Putnam patriot., 1923-11-02
CLOSE UNION HALL
TO PUBLIC EVENTS
Putnam's Largest Assembly
Place No Longer Available
For Social Functions
Fire Escape. Needed But Officials
Won't Specify What's Necessary

4 decision which causes Putnam TO
lose its largest public meeting place,
Union hall. was made last Saturday
by the board of directors of the
Union Block Company. when il was
decided that the hall would be def
nitely closed to public use on No
vember ! and the space let only IN
the future for storage. The refusal
Of the directors to renew the lease
Of the third story of the block inelud-
ing the hall to Putnam Aerie Of
Eagles leaves that organization tenn
porarily without a home. IL leaves
the city without any place for the
holding Of larger entertainments and
gatherings.
Decision Necessary
While the loss of the hall to Put
nam is great. the decision Of the diree-
tors was found to be absolutely nee
essary following several months Of
investigation and discussion. Ever
since the present board of directors
came into control Of Putnam's central
and biggest general business strue=
ture, they have been aware Of the
appalling fire hazard which the hall
represents. Located on the third
floor Of the building, with only one
adequate exit and a single fire escape
the wonder It that it has not before
been the scene Of a fire which might
have easily entailed great loss of life.
During the past summer the directors
Of the company decided to make eX
tensive improvements and repairs N
the hall The interior was 70 have
been repainted and a central heating
plant installed. Il was alse planned
to erect additional fire escapes, !.
was on the question of fire escape
that the closing Of the hall finally wa
decided
City Lacks Regulations
Putnam has no building regulations.
FIRE regulations or any of those codes
which are usually part Of the char
ter of progressive and growing city
In the matter Of fire escapes, the State
Police will advise builders Of struc=
lures but they prefer 70 leave the
final decision TO the local authorities.
In Putnam. the chief Of the fire de
paftment is apparently ttis proper OH
cial to regulate fire escapes and until
he does their is considerable response
bility in case of fire on building own
ers. The directors Of the Union
Block Company sought Mr.. Thurston's
advice but Mr.. Thurston would not
take the responsibility for locating
fire escapes and ruling just what ire
protection 20 the block would render
the owners exempt from liability In
case of accident or fire. The state
law holds the owners liable in case
Of accidents resulting from made
uuate fire protection and in this case
the owners would, in the opinion of
the directors, be fully responsible IA
case Of accident. The directors found
themselves unable to discover from
any official source just what eonsti-
tuted adequate fire escapes. Hence
their unanimous decision to close the
hall rather than 70 accept the total
liability which would fall upon them
in the case Of disastrous fire.
VIII Transfer Annual Events
The decision is much regretted by
the directors, who realize the loss
and the inconvenience 10 Putnam
public. Certain annual events which
have always been held in the hall will
now have 10 be transferred to small.
en- and more inadequate quarters
The Elks' ball. the Eagles and Fire
mems balls, the Winter Chautauqua
and many other dances and enter.
tainments will IN the future be given
elsewhere.
The statement has been made that
Union hall has been without accident
for the past forty-iive years, but this
does not remove the still possible
chance Of fire. In fact, the fire haz-
ard has grown with each year. The
hall has been the scene Of many i'm.
portant events in Putnam's life II
was for many years used as theatre
and some Of the leading stars Of tho
American stage trod its boards IN the
old DAYS.