with, %; written orders is
| sued, approved by chief engineer. 2;
recomm endations of inspectors APP
proved, 4S5; disapproved, /; recon-
nendations Of inspecting officer ADOPT
| ed by other department, rs; recon-
| mendations of inspector complied with
and condition improved, 24O; recon-
! mendations of inspecting officer COM