The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-28


families Of fremen are called upon to follow to
we believe, to regulate the thickness and
strength of the walls Of new buildin 8, and un-
der our present system ofcity government such
a law would probably lie dormant on the statute
books. We have number of fire laws and
corporation ordinances relative to the altera-
ton Of buildings, the height Of the walls, and so
forth, but none which touch the question at
issue.
Itmay be well enough in passing, to ascer-
tain how these laws and ordinances have been
obeyed, and we re-publish the synopsis of the
last annual report of the Fire Wardens. 1t APP
peared in the HERALD of the 18th instant =
The naanher of violations Of the fire laws with their
nature well violation of corporation ordinances re-
latve % hoisngs were as folows-woodcn sheds and
other buildings erected enclosed 104; wooden shefH
over twelve est high MOI enclosed y. enassng isame
wooden slls and nc,s 49, coping to party and other
wls, is; buildings WITH eight inch walls over 80 feet
high 35 buildings with bond t:srbers over three feet
tong, buildings less than four walls 49, buildings with
beams supported by wooden posts, 7; buildings with
beams touching party walls 10; chimneys not started
at the foundations of the buildings "a chimneyscut of
naoes stove pipes Sc dangerously situated rs build
ins With tar ard composition roofs no iron OF copper
IS high II; ordinance relative hoistways, q.
miscellaneous, 63-total 5fd. Number Of violations re-
moved from oy e owners sa or nuaets
tons not removed and copies OF the notices relative
thereto transmitted to te trustees OF the f're Depart
nent 5o;aumber of violations of ordinances relative 70
hatchvs notices SERVED and ordinances complied with,
"A ordI not comp led WITH and cases transferred
to the Corporation Attorney, 3-total 80 Number Of
budngs examined by The Board and reported az danger
GUS AZ quantity OF powder seized, 81 200 rs The
dens sasThe Bosrd are happy to state that the ord
nance PASSED in September, 1885, in relation to hos.
Aas had the desired effect, arising much fro
the deposition Of the merchants to render their bud
ings fe to fremerFil Of FIRE tc the srngercy
of the law but there Is exception Mr. stephenWtit-
ney who has violated the ordinance in thirty If
fepeht cases. asserting as reason, that Is
constitutional The matter is now before the COURTS
and here is every prospect Of its terminating in faw OF
fourth time, call ycIr attention to the many daa
to YOUR honorah,aody ths nscesstvof taking SOM PC
toa in the matter Your attention IS more particularly
directed to the great number Of Old dhapidated uid
in;s msmy of which filed with combustibe alter
and stu ated in the most crowded part Of the city The
number is great and is matter Of impossibt for
they 81 ,ould lake Gre The Board hnye repeatedly
ported the facts to previous Common Councils yet eff
many of the bull 1ings remain standing, and Come Of
them apt to fail at time and crush all who may
of the Department TO the following named buildings
being dangerous in case Of fre-Rear of No. IS John
and 81 West Thirty first street, Nos e2 o. &C. 98 and
1o2 centre street. No 45 Ann street. (rear) Noe 4s
Hud son street.
AT the present time this document is highly
important; and we would request the Aldermen.
if they can spare the time which is new occu-
pied in debating questions Of order and quar-
relling with the Councilman, topsy some atten-
ton to this extract The Board would again.
and for the fourth time, call your attention to
the many dangerous buildings in the. city, and
they seriously suggest to your honorable body
the necessity of taking some action in the mat
ter 1t does ne. appear that the honorable
body thus seriously addressed paid any atten-
ton to the suggestion Of the Fire Wardens.
The calamity in Bcoadway may arouse them to
the necessity Of some action in the premises,
but there is not much hope. The slaughter of
Tuesday night forms only one page in a,hloody
calendar which has been reeking for years with
almost daily accessions.
With all these facts before us the people Of
New York should take the matter into their
own hands. Let the Caroaer's Jury. to,sse in
session to-day. take up the subject and thororgh.
ly investigate the mode and manner Of Builaiag
houses in this city Such course is due to
the fremen is due to the public, is due to them
selves. We call upon Mr.. Cenn as foreman OF
the jury, to attend to this business and see if
some remedy cannot be found, some effective
remedy, to lessen the number Of victims offered
up annually in this city to the cupidity Of
builders. The building season will commence
on the first of May, and it should be condition
incident upon the erection Of every building
that the work shall be done in the substan-
tial STYLE which is the characteristic feature in
European cities, and which is rarely to be
found in New York. The age is SO fast, and
buildings are run up with such rapdity, that it
is positively dangerous for the builders employed
upon them. Is it at all singular, then, that fires
should bring about the horrible results which
we are daily called upon to record The fire
laws apply to buildings as they stand-we
should have law to provide that no buildings
should be erected without sufficient guaranty
that the walls should be strong enough and
thick enough to be safe un Ter any weight And in
buildings Were iron safes are used, the supports
npon which the safes rest should be always run |
up from the foundations, and thus the safes |
would be perfectly secure, and the lives of the |
6remen would be preserved Any Of our in
curing builder can see this excellent system
at work in any of the Eastern cities. AS New t
York is superior to Boston in wealth, enterprise |
and commercial advantages, her builders should
endeavor to surpass the artisans of that city in
the construction Of shops and warehouses. Now
me New Workers are far behind their Eastern
brethren.
This useful reform must not be confined to
shops and warehouses, but it should extend to
all classes of buildings The manner in which
the building mania" has been used by knavish
spectators and careless artisans, is a disgrace
to any community which makes the slightest