The owner or owners of any building upon which is erected a fire escape shall keep the same in good repair and properly painted. Fire escapes on the outside of buildings shall consist of open iron balconies and stairways.

Fire escapes may project into the public highway to a distance not greater than four feet beyond the building line.

The stairway shall be placed at an angle of not more than sixty degrees with steps not less than six inches in width and twenty inches in length, and with a rise of not more than nine inches.

The balcony on the top floor, except in case of a front fire escape, shall be provided with a goose-neck ladder leading from the said balcony to and above the roof.

Balconies. The balconies shall be not less than three feet in width and placed where directed by the building inspector at each story above the ground floor.

They shall be below and not more than one foot below the window sills and extend in front of and not less than nine inches beyond each window.

There shall be a landing not less than twenty-four inches square at the head and foot of each stairway.

The stairway opening on each platform shall be of a size sufficient to provide clear headway.

Floors of Balconies. The floors of balconies shall be of wrought iron or steel slats not less than one and one-half inches by three-eighths of an inch, placed not more than one and onequarter inches apart, and well secured and riveted to iron battens one and one-half inches by three-eighths of an inch, not over three feet apart, and riveted at the intersections. The openings for stairways in all balconies shall be not less than twenty-one inches wide and thirty-six inches long, and such openings shall have no covering of any kind.

The platforms or balconies shall be constructed and erected to safely sustain in all their parts a safe load at a ratio of four to one of not less than eighty pounds per square foot of surface.

Railings. The outside top rail shall extend around the entire length of the platform, and in all cases shall go through the wall at each end, and be properly secured by nuts and four-inch square

washers at least three-eighths of an inch thick, and no top rail shall be connected at angles by cast iron. The top rail of balconies shall be one and three-quarters inches by one-half inch of wrought iron, or one and a half inch angle iron one-quarter inch thick. The bottom rails shall be one and one-half inches by three-eighths of an inch wrought iron or steel, or one and a half inch angle iron, one-quarter inch thick, well leaded into the wall. The standards. or filling-in bars shall be not less than one-half inch round or square wrought iron or steel, well riveted to the top and bottom rails and platform frame. Such standards or filling-in bars shall be securely braced by outside brackets at suitable intervals, and shall be placed not more than six inches from centers; the height of the railings shall in no case be less than two feet, nine inches.

Stairways.— The stairways shall be constructed and erected to fully sustain in all their parts a safe load at a ratio of four to one of not less than one hundred pounds per step, with the exception of the tread, which must safely sustain at said ratio a load of two hundred pounds. The treads shall be flat open treads of not less than six inches wide and with a rise of not more than nine inches. The stairs shall be not less than twenty inches wide. The strings shall be not less than three-inch channels of iron or steel, or other shape equally as strong, and shall rest upon and be fastened to a bracket, which shall be fastened through the wall as hereinafter provided. The strings shall be securely fastened to the balcony at the top, and the steps in all cases shall be double riveted or bolted to the strings. The stairs shall have three-quarter inch hand rails of wrought iron, well braced.

Brackets. The brackets shall be not less than one-half inch by one and three-quarter inches wrought iron, placed edgewise, or one and three-quarter inch angle iron, one-quarter inch thick, well braced; they shall be not more than four feet apart and shall be braced by means of not less than three-quarters of an inch square wrought iron, and shall extend two-thirds of the width of the respective balconies or brackets. The brackets shall go through the wall and be turned down three inches or be properly secured by nuts and four-inch square washers at least three-eighths of an inch

On new buildings the brackets shall be set as the walls are being built.

When brackets are put on to a building already erected the part going through the wall shall be not less than one inch in diameter, with screw nuts and washers not less than five inches square and one-half inch thick.

Dropladders.-A proper dropladder shall be required from the lower balcony when the floor of such balcony is more than fourteen feet above the sidewall or ground.

Painting. All parts of such fire escapes shall receive at least two coats of paint, one in the shop and one after erection.

Incumbrances on Fire Escapes.- No person shall at any time place any incumbrances of any kind whatsoever before or upon any fire escape, balcony or stairway.

It shall be the duty of every fireman and policeman who shall discover any fire escape, balcony or stairway of any fire escape incumbered in any way to forthwith report the same to the commanding officer of his company or force, and such commanding officer shall forthwith cause the occupant of the premises or apartment to which said fire escape, balcony or stairway is attached, or for whose use the same is provided, to be notified either verbally or in writing, to remove such incumbrances and keep the same clear.

