The New York herald., 1869-01-21

nigh, with water ana Ras nxtureS complete, anu
rents should be so adjusted a. not to allow more
than the legal state interest ON the investment
A very perfect mouel OF tenement houses Is 10 be
found IN brooklyn. stanton street between JOh0son
and Tiary. gentleman borrowing the idea OF the
French tenement house. and making such alterations
ana Improvements upon It rs the different manners
OF our people and their modes OF living suggested IL
erecting here three buildings, one OF i3o feel
front III Stanton street ana two IN rear running at
right angles from the front buiitilng lone at each
sidel back sixts-hve feet and enclosing court
Sixty i've feet square, which Is entered through
covered way from stanton street. The front eieva-
ton IN model OF architectural beauty, and 50 re-
syed by variety IN style as 70 remove tne on)ecton
row Of buildings gives. IL Is nlit OF Philadelphia
brick representing six distinct four story buildings,
with eigit-inch setois. Four OF the buildings have
Mansard roofs nom the third story the TWO centre
buildings going up lush. The siils and linteis are
OF brown stone, those OF The central portion
being arched and the others square. A heavy
wooden cornice with deep brackets, distinct
for each building, crowns the 'front.' wall,
adorned with vases and other ornaments, the whole
surmounted with an iron railing. Eaci house has
three-step sloop entrance and black walnut doors,
the entire front. When complete the appearance
from the street win be that OF range terrace,
The irst and second floors OF the front houses are
finished Tor a single tenement, ana consist or SIX
rooms. three ON each door, finished IN iirstclass
style. windows IN every room, heafer ktcnen range,
stationary washtubs, boiler and ali the modern
convenences, besides bathroom, water closet ana
pantries. No communication Is possible between
any Of these aud any other part OF the building,
each being a separate and distinct establish
Inent, complete IN every respect. TWO OF these
houses have no hawavs. simply q yestibule, the
room being taken up by the arcnway. La the centre
OF the front building is wide archway. provided
with Iron gates, which admits 60 the court and the
FIRST Off the side rear buildings. ON each side
OF this covered way IL wide siarcase, ceLed with
black walnut ana ash, which leads TO corridor
which, In an extension, Is the Jantors office Thence
by other staircases y0u pass 70 corridors above
From each OF tnes, corridors doors to the right and
left open upon galleries which run along the extent
OF the buildings outside and rom which you enter
the different tenements. Entrance is thus OBJ
tanned 10 the second, third and fourth noors
OF the side buildings and The thlrd anu fourth
doors OF the 'front.' buding. From the end
OF each OF these galleries fathest from the entrance
an iron ladder communicates with the court white
the other end OF this gallery leads to an opening In
shaft which extends from the top 10 Inc bottom OF
tile rear projection Of the IRON. building in which
all ashes and sweepings may be thrown into q
vault below. From tne corridor on the fourth
roof communicative with the ROOFS OF TIE other
buildings by means OF bridges. The tenements
other than those first described which comprise
two floors, AL contain four r0oms-parlor, kitchen
and two bedrooms eaci--having windows OF
full SIZE with closets and pantlies. ihey are each
provided with water, sink and gas and. are
all neatly and completely finished, OF tue best ma
terias, and have plenty Of light and air Eacn ene-
menu has o separate cellar paftitL0ncd OIL IN the
main cellar, with back partition and private KEY,
and Also IN the rear building spoken OF above "a
separate water closet 10 this rear building ike
WISE are ten bathrooms supplied with hot and cold
water 1T the expense Of the owner OF the buildings,
and in OF the anitor, for the use OF The ten
ants The court, which is 70 be paved with concrete
with fountain In The centre. Is 10 be Kept lighted
by the owner, also the galleries and corridors de-
scribed above.
