The New York herald., 1922-12-05
SEES FIRE MENACE
In FACTORIES HERE
Repetition of Triangle Waist
Company Disaster Possible,
Says Investigator.
CHIEF BRENNAN DIFFERS
Asserts Drastic Building Laws
Now Safeguard Lives Of
the Workers.
CHIEF BRENNAN DIFFERS

A. repetition of the Triangle Waist
Company fire in 1911. with the loss of
142 lives. is possible in any one of the
congested manufacturing centers, ac-
cording 10 DR. George NJ. Price, director
Of the Joint Board OF Sanitary Control
speaking at conference on fire pre-
vention between the board and repre-
sentative civic. labor and industrial or
ganizations held yesterday at 131 East
Seventeenth street.
DIR. Prices assertion was approved
by Max Hochman of the Joint Board
of the Dress and Waist Makers Union
and by several women speakers, all OF
whom expressed indignation that no
penalty had been imposed on those who
had been Irresponsible for loss OF life.
Fire Commissioner brennan said last
night he emphatically disagreed with
DIR. Prices views.
DR. Price who with Rudolph p. Mil
Ter, former building commissioner and
chairman OF the Bureau of Standards
and Appeals, Is making a survey Of the
buildings in the cloak, suit. dress and
waist industries, reported that the fire
drills required by law were pretty gen
orally neglected. The drills prevailed
in most Of the garment industries. he
said, but owing to the fact that these
industries were often houses in the same
buildings with concerns manufacturing
other lines of goods. the majority of
whom paid no attention to the drills,
the efforts of the garment workers
would be unavailing in time of peril.
William ]. Schieffelin. who presided,
said "The conference has been called
simply to be helpful and not to criticize
public officials. We hope as a re-
suit of the report OF the committees and
the action OF the subsequent meeting
that there will be enough public interest
aroused to prevail in bringing about a
better enforcement OF the law, as well
as better observation of the law on the
part OF the workers themselves"
Chief Larkin of the fire prevention
bureau said that in the last two fires
which resulted in loss of life the
laws and code OF regulations had been
complied with. The Board of Aldermen.
he said had a new ordinance under
consideration which requires that all
celluloid manufacturing shall be con-
Quoted on a floor which has no other
manufacturing concern above II.
Certainly not" said Fire Commission
er Thomas j. brennan last night when
asked II he thought there was a possi-
bility OF repetition Of the Triangle
fire. "The building code would not
permit a repetition of that fire. Such
q thing would be impossible. AS
remeber II, the reason for the great loss
of life was that all the doors opened
inward Such doors are no longer al
lowed As for the efficacy of the pres
ent code-the average real estate man "
New York city feels that II is altogether
too drastic as II is
: Concerning the inspection OF build
lngs. we now have 800 firemen going
out each day from the various stations
TO see that the regulations are COM
piled with If there are specific in
stances where the regulations are being
violated we shall be very glad to have
them brought to our attention"