New-York tribune., 1879-03-31
THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.

SUPERINTENDENT DUDLEY UNCONSCIOUS OF ANY
DESIRE on THE PART or THE MAYOR FOR MS
REMOVAL COMPLIANCE WITH LAW AND EcoN-
O,fY or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. THE lENi-
MENT-HOUsE ACT.
Superintendent Dudley of the Building De-
partmcut on Friday dcncdthc rumOrs-of wleN he had
not heard. he said, until told Of them hy TRIBUNE re-
portor-tha Eo intended TO cause any removals OF ho
any new appointments in his department lie ad"cd
that ne knew purpose the part OF the Mayor To
take steps for s removal and lie had neither adopted
nor contemplated any action with view TO strengthen
ing his own position OF serving any political end
The removals he had made since he came into the o''
the first of the year had been in accordance with sec
ton Of the statute which seemed TO have been ignored
by his predecessors in the department. and no appoint
had been made in which the requirements Of the
section had not been strictly compiled with Ii Is as
follows:
All the officers Of said department, except the
attorney clerks and messengers, sha ne tlntI pTatt
cal architects, house CarpontGrs OF maS0ns. ana sIdii
have serve a regular apprenticeship such, and sha
make affidavit 70 that eject which snail ne NEG ~
the office id department, and shan before m IT
appointment TO Office in tne said department pas an G4-
animation before the Board of Examiners named III tLl5
act, aud shall furnish certificate oil such tNiil"l"h
from said board certifying TO thei competency 10 pei
form tie duties OF said Ohlcc
This law, he said had been strictly enforced by HIM
When he entered upon the duties Of the office nc dis
charged every man employed in it who did not come up
to the re0ured standard ana caused all applicants TOT
positons to be cxamnednot ten out Of forty passing
the examination successfully. He had appointed only
those subordinaes who were absolutely necessary 10
the effective working Of the department; and the saw
ing thus made had been very considerable lnJahuai!'
1871 the pay-rOlls amounted to $7935 Gl IN January
1878 70 sG451 &C; in January, 1870 to S4,733 s1-a
saving for the month Of 81 III SO over s7S and OF
S3l91 50 over 1871 In February, 1877, the pay-ros
amounted TO 81 143 g. and in the same month OF inc
present year 20 500 Sc, when he had full force at
work Mr. Du Hey maintained that in the two CON-
nlcted months Of his admnisration-January and Feb
ruary-he had effected saving Of $2sl9 30 from the
corresDonding months Of 1875 and Of $4775 90 from
those Of 1877 These figures and the requirements OF
the law would explain and justify removals and appoint
mcnts.
In general conversation Mr. Dudley said that in the
speeches and newspaper articles he had seen in relation
TO improved dwellings for the poor seemed to be as
sumcd that the old style OF tcnemen-houses was si
benc erected in this city This he said is not the casc
the department VIII not approve plan Tor tenement
house nnless IL complies. not merely with the require
ent. OF the building laws but also with those OF the
teuement-hOuse act. Any plan III relation 10 whIcn
there IS anv doubt this point is sent 10 the Board OF
Health aud such recommendations as are there sng
gested are insisted upon Ine Ou sS & nc ~ ,bo rnnt a
bacF and two or three occupied by each family
were dark. Now ligh-Shats are required ana te de-
portment W III not approve a plan which provides for
single uulghtcd room At first these shafts were Al
lowed be up inside Of the outer walls but was
fnuud that they were generally covered by movable
skyig which the tenante could close III cold weather.
be formed by the outer walls, thus constituting
cour-yards Of varying shapes and Sizes builders on
adomrg lots being compelled 10 conform III this re-
sugct with the building already erected. The city
Is divided into DISTRICTS each III charge OF an inspector
who has copy Of the plans OF all buildings gong up ii
his district and who IL required 10 report each day
whether the specifications on 1c are complied with as
the buildings are erected. ..
Mr. dudley took down and unrolled about thirty tene
menthouse plans which had been recently submitted 10
the department. Many Of them had been referred to
tbc Health Department and had been returned with
suggested improvements marked on thcmi there was
ia IpNI
ing and veniatIng each room. Mr. Dudley SAID that
several OF the plus OF improved tenement-nouses suu
nttcd prizes in the recent contest could not nave
passed his department; and he believed that some
which received prizes did net come mp to the fun re-
Qurements Of the Health Department, which arc
enforced by the Building Department, inasmuch as
they gave one dark room TO each family.