RECAPITULATION.

Showing the Number of Violations, Unsafe Buildings, etc., in each Ward.

FIRE AND ACCIDENT RECORD.

The number of buildings reported as damaged by fire and

accident was 308.

The estimated damage was $223,906.

The probable causes were as follows:

Boiler furnace, sparks from

Boys building a fire at the outside of a stable
Brimstone used in smoking out rats

Charcoal furnace

upsetting of

Lard, upsetting of, upon a stove

Lantern, accidental falling of upon cotton

1

1

1

1

1

4

1

1

1

1

1

15

13

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

42

1

1

1

5

1

1

8

5

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

The daily outside work of this department consists in the constant supervision of all buildings in process of erection or alteration, to see that the same duly conform in their construction and alteration to the provisions of the building law.

The providing of ample means of escape in case of fire, in certain specified classes of buildings.

The inspection of unsafe buildings, dangerous chimneys, defective flues, unsafe heating apparatus, hoistways and elevators, buildings damaged by fire, the proper setting of steam-boilers and engines, the building of furnaces, ovens, etc., the supervision of places of amusement with reference to sufficient egress, compliance with the requisitions of the Board of Health, prosecution through the City Solicitor of violations of the building law, and also attention to special examinations, at the request of outside parties, which are not comprised within the regular work of the office.

The whole number of examinations that have been made during the year is 23,862.

Under the provisions of the building law, fire escapes are required to the following classes of buildings:

Buildings in which operatives are employed in any of the stories above the second story.

Tenement houses.

Buildings occupied by two or more families on any floor above the second floor from the level of the street.

Hotels, boarding and lodging houses, factories, mill or manufactory.

Offices or workshops, in which persons are employed in any of the stories above the second floor.

All new buildings belonging to any of the above classes. are especially examined in regard to their construction with reference to fulfilling the legal requirements in furnishing suitable and ample means of escape in case of fire.

The number, location, arrangement and width of the stairways; the proposed number of occupants or operatives; the proposed use of the building; its proximity with other buildings, and the material of which it is built, all enter into consideration.

Old buildings altered to, or by occupancy brought to be comprised in any of the above classes of buildings requiring fire-escapes are also duly inspected and the necessary means of escape are required the same as if it was a new building.

The number of examinations with special reference to providing means of escape in case of fire, but not including new buildings, was 71. Official action on the part of the department was required in only twelve cases, requisitions being made as follows:

TENEMENT HOUSES.

Under requisitions from the Board of Health this department has examined nine buildings with reference to waterclosets, ventilation, etc.

HOISTWAYS AND ELEVATORS.

The total number of hoistways and elevators which have been examined and reported upon is 162.

All of these hoistways and elevators, in some one or more respects, failed to comply with the provisions of the building law.

Some were without trap-doors, some without railings,. some without any protection whatever, and were dangerous to the occupants while in use, and to members of the Fire Department in case of fire.

The owners and occupants were notified either verbally or by letter of their condition, and in a very large majority of cases cheerfully and cordially responded to and complied with the usual requirements relating to them.

The total number of hoistways and elevators which have been made to conform to the requirements of the building law, is 102.

The number uncompleted or in process of completion is 60. The number of examinations made was 372.

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON THE
BUILDINGS.

CONDITION OF PUBLIC

By an order of the City Council, the undersigned was directed to examine all buildings which were occupied either temporarily or permanently by large numbers of persons, with a view to ascertain whether the means of egress from said buildings were safe and sufficient in cases of fire, and submitted a report of his examinations November 4, 1875.

The whole number of buildings examined under the order was 516.