The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-16

escape In case re l07, proved unsafe buildings,
books Of the deparIn emit and notices served requir.
ing said VIOLATIONS 10 be removed. ana SAID unsafe
buildings 70 he repaired and made safe or taken
down anu removed. Inspectors nave preventcu
during the last Twelve months OH OF violations
beng placed IN and upon buildings IN process OF
erection or alteration ny apprising the proper
parties In time TO prevent them.
FIRE ESCAPES.
Ine WnOle NUMBER OF buildings examined by the
inspectors aud reported us requiring means VI
escape In case OF fire from April $780, 10 April
Win the proper means Of escape, and oil the NUMBER
unprovded herewith ut the date of my last annual
report me provisions Q, the law have .een compied
WIN III $40 cases. making sum total OF 2,67S nre
escapes provided to ouiimngs during the year end
4 detalled statement of the buildings reported as
requiring are escapes during the last Twelve unths
may be found by reference to the exhibit q, ap-
pended.
GENERAL REVIEW
from review OF the pre- eding facts and figures
II will be seen that WINE the past year has not been
marked as one OF business prosperity 0uilllng en-
terprise has not been materially checked Tor the
cost OF proposed new buildings and alterations Tor
the Twelve months embraced Iii the report as shown
Is Within about 81 Oou, QUO OF the amount expended
IN 1868. while the NUMBER OF plans submitted to the
department. mas been larger taE Tor the season last
mentlOneu.
In regard to the buildings in the city it is noucea-
bic that II Is almost entrcy confined to the upper
wards, bur comparau. ely few Changes tax ng place
IN the lower wards. The greatest increase both III
ward but at the rapid rate O. increase as noted in
report all the wards III TIE upper portion oi the city
VIII, In u lew years, he enllrely built up.
When this department was first lo"med, IeD years
since, ITS jurisdiction did not extent auove FIFTY.
second street, 1t now extends over the entire island,
ana lne lorce required To property discharge tne
duties vi Inspection. as assigned, must necessarily
be large one. the c.erical force now employed
and required TO correctly record the routine WORK
OF the department is fully taxed To keep pace with
the demand maze upon t, a demand Whlcl, as the
city grows Is daily Increased.
In reference to unsafe buildings, as Will be noted
much has been accomplished IN rendering them
secure aud although much sull remains TO be done
nl
Attention Is called also 10 the large number or
violations OF which cognizance has been taken
during The year, but as the limits OF the clLy enlarge
the duties and responsibilities OF the Department.
correspondingly increase, wne ~ It's OBJECTS and
AIMS begin TO be understood by the pubic, less diff
hcuty Is experienced IN enorclng the provisions Of
the law and regulating the matters under LIS con-
troll.
The number of lire escapes attached to buildings
during the last twelve m0nLhs rs stated, Is 2,67S,
making IN all H,20l since the department was
f0rled The attachment oil these safeguards against
danger regard as ol special importance and az
aiiecung the puollc welfare. Therefore, III THIS par
tcuiar, every effort Is constantly mae TO impress
upon both inspectors AM owners OF properly the
absolute necessity Of this measure providing for
safety IN case OF fire.
.sDuI1ng the year several instances have occurred
duly reported through the puolic press in which
lie would undoubtedly have been sacrinced nut Tor
The means OF escape provided.
In regard TO notels proceedings have been lnsti-
tuted 10 render them more secure in this respect,
ana am happy To state that, with one exception,
all the owners ana propretors Of THESE puolic Duilu
lngs have expressed their Willingness cooperate
be determined upon which wlll insure safety. on
some OF the hotels II may be added, operations have
already commenced
During the year two accidents OF note have oc.
Cured The first OF these, winch took place June
II, $780, was the Iall OF building III process Of re-
mOyal ON the southeast corner Of Second avenue
aud twentieth street. Fortunately no lives were
demolition or the building upon the adjoining pre-
misses and immediately adjacenC thereto suiIclent
care haI not been taken to properly protect the walls
III.
stoned the lallng OF the corner Wall thereof against
the building No o3S Second avenue, crushing III tn
north side vail floors, portion ul the ROOF ana rear
wall or the same, ana leaving tue remaining portion
Of the building IN an insecure anu unsafe condition.
lm neitately upon notification OF the acclaent pro-
ceeued to AID removed all the dangerous portions Of
the same that had been left standing, ana secured
the building from further accident.
The only other serious accident occurring during
the past year was that which happened on the l5tn
DAY OF December last, the iall OF Hales planofore
factory IN Tnir;y-filth street, near Tenth avenue.
The building was in process erection and by the
disaster four nves were sacrificed. The circum-
stances attending this sad affair are OF too recent
date 10 need an extended reference, but 1t Will be
remembered that, III the thorough Investigation
which followed, curing the progress Of which every
EFFORT was made by tile pubic press censure this
department, II was July proved That no blame could
be attached thereto, and TINS on the evidence Of
some OF the most skilled ana experienced mechanics
III the Guy. In my opinion greater care should have
been exercised on the part of the contractors in
braclng the building. Under the law existing, now
ever, without power except To suggest, was and
am powerless TO act; am CT The opinion, however,
severe gale, the accident would not have taken
place. the material used in construction was
prosecuted In conformity with the provis rs OF the
law copy OIL the verdict vi the coroner's Jury, as
VeTdsc.
l. The death Of Annie Hamilton was caused by the
falling oil the building owned by Mr.. Hale and built
=. we eXonerate the owner and builder from all
! blame, said building put up according 10
law and built Of The best materials.
). The law III opinion defective, and re.
commend the Legislature 10 amend or revise lJ
Is 10 make special provisions Tor all isolated build
4. We hna that the Building Department have
performed their duties Ia TINS matter according 10
law.
several additional accidents Of minor Importance
have also occurred within the period covered by TINS
tins department, might have been attended with
serious results. One OF them however, Is worthy OF
special menton; refer To a threatened casualty in
connection with the premises known as Nos SAG and
| $40 East Iwenty-tnird street. The circumstances
are tLese:.At midnight June 10, 1871 was mott.
precinct mat the buildings question were IN an
unsafe condition, being liable TO ial and required
attention. proceeded Immediately to the ground,
ana, upon examination, found that the iOundat ton
wall In the cellar, supporting the party dividing
! the two houses, had gwen way, and That the build
| ing was, reported, u very unsafe and dan
gerous state Before my arrival all occupants OF
| the premises, embracing some thirtytwo families
| had ueen removed, and were then IN the street.
Upon further inquiry learned that the agent With
out fling any notice at the Office OF the department
| had begun TO remove portions OIL the main 1Ounda-
| lon wall Tor the purpose or making alterations
| therein. rne proper supports had moi been placed
| III position, and, as natural CONSEQUENCES.
| the entire structure was totterlng and likely TO
iall at any moment. With the force that
| could summon the walls were shored up and other
precautionary measures taken, so that alter the
laDors oil night the structure made secure and
the danger averted. mention tins cIrcumsi lance
In order TO snow the Importance, wnen any change
Is designed In the construction alteration OF q
building that TINS department should re notified OF
the FACT In The proposed new law referred TO here
AFTER special clause is inserted providing these
contingencies winch. although the measure Ipay
be termed arbitrary has been proved by eXperie nee
To be absolutely necessary as a safeguard against
danger aud ior the proper protection or human
lie.
CITY SURVEY.
In 1852. soon after the formation OF the DEPART
mcnt instituted general survey OF the buildings
III the CITY, WIN The Intention OF SO Continuing lt
that complete record IN detail should Oh lille in
my ofllce Tor use and reference owing, however 10
the limited force al my command, anu finding that