FIRE-ESCAPES. An immense number of contrivances have been at different times proposed for enabling people to escape by windows and house-tops from burning build ings. They are of two distinct kinds—one for affording aid from outside, and the other for enabling those within the house to effect their own escape. Of the latter, the simplest is a cord that should be firmly attached to the window-sill of every sleeping apartment, and coiled up either in a box on the floor, or under a dressing-table, or other suitable place. A rope one quarter or three eighths of an inch thick, and knotted at intervals of about a foot, is well adapted for the purpose. A good quarter-inch sash cord will support from 3 to 4 cwt., or more if new, and will cost from 6d. to 2s., accord ing to the height of the room. A man with tolerable nerve may let himself down by means of such a cord, either by placing his feet against the wall and bringing "hand over hand" down upon the knots, or by clinging with his feet and knees to the rope as well as with his hands. A man may let down a woman or child by means of a sack at the end of the rope, or simply by fastening them to the end, and letting the rope pass through his hands, aided if necessary by the friction of the window-sill, if it be allowed to bend over it.- A rope coiled upon a drum inside a dressing-table, with a winch-handle to uncoil it, is another form. A pulley fixed to the window-sill, over which runs a rope with a chair or simple board to sit on, is a well-known contrivance.
Some means of escape from every sleeping-room should be provided, and the inmates should be thoroughly prepared by knowing beforehand how to act in case of a fire cut ting off communication with the usual means of outlet. In a row of houses with pro jecting balconies, a board of sufficient length to reach from the balcony of one house to the next may be kept in each room, or even a rope might be thrown across with the aid of a atone or lump of coal, etc., tied to one end. An exit by the roof or from the win dow on to the parapet affords a ready means of escape from a top story, and should always be provided in tall houses. In case of emergency, when no provision has been made, the cord holding the sacking of the bedstead may be undone, or the bedclothes and curtains tied together to form a rope; or as a last resource, the bedding may be thrown out of window to form a cushion to alight upon in case of the cord or bed clothes being too short to reach the ground; or if there be no time to extemporize such cordage, and it should be necessary to drop directly from the window, in this case, it would be better to hang by the hands from the window-sill and then drop, than to jump direct, as the height of the fall would be somewhat diminished thereby. In all such cases, presence of mind and coolness is of the utmost importance, and may render very simple and slender means of escape more effectual than the most complete and elabo rate would be without these qualities; and presence of mind may be to a great extent acquired chiefly by being mentally prepared, and, if possible, by rehearsals of what should be done in case of danger.
Fire-escapes to be used from without, consist either of simple ladders kept in churches, police offices, or other convenient stations, or a series of ladders that can be jointed together; of poles with baskets attachdd; of ropes with weights at one end, that they may be thrown or shot into windows; of combinations of ladders, ropes, bags, baskets, nets, etc. The fire-escape now generally adopted by the society for the protection of life from fire, is a light carriage or frame-work on wheels, to which a series of ladders, etc., are attached. It is thus described by the society: " The main ladder reaches from 30 to 35 ft., and can instantly be applied to most second-floor windows by means of the carriage-lever." This projects on the opposite side to the ladder like the shafts of an ordinary carriage, and works upon the axle of the wheels as a fulcrum. " The upper ladder folds over the main ladder, and is raised into position by a rope attached to its lever-irons on either side of the main ladder; or, as recently adopted in one or two of the escapes, by an arrangement of pulleys in lieu of the lever-irons. The short ladder for first floors fits in under the carriage, and is of the greatest service. Under the whole length of the main ladder is a canvas trough or bagging made of stout sail-cloth pro tected by an outer trough of copper wire net, leaving sufficient room between for the yielding of the canvas in a person's descent. The addition of the copper wire is a great improvement, as, although not affording an entire protection against the canvas failing, it in most cases avails, and prevents the possibility of any one falling through. The soaking of the canvas in alum and other solutions is also attended to; but this, while preventing its flaming, eim not remove the risk of accident from the fire charring the canvas. The available height of these escapes is about 45 ft.; but some of them carry a short supplementary ladder, which can be readily fixed at the top, and which increases the length to 50 feet." This society has upwards of 120 of these fire-escapes stationed in different parts of London. They stand in the roadway, and are each under the charge of a conductor during the night. Almost every house in London is within two or three minutes' run of one of these. Since 1886, when the operations of the society first commenced, they have saved thousands of lives. At one fire, nine lives were saved by one man and fire escape. Fire-escapes of similar construction are now stationed in some of our provin cial towns. When required, they are run to the burning house, the main ladder stand ing nearly upright all the while. It is then directed to the required window at a con siderable inclination, and the attendant ascends the ladder, and helps the inmates either to descend by it, or if they are unable to do this, he lets them down by the canvas trough, which forms an inclined plane, along which they may easily and safely descend with the aid he is enabled to afford them.