Chap. 514.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to
rovide fire escapes from buildings of over three stories, approved
March 4, 1890, as amended and re-enacted by chapter 476 of the acts
of assembly of 1902-38-4, approved December 18, 1903. (S. B. 285)

Approved March 23, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, The
an act entitled an act to provide fire escapes from buildings of
1916.] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY. 869

over three stories, approved March fourth, eighteen hundred
and ninety, as amended and re-enacted by chapter four hundred
and seventy-six of the acts of assembly of nineteen hundred
and two, nineteen hundred and three, nineteen hundred and
four, approved December eighteenth, nineteen hundred and
three, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

1. It shall be the duty of the owner or owners, of every
factory, workshop, mill or place where the manutacture of
goods of any kind is carried on, hotel, school building, college,
hospital, orphan asylum, mercantile establishment and office
building of over three stories in height, or where as many as
fifteen persons are employed, lodged, entertained or instructed
above the second story of such building, then of three stories
in height, theaters and public places of amusement, to provide
for the safe exit of the occupants thereof in case of fire by
the erection, construction or maintenance in good condition of
fire escapes of the most improved modern design. The char-
acter and design of said fire escapes shall, in cities and towns:
be selected by the council of said cities and towns; and where:
the buildings are not located in cities or towns by the board of.
supervisors of the county. But in case of any city, town, or
county which has not prior to the first day of July, nineteen
hundred and sixteen, made such selection, the commissioner of
Iabor shall give sixty days’ notice to the mayor of such city or
town, or the chairman of the board of supervisors of such county
of his intention to prescribe adequate fire escapes for such city
or town or county; and if, at the expiration of said sixty days,
council of such city or town, or the board of supervisors of such
county had failed to adopt proper regulations by ordinance,
legal order or otherwise governing the erection of said fire
escapes, then the commissioner of labor shall proceed to pre-,
scribe and publish regulations governing the erection, character
and design of adequate fire escapes for such city, town, or
county, which regulations shall have the same force and effect.
as if adopted by the council of such city or town, or board of
supervisors of such county. But this act shall not be construed
to compel the owners of any such buildings who have complied.
with the law as it now stands and whose fire escapes have been
approved by the council of any city or town or the board of
supervisors of any county, to change the character and design
of their fire escapes should the said council or the said board of
supervisors select a different character and design of fire
escapes; unless it shall appear that such fire escapes now in use
are inadeauate, and provided that this act shall not apply to
cities having a board or committee of public safety.

2. Any owner or owners of such buildings who shall vio-
late the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a mis-.
demeanor. and upon conviction shall be fined not less than twen-
ty-five do'lars nor more than one hundred dollars for each
month they shall fail to provide such fire escapes.