The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-02
uNaAPR RuILpINaa.

| lhh lNllng OF lhb WAL ~ lNr pullulNk wv
lllm street yesterday should serve ~ an W.
lustralion Of tho necessity for strong, sub
stanlial buildings, II il no doubteommon IN
youngoili when lhellush Of u new bornpros'
perlty Is upon ,hem aud everything Is going
forward with rush and ut break'nook speed
for buildings, whether Of stone brick oI
wood, 10 be built In tho same way There u
feyorsh excitement peryading all things
and owners of property nre ANXIOUS
for their improvements 10 be hurried W eonl'
pletlon, that they may take advantage Of tho
food tide ofprospcrty nd begin quickly to
realize on their investments, The conse'
quonco Ia that almost any sort Of material u
taken rather Than walt for better and any
quplIty OF work accepted rather than submit
TO delay, and tho buildings thus erected are
but shells, unsafe md dangerous, II Ia
gro tly TO be foirod that there are many Of
this character OF buildings In Dallas, and
II IL 10 tho interest Of tho city, NJ
whole rs well ~ to the property owners
themselves that thorough and impartial
inspection be madc and wherever the OWL
feared may be found, that II be corrected at
once by strengthening walls, braces, ETC., ard
even by rebuilding, " that be tho only remc'
dy, Fortunately yesterday no lives were lost,
no eOsmltios resulted, but thobaro thought
that there might have been, makes one shud-
dor. Several thousand dollars worth pro-
pcrty was destroyed md two or
three business firms forced 10
loso time in securing othoF places, rcscuing
their goods unchanged from Che debris Of
the building md in replacing those ruined.
Furthermore have they not sustained dead
loss of tho goods ruined Such catastro-
Plies bcget feeling of apprehension and
awaken fears in tho minds and hearts Of all
business men who, reasonably enough, ask
Themselves ut once il their places of business
are safe, They are calculated to make pco-
ple contemplating entering into business here
distrustful and disposed to sock other locali-
ties for settlement. An ample remedy ana
sure safeguard Is In easy reach Of the city,
and she owes il to her people to avail herself
oft. We nee tho enforcement Of thee
isting ordinance or new one; also ygilant
building commissioner or inspector, and he
should DO man skilled in the con-
of houses and in the strength,
aud other qualities of build
ing mOtera He should be II gentleman
Of integrity and reliability, with the heart
and the intelligence to appreciate the respon-
siblity of his position. If the present city
ordinances as published in this issue and
tho nature and quality of build
ing material to be used, the thickness of
walls, character of morter, etc, in the
ofbuildngs arc inadequate, the
Council should at once enact such
ordinances rs shall be sufficient
Dallas is city large enough now, of sudi-
Gent importance and rich enough, to afford u
building commissioner to superntend the
erection of all buildings and see to it that
hey are erected in accordance with the re-
luirements of safety, both MS to substantial
Dility and fires. 1t is true that building,
no matter what the material used
may be, whether iron, steel, stone or
brick, cannot DO made entirely flre'proof,
but they can BIO made very nearly so, in
fact pra tically 50. They can be made
strong enough not to fall down; strong
enough to withstand the storms, ravages and
decay of centuries, and it is the right of every
citizen of this city to demand that the city
authorities sec to it that buildings BIO made
safe and strong, 80 that the lives of inmates
and passers-by are not in constant danger
All cities ofimportance have building com
missioner, that guards with jealous eye against
the violation of the laws enacted to secure
the construction of buildings that will not be
constant menace upon life snd property.
Dallas can be thankful that there are no
mourning households in her limits to-day
over the results of yesterdays catastrophe,
and in her rejoicing for this good fortune, she
should determine to guard against the con-
tingcncy of any such calamity in the future.
This is matter worthy the gravest consid-
Grafton of our City Council and of every cit
izen in Dallas