City Council Cracks Down on Hazardous Chimneys
Walla Walla residents are scrambling to upgrade fire-prone flues after a new ordinance threatens fines for unsafe stovepipe installations.
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.
The Common Council has passed a law that, if strictly enforced, will prevent the danger many buildings face of being destroyed by fire. It is the intention of the Council to enforce the law, and parties who have stovepipes stuck through their roofs will do well to attend to it in time and thereby avoid both the penalty and the danger of losing their property. It is to be regretted that this law was not passed a month or two earlier, as there are a large number of chimneys to be built throughout the city and the time allowed is rather short. The brick masons will have to work lively for the next few weeks, while poor people may have to hunt up their last dollar to meet unexpected outlays.
“The brick masons will have to work lively for the next few weeks, while poor people may have to hunt up their last dollar to meet unexpected outlays.”
Fire safety and building codes were just as contentious in 1864 as they are today, pitting tenant and property owner interests against public safety. The pressure on 'poor people' to foot the bill for structural upgrades highlights the perennial challenge of balancing housing costs with building code enforcement.
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