Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/430

 352 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders" Journal. [Nov, FIRE ESCAPES. IT is not a little surprising, that — up to the present time — the inventive faculty of our citizens should have failed to produce a Fire Escape, free from ob- jections We have a variety of make- shifts ; but nothing really worthy of public patronage. In New York an appendage to tene- ment houses has been introduced — in the form of an iron balcony on the centre of the front, or rear, of each story — from which a narrow, perpendicular ladder leads to the next below, and so on, down to the ground. The ground one, or first story ladder, is, however, not left in place, lest the burglars may make it available in forwarding their peculiar interests. Looking at fire escapes, as more pe- culiarly required for women and chil- dren, or the aged and disabled, these balconies are, at best, but a poor device ; and, as for the ladders, they are a most stupid contrivance. Who, but a man of nerve, would venture on them at the fifth or sixth story of a house? And, suppose the floor on fire, and the flames issuing through the upper windows, would not those balconies be turned into gridirons, to roast the unhappy victims, who in their distraction sought safety through them ? The Fire Department, in each and every city of the United States, has lad- ders which have, in the hands of the gal- lant firemen, proved valuable in saving life. But how often has this nreans of rescue failed in New York, where crowded tenement houses are the rule. These ladders give ready access to a burning building, it is true ; but, may not a hu- man being be perishing in one part of the building, while the firemen are forcing their way through another? The fact is, the means of escape should be ready, on the spot, and such as to give confidence to the endangered in- mates. Ladders are not at all fit for for this purpose. As we have said, they are adapted solely for man. Means of escape for the weak and the timid should be provided, for the sake of humanity, of an unexceptionable contrivance, by which deliverance would be within indi. vidual reach, certain and speedy. Such would, indeed, be a boon beyond price to the community at large, and, to women and children in particular, well worthy of any effort to obtain it. Let every one capable of adding a single suggestion towards the working out of this humanitarian problem, do so. It must be satisfactorily solved some day. Why not now ? SCENIC EFFECT. The art of Painting is practiced in two entirely different methods. One artist elaborates, without regard to time or pains, for the sake of obtaining an exceedingly smooth surface, resembling enamel. By this method, every part of the picture will bear the severest scrutiny, and the general effect may be extremely good, although not likely to be so satisfactory, as in that picture produced rapidly, by an artist well versed, from long previous study, in the prin- ciples of effect, apart from the elaboration of details. Those of the latter school have in their favor the fact, that we only see clearly about 2|° of the circle at any one time. Therefore the details are wasted. The scene-painter belongs to the latter class. All his effective work is produced by simply using yellow ochre and any suitable blue and red, mixed with water, and aided by the mellowing of artificial light.