Evening star., 1947-03-04
Bui|ding0wners
ATTACK New DC.
Fire Safety Law
Plan Would Impose
Confiscotoy Financial
Burden, They Soy
BY Henry A. Muslin

By Henry A. Muslin
The District Commissioners were
urged today to reopen the whole
subject" of fire safety regulations
and to suspend enforcement OF the
new egress laws beyond July !
pending such action.
The recommendation was one Of
several advanced by the Building
Owners and Managers Association
of Washington at hearing before
the city officials. Spokesman for
the group described the regulations
as unavoidable" doing little to
promote safety Of egress" and i'm
posing ..confiscatory" financial
burden on local property owners.
r. r. INLAY, association president,
told the Commissioners the cost of
making office buildings and apart
ments comply with the new regu-
lations. would approach $55 ,000, 600.
Under the laws, 80 per cent Of the
city's approximately 1000 apartment
houses and $50 Office buildings would
be required to make such altera-
tions, he stated.
Could Entail 100 Million.
Mr.. INLAY emphasized that such
cost involved only Office and apart
ment buildings. Their consideration,
together with hotels, hospitals, the
aters, restaurants and other public
meeting places covered by the regu-
lations, could easily run the amount
involved to $100, 900, 900, he said.
The association advocated ap-
paintment of a committee of prop
erty owners, lawyers, public officials
and "other qualified persons" to
consider whether previous fire safety
regulations, if strictly enforced,
would accomplish the desired ends.
The association also recommended
that the Board Of Special Appeal, If
continued, be given wider discre-
tionary powers, including specific
authorization to consider economic
hardships" and to authorize "al-
ternative safety measures"
Supports Old Regulations.
The board was created to handle
appeals brought by property owners
in violation OF the fire safety regu-
lations, with the idea of granting
waivers where work necessary to
bring them in compliance is deemed
impracticable.
The group declared the old regu-
lations, in its opinion, would be
more than adequate if strictly en-
forced"
Particular objection was voiced
to the retroactive features of the
rev rules. The old regulations ap-
piled only to new structures. Rufus
S. Lusk, association secretary, de-
clared that making them apply to
all buildings amounted to "a depri-
vation of property without due
process of law"
Offers First Recommendations.
The owners-managers group was
the first to present recommenda-
tions regarding the regulations as
the outgrowth of a Commissioners
hearing in December. The city had
asked for ideas at that time after
suspending to July l enforcement
Of regulations supposed to have
taken effect March 8, 1916.
AS as example of the expense in
volved in making buildings comply
with the new regulations the asso-
citation cited the Cortland apart
ments, 1850 Euclid street NV. In
stallation of a second stairway, fire.
proofing of present stairwells and
other work required under the reg
ulations would cost the owners $685.
TO-; it was said.
In addition, the loss of six rooms
involved in installation of the second
stairway would reduce the apart
ment's annual income SLABS, the
association said.
Showed Net Loss of S1,611.
! Mr.. Lusk emphasized that the
Cortland apartments realized a net
profit of 1896 last year and actu-
ally showed net yearly loss of
$1,611 after deducting for deprecia-
tion.
i The apartment is one of 2,128
Washington buildings in which fire
and building inspectors have dis
covered fire safety violations in a
check begun shortly after the Wine
coff Hotel fire in Atlanta Decem-
ber 7, which took 119 lives.
! Asserting that it is impossible to
Iegislate against human careless
ness" Mr.. Inlay told the Commis-
sioners his association has made
continuous education of tenants
and training of business personnel
in fire hazards a major part of
its program.
Urges Self Imposed Policing"
: He advocated letting industry
"police itself" rather than imposing
strict regulations without reassur-
ing ourselves that the public Is ade-
quately protected and the property
owner not bankrupted."
I Mr.. Lusk assured the Commission
ers the association stands ready to
support any constructive program
which will guarantee safety to the
public but will not bankrupt own
ers,, disposses commercial and resi-
Dental tenants by the hundreds and
result in a substantial rise in rents"
Others appearing in behalf of the
association were Morris R. Clark, di-
rector of public relations, and Mar
shall Davis and Harvey Humphrey,
members of special committee ap-
pointed by the association to study
the regulations.
Man Held for Acfion