24 COMMISSION ON BUILDING DISTRICTS 



Fire insurance rates recognize the distinctly greater risk of the tene- 

 ment with stores on the ground floor as compared with the tenement with- 

 out stores. Increased fire risk for the tenement with stores must necessarily 

 mean increased fire risk for all neighboring buildings. The menace to 

 neighboring residential buildings in the case of an ordinary store is multiplied 

 in the case of a theater, garage, warehouse or factory. Even where in the 

 case of a tenement with a store on the ground floor the firemen succeed 

 in preventing the fire from spreading to the tenements above, it may cause 

 serious loss of life from smoke or panic. Chief Kenlon testified to the 

 desirability from the standpoint of fire prevention and safety of providing 

 for the establishment of residence districts from which stores would be 

 excluded. Edward R. Hardy, assistant manager, New York Fire Insurance 

 Exchange, produced statistics and evidence of the increased fire risk to tene- 

 ments having stores on the ground floor. Mr. Hardy said: "The rate of 

 insurance in a store and dwelling building reflects greater insurance risks. 

 The ordinary private dwelling, now accepted as a building occupied by not 

 more than two families, if it changes its character so that the first floor or 

 basement is occupied for a store, with one family above, the insurance rate 

 is about twice as much as when it was occupied wholly for dwelling pur- 

 poses. This is due to the fact that the store brings always an unknown 

 quantity of waste material, poor protection to stoves, gas lights, care of 

 ashes and ordinary accumulations — the risk is about two to one. Even if 

 special precautions are provided to prevent the spread of fire from the 

 business building to the tenement above there is great danger, especially on 

 the ground of safety to the occupants of the tenements. The proposition 

 frequently advanced that the first floor is so protected that there shall be 

 no communication when there is a store in the basement with the floors 

 above, overlooks the fact that in a fire the smoke will always seek any 

 exit available. It will ascend naturally if there is a way. If not, it will 

 pour out of the doors and windows and follow up the side of the building 

 and enter the living floors in that way. Some of the most serious panics 

 have been due not to fire, but purely to the smoke condition." 



That the invasion of the residential street by trade and industry is 

 generally recognized as a serious evil by the residents themselves, has been 

 conclusively demonstrated by experience. With the coming of trade and 

 industry those residents who can afford to do so leave the street, rents 

 fall and the lending institutions call their loans. The combination of re- 

 duced rents and higher interest rates leads to many foreclosures and places 

 most owners in such a precarious financial position that they are unable 

 to make needed repairs and improvements. It becomes difficult or impos- 

 sible for the city authorities to enforce even minimum standards of public 

 health and safety. 