If said notice shall not be complied with by the removing, forthwith, of such incumbrances and keeping said fire escape, balcony or stairway free from incumbrances, then it shall be the duty of the said commanding officers to apply to the nearest police magistrate for the warrant for the arrest of the occupant or occupants of the said premises or apartment of which the fire escape forms a part, and the said parties shall be brought before the said magistrate as for a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, the occupant or occupants of said premises or apartment shall be fined not more than ten dollars for each offense or may be imprisoned not to exceed ten days, or both, in the discretion of the

court.

Notice plates on fire escape balconies. In constructing all balcony fire escapes the manufacturer thereof shall securely fasten thereto, in a conspicuous place, a cast iron plate having suitable raised letters on the same, to read as follows: "Notice.—Any

person placing any incumbrance on this balcony is liable to a penalty of ten dollars and imprisonment for ten days."

Scuttle ladders.-All buildings requiring fire escapes shall have stationary iron ladders leading to the scuttle opening in the roof thereof, and all scuttles and ladders shall be kept so as to be ready for use at all times.

Bulkhead stairs and doors.— If a bulkhead is used in place of a scuttle it shall have stairs with sufficient guard or handrail leading to the roof.

§ 10. All buildings of Classes I and II, not fireproof and more than three stories high, * * * shall be provided with suitable and sufficient fire escapes and means of egress, to be approved by the board of fire commissioners, and to be erected and placed where and as directed by the chief and assistant engineer of the department; and any owner who shall hereafter erect any buildings of the classes specified in this section, without complying therewith, shall forfeit and pay a penalty of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each and every offense; and every owner of such building heretofore erected and used for any of the purposes herein specified, shall, on direction from the board of fire commissioners, cause suitable fire escapes and stand-pipes, to be approved by said board, to be erected and placed on such buildings as and where directed by the chief or assistant engineer of the department, and in default thereof shall forfeit and pay a penalty of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each and every month after such direction by said board.

§ 10-a. Specifications for fire escapes. Escapes shall not be less than four feet wide.

Brackets. Not less than one-half by one and three-fourths by one-quarter-inch angle iron and spaced not more than three feet apart with braces not less than one inch square iron and must extend two-thirds the width of balcony with one-inch bolt ends

through wall with five by five and one-half-inch washers and nut on inside of wall.

Top Rail. One and one-quarter by three-eighth-inch iron or one and one-half by one-quarter-inch angle iron rail around balcony not less than three feet high.

Bottom Rail.- One and three-fourths by one and one-half inch iron, or one and one-half by one-fourth-inch angle iron. Rails must go through wall with washers on nut on inside.

Connecting or Filling-in Bars.-Top and bottom rails may be connected by three-quarter-inch square bars not more than three feet apart with one by one-quarter-inch crossbars well riveted on top and bottom rail with crosses. Filling-in bars may be one-half round or square iron not more than six inches apart and well riveted to top and bottom rails.

Flooring. One and one-half by three-eighth-inch iron slats riveted to batten one and one-half by three-eighth-inch each and spaced one and one-quarter-inch between slats or one by onequarter-inch slats placed edgewise not over one and one-quarterinch apart with three rows of timbers strung on wrought-iron rods running through and well fastened at end. Flooring to be fastened to bottom rail with one and three-eighth-inch wrought-iron clips not less than four feet apart.

Stairs. Stairs shall not be less than two feet six inches wide. and placed at an angle of not less than forty-five degrees nor more than sixty degrees. Stringers must be not less than six by onequarter-inch iron or two stringers two by three-eighth-inch iron, one on front and one on back of treads and well riveted or bolted to treads. Treads to be not less than six inches wide. Riser nine inches high. Treads may be constructed the same as flooring with one and one-half by one-quarter-inch angle-iron noses on front of tread and to be riveted to one and one-quarter by three-sixteenthinch angle-iron on ends that fasten to stringers.

Stairway Openings.- Stairway openings on each balcony shall be of size sufficient to provide clear headway and in no case shall they be less than twenty-one inches wide and three feet six inches long.

Balance Drop Stairs.- Must not be less than two feet six inches wide and must be balanced from a bracket above, cut through the