Mucn OF that spoken OF above as existing has yet
TO be DONE the buildings being now III an unfinished
stale; but When complete these tenements VIII pre-
sen, model OF neat and elegant houses, combining
comfort, convenience and privacy, within the reacn
OF men OF moderate incomes, deserving OF eAien-
sive imitation in future building enterprises IN fhs
city.
In 1913 our state Legislature passed act regard
ing the erection OF buildingsthe first Legislative
ton taken in this matter. The law, however, did
not prevent the erection OF nimsy ana Insecure
buildings. Builders went on pretty much their own
way, when the lire warden system was IN
troduced through an act OF the Legislature,
aud loss OF lives led to further legislation, and naly
In 1862 the passage OF the law enfitled An act 20
provide for the regulation and inspection OF build
lngs, the more erectual prevention OF 1res and the
better preservation II life and property in the city
OF New York; As Is well known, there have been
various amendments made to the original act Not
I'LL 1865 was any specific legislation made upon the
subject OF tenement houses. The following section
embraces the main and vital points bearing upon
this class OF dwellings,
sEcTroS 80. That MI tenement houses that now
hereafter be erected In the city Of New io to contain
story shall have stairway connected with proper open
% ns from 10 IN 70
the OF escape In case OF re and that every such
Gre escape that in shall and tenement
sss sss be .% ss & be s ss @ % Al
houses erected subsequent the passage the
broi not less Than twelve iSickncss
beams shsl be Of iron wh brick arches turned between
rs door is used for blsness purposes kind
Sss arches that ali Secesces or ar When placed in the
cellars o. sueh houses shall be wncy o. ire
already erected the department shall have power TO deter
OF nre.
1t win be seen that the above provisions are amply
an ipnf n object leSirpi--thaL
tectng TAR possible, the lives OF those dwelling
in tenement houses froin being DESTROYED by fire.
The probability Is that stl further amendments will
be introduced during the present session OF our
State Legislature, Incorporating other almost
equally important poiass upon Which ,as ,nierpos
FIRE ESCAPES.
We might fll two or three columns describing the
various fire escapes that have been invented and
whose inventors sedulonsly striving 10 popuarze
and upon the results pocket handsome profits. The
law Is evidently lame in allowing such discretionary
power upon this subject TO the superintendent OF
buildings There can be no doubt that
the use OF this power has led 70 the
very essentially fails short OF what required The
oreically the department however. " not supposed
camed % tnat does "ne tng must 2 be said 10 the
credit of tho depaumeni-thaG in all cases where
iire ESCAPES nave been placed upon buildings In &C.
coTdance with tue requirements Of the law ana put
UP IN good aud substantial manner they have been
approved.
hollow bead fastened under tnr cornce and extend
ing across the entirc 'front.' fronts ui Duildngs.
The lower part oi the tubs or bead Is opeD and IN
side of the same u AN non ball, which revovcs upon
inner wheels an iron strap or h00R h attached to
the bali, aud from this desccnds tackle to which
car or basket and The hose OF pipe can he attached
Ia nl0ment and raised or lowered nc will. The bali
moves inside of TIE tube. and 10y this means can be
carried from window TO window 70 any part of the
building. The entire apparstnsis u Breprsof, and can
he worked BY one or two men upon the sidewalk
With perfect ease.
Another valuable and simple system consists u a
strong iron cham ladder, coled upon iron wind
lass, under cover. upon the roof oi building. afld
- arranged by "a iron rod running rom the wind
lass 10 the sidewalk "A 70 enable the ladder Ia be
instantly lowered anj fastened 10 the curb, auordlg
certain and secure means oi reaching any part ol
the higaeHt buildings IN the cts.
The ladder and balcony fire escape h. tie one most
generally ~ use and more full, sanctioned by the
superintendent of buildings. When the ladder il
folded against e wall and not al use II Is locked ~
bolt and guard lock attached. completely cover
ing The ladder from tae ground 10 the nrst balcony.
~ that 40 0nc can open or use it rom the street.
thereby preventing person lrDin entering the