Evening star., 1943-01-05
Rooming House
Fire Reports
Under Study
City Heads Weigh
Get-Toueh' Policy
To Enforce Lows

The Commissioners today were
studying reports submitted to them
by District agencies on the recent
fatal rooming house fire amid in
dications of a "get-tough" policy
with both rooming house operators
and the District departments re-
sponsible for the enforcement of
regulations.
Washington's critical housing
shortage and resultant overcrowd-
ing of existing facilities were
brought into sharp focus with the
death of two men in a crowded
rooming house in the midtown sec
ton.
The head of one District depart
ment disclosed to The Star his in
ability to inspect adequately the
growing number of homes taking in
roomers because Of lack of inspect
ors, many Of whom are leaving for
better paid war Jobs or for the
armed services.
Priority Difficulties.
The situation is further compli-
Gated, authorities point out, by re-
ported difficulties In getting War
Production Board priorities for
equipment and material required
under District law for licensed
rooming houses. One city official
took the stand that as many people
are hampered by priorities as they
are by high costs of materials.
Many people maintain they will
not make the initial investment if
they will not be repaid through re-
ceipts of roomers, he said. They
just don't care to open their homes
on that basis"
Meanwhile, WPB maintained that
operators of rooming houses who
showed need for fire escapes would
be granted priority ratings suffi-
GENTLY high to procure them. Two
of the city's largest manufacturers
OF escapes say they have been un-
able to get the steel.
An official of one concern claimed
he had been waiting two months on
a priority request for steel to build
a fire escape on a building being
used by a United Nations delega-
tion here. He said his company
"shies away" from fire escape orders
because of priority difficulties and
because they are busy with Gov
ernment contracts.
Using Reserve Stocks.
The owner of a second iron works
reported he was now using his re-
serve stock to fill fire escape orders,
with no assurances of getting more
steel. Ninety per cent of these
roders, he said, come from people
to convert their homes to
rooming houses.
A WPB spokesman pointed out,
however, that there has never been
any blanket limitation on the manu-
facture of fire escapes. War Pro-
duction Boards policy is to grant
a priority when there is a real need
for it." he said. Each application
is considered individually. If it is
found that the home has large
of roomers and inadequate
fire precautions, then we grant a
priority"
Home owners desiring fire
escape should apply directly to WPB
for a priority rating. stating the
reasons for its need, he explained.
When the rating has been approved,
the application should be sent with
the order to the manufacturer.
The latter will then fill the order
from steel on hand, he continued.
If the manufacturer does not have
the steel on hand, he should make
application for it through WPB.
Both applicants will receive the best
possible priority rating. if it has been
shown the fire escape is required,
he said.
Most Requests Approved.
WPB held the majority of requests
for priorities from District home
owners in recent months had been
approved.
From Porter M. Lumpkins, chief
clerk of the District Engineer De-
partment, came disclosure that the
District had not asked for steel pri-
critics for fire escapes since March
10, 1912. On that date a request
for steel and other materials was
turned down on the grounds of a
steel shortage. Mr.. Lumpkins said
that since that time he had not
received any requests from house
holders or iron works here for as
sistance in getting priorities.
Corporation Counsel Richmond b.
Keech took the matter up and
ruled that the District had no right
to waive any of its ordinances de-
spite the inability to get steel. He
reported that he wrote WPB asking
for clarifcation on the situation
and later received a reply. He said
he wrote again for further informa-
ton, but has not yet received a
second reply.
District law requires that any
house three or more stories high
in which 10 or more persons are
accommodated above the first floor
must be equipped with an outside
fire escape. There Is one exception,
that in the case of a house with
regulation fireproofed stairways and
self-closing fireproof doors.
G. Il