shall be securely bolted to a bracket 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 handrails of wrought iron, well braced,

6. Brackets. The brackets shall not be 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 not be 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 thick. On new buildings the brackets shall be set as the walls are being built. When brackets are put on buildings already erected the part going through the wall shall not be less than one inch in diameter with screw nuts and washers not less than five inches square and one-half inch thick. If the end going through the wall is separately constructed, it shall be properly connected to the bracket with not less than two five-eighths inch rivets staggered.

7. Drop ladders.- Where drop ladders are permitted instead of stairs from the lowest balcony, they shall be of sufficient length to reach from the lowest balcony or platform to a safe landing place beneath. It shall be not less than fifteen inches in width, with strings not less than one-half inch by two inches and rungs of not less than five-eighths of an inch in diameter placed not over twelve inches apart and properly riveted through the strings. Where the lowest balcony is more than fourteen feet above the ground beneath the same, a suitable landing platform shall be provided. Such platform shall be located not more than ten feet above the ground, and shall be connected with the fire escapes above by a stairway constructed as herein required. Such platform shall be not less than four feet in length by three feet in width, and shall be provided at each end with proper railings and a drop ladder to reach the ground. Except as specified, it shall be constructed in conformity with the other provisions of these regulations.

8. Goose-neck ladders.- Wherever possible, a balcony at the top story of any building shall be provided with a goose-neck ladder leading to the roof. Such goose-neck ladder shall be securely fastened to the wall of the building and to the roof, and shall be so located as to afford safe access to the roof. Such ladder shall be constructed as provided for drop ladders; the strings shall be in one piece and shall not be connected in parts by rivets and bolts; such ladders shall be arranged to rest on brackets and not on slats forming the floor of the balcony.

9. Scuttle ladders.- Scuttle ladders, where required, shall be constructed as above provided for stairs, except that they may be set at a steeper angle. They must be properly secured at top and bottom.

10. Painting.- All the parts of such fire escapes shall receive not less than two coats of paint, one in the shop and one after erection. All fire escape balconies shall contain a plate firmly fastened to the standards or filling-in bars near the top railing, containing in plain, large, prominent, raised letters, each letter to be not less than one-half an inch in length, the following words: "Any one placing any encumbrance on this balcany will be fined ten dollars." The lettering on such plates shall be painted with a paint of a color different from that used on the body of the plate, so that the letters will be prominent and distinct.

11. In case it may be desired, for architectural or other reasons, to vary from these requirements in the shape or construction of the brackets or railings, such changes may be submitted to the superintendent of buildings, but shall not be made until his approval has been obtained.

12. Windows. All windows opening on fire escapes to be approved self-closing, and to have metal frames and sashes glazed with wire glass.

Ogdensburg.

FIRE ESCAPE ORDINANCE.

The owner, lessee or occupant of every hotel, lodging house, tenement house, apartment house or boarding house actually in

use as such and three or more stories in height, and every building designed and used as a dwelling house for the accommodation of three or more families which is three or more stories in height, and the owner, lessee or occupant of any building more than two and one half stories in height containing a room or rooms above the second floor occupied as an amusement hall, lodge room, place for public assembly, or room used for manufacturing purposes shall provide and equip such building with outside fire escapes and maintain the same in good repair and free from incumbrance. All buildings requiring fire escapes, as herein provided, shall have stationary 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, the door in any scuttle shall at no time be locked, but may be fastened on the inside by movable bolts or hooks.

The number of fire escapes to be placed upon any building as hereinbefore provided, shall be fixed by resolution of the common council. Such fire escapes shall be arranged and constructed as follows:

1. Iron balconies at least three feet wide shall be located so as to communicate one with the other by means of stairs, and with the ground by either stairs or drop ladders. The balconies must be of sufficient length to comply with all the requirements of these regulations.

2. The balconies shall have a landing not less than twenty-four inches square at the head of each stairway, except in cases where the stairways reach and leave the balconies at the ends, there shall be a passageway at the side of the stairs not less than fourteen inches wide in every part. The stairway opening in each platform shall be of a size sufficient to provide clear headway, and shall be enclosed on the long side by a three-quarter inch rail, well braced.

3. The floors of balconies shall be of wrought iron or steel slats not less than one and a half inches by three-eighths of an inch, placed not more than one and one-quarter 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 intersection. The ends of such floor slats shall project beyond

the platform frame, but shall not rest on the bottom rail. The openings for stairways in all balconies shall not be less than twenty-one inches wide and thirty-two inches long, and such openings shall have no covers of any kind. The platforms or balconies shall be constructed and erected and maintained 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.

4. Except in case where stairs are at ends of balconies, the outside top rail shall extend around the entire length of the platform and shall go through the walls 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. Where stairways at ends of balconies make it impossible to secure top rails to walls, such top rails must be made rigid and secure by means of inclined braces from the brackets on the outside of the railings so as to offer no obstruction along the balcony. The top rail of balconies shall be one and three-quarters inches by one-half inch 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 one and a half inch angle iron one-quarter inch thick, well leaded or cemented to the wall. The ends of all rails which go through the walls shall be worked out to not less than three-quarters inch bolt size for top rails, or one-half inch bolt size for bottom rails, and if constructed as separate pieces shall be properly secured to the rails with not less than two half-inch rivets. The standard or filling-in bars shall not be less than one-half inch round or square wrought iron, 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 railing shall in no case be less than two feet nine inches.

5. The stairways 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; and shall be constructed, erected and maintained 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 treads which must safely sustain at said ratio a load of two hundred pounds. The treads shall be flat, open treads or may be constructed of flat bars, not over one and one-half inches wide, riveted to angle irons of a size not less than one and one-half inch, with the open spaces between such bars not over threequarters of an inch wide. The strings shall be not less than threeinch channels of iron or steel, or three-eighths by four-inch bars, or two three-eighths by one and one-half inch bars properly latticed, or other shape equally strong. Unless of channel or angle iron they shall be stiffened by the use of braces properly leaded into or bolted through the wall, and also bolted through the string at a height of not less than seven feet above the floor of the balcony. They shall rest upon and be bolted to a bracket, which shall be fastened through the wall as hereinafter provided. The strings shall be securely bolted to a bracket 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 handrails of wrought iron, well braced.

6. The brackets shall not be less than one-half inch by one and three-quarter inch wrought iron, placed edgewise, or one and three-quarter inch angle iron, one-quarter inch thick, well braced; they shall not be 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 thick. On new buildings the brackets shall be set as the walls are being built. When brackets are put on buildings already erected the part going through the wall shall not be less than one inch in diameter with screw nuts and washers not less than five inches square and one-half inch thick. If the end going through the wall is separately constructed, it shall be properly connected to the bracket with not less than two five-eighths inch rivets staggered.

7. Where drop ladders are used instead of stairs from the lowest balcony, they shall be of sufficient length from the lowest balcony or platform to a safe landing place beneath. It shall be not less than fifteen inches in width, with strings not less than one-half