The Battle for Fire Safety on Pacific Avenue
Tacoma’s People's Store faces legal action for refusing to install mandatory fire escapes.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A complaint against the People's Store for the violation of the building ordinance, which provides that all buildings three stories or more in height shall be provided with fire escapes, will be filed this afternoon, according to Assistant City Attorney Anderson. The case against the People's Store company, the owners of the brick block at 1101 Pacific Avenue, is to be prosecuted under instructions of Building Inspector Sherman. That official contends that the building should be equipped with fire escapes and the firm has so far refused to comply with the law. During the past two years, two different building inspectors have sent three written notifications to the parties, ordering them to provide the building with fire escapes, but every attempt has failed. Manager Pratt of the People's Store says: 'We do not want to violate any of the city ordinances, and if we have to erect fire escapes we will do so. I cannot see the need of fire escapes on this building. Our third floor is used for a reserve room and we have no fire of any kind in the building.'
“I cannot see the need of fire escapes on this building. Our third floor is used for a reserve room and we have no fire of any kind in the building.”
Building codes are often reactive, frequently spurred by tragedy or legal pressure. While the People's Store resisted these basic life-safety measures in 1904, modern Tacoma continues to debate the cost and necessity of upgrades in existing historic structures versus new, safer construction.
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