Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1917 — HOME TOWN HELPS [ARTICLE]

HOME TOWN HELPS

LAWS FOR FIRE PREVENTION New York City Seek# to Have Them Enforced Against Owner# of Property'Who Are Negligent. The fire commissioner of New York city has, with the consent of the ctty*» law department, brought suit against the owners of several buildings who disregarded an order to install firechecking appliances for the expenses entailed by the municipality in extinguishing fires in those buildings, which occurred subsequent to the service on the owners of notice to comply with the requirements of the commissioner in the matter of providing safeguards against the spread of fire. The orders in question were Issued on March 0, 1910. and because of failure to Amply with them were sent to the bureau of penalties In the corporation counsel’s office on June 2 for the enforcement of the legal penalty. One of the buildings was converted into a storage warehouse a few months ago, and at the beginning of the summer, when the families in the neighborhood began to move awmy, was filled with furniture and household belongings. It Is stated that the household belongings of about 700 families were stored in the warehouse. An Itemized statement showing the complete cost- to the fire department In the services of the firemen, apparatus, expenditure of coal, water, etc., and damage to apparatus was prepared, and the suit was brought tor this amount. As It was a four-alarm fire a very large number of fire companies participated. The firemen worked from 10:20 p. m. until 6:30 a. m. The cost of extinguishing this fire Is estimated at $1,500.