, 1881-08-28
THE FIRE ORDINANCE.
Some Pertinent Questions for the
Revfser OF the Code.
The Old Section on Daily Violation
Should Be Re-enacted.
A Good Chance for the Grand Jury to
Do Some Crcditable Work.

UNE. lalE. EpUcIL IAuAiC9o1s t1io 4EFlStl VI lAt
city ordinances, seeks to defend himself
against the charge Of having nutilated the
Building ordinance. llo says, In his letter,
that the ordinance as lie provided it, and MS
it was passed by tho Council while differing
materially FROM the old one, in that it leaves
out the clause providing for the continuous
arrest and ti'ii1w Of Il man who is violating
the ordinance, is stronger than the old one,
providing, as it does a. quicker way of
enforcing the law. This, however, is not
the question at issue. The question is, Ey
what authority did Mr.. Jameson make such
a radical change i'll the ordinance without
consultation with any one, without specific
inquiry Of the Superintendent of the Build
ing Department, without consultation with
the Committee OH Fire and Water, without
comforting with the Judiciary Committee,
and without calling the matter finally to the
attention of the Council. 1t is not under
stood that he was employed by the
Council tor the purpose OF making
radical changes in the laws which
govern the city. Ills duty was rather
to codify, classify, and arrange the vast mass
of Council ordinances which had been
passed since Tuley's revision Of 1873, and to
not understood at tie timo that he, without
consulting with any one, and that, tou, being
ignorant Of buildings, or Of the best way Of
securing the construction. Of flre-proof ones,
should boldly step III and make d change III
t9e laws Willcn ne !'tu !oI usen spgclhc;tH,y
no matter what plausible excuses may be put
forth in support Of it. As far as TIE TE1E-
UyE reporters can flnu, nobody was coll
suited Un this point. The Mayor was not
lueStloneu IN resaru 70 u, mf nuiau'tls la ~
pallment was not, no So1tnlltte WAs,vno-
pears 70 have aone tnls oI nus pwn meae mo-
tlon, Without any ItEatu 70 ane !lltettSts =.
l1e wy VI Ut WISHES -. uu S9ahsu, .. ~
lily ppeaa n.a ni@s ~ ~ 'a'is r,',n;f ,,,
ai,ouu ] !tat~ pasneu ~ n5sr ,,an tn 4 was eha
observed, oLl, on lae ouift na.tu, ~ Wss e .ne
lnter9st VI nsahy OF Ine 1A'uellAen not ~ see
any cilahse "A1eA .-..-
WEAKENED THE FIRE ORDINANCE,
while the mass Of matter considered. and the
haste with which most of 1t wus hurried
through, easily explain why other Alder
men, WHO would have insisted upon the pre-
servation Of the 0ltl law had they known
that it was endangered. did not notice the
grave modification which Mr. Jameson hat
made. some way this thing was Slipped
who thought that in dpjEy it they were
playing a smart trick, anil emitting thein-
selves to tender consideration at the
hands of the same real-cstate ring whose
members were the arch movers in the recent
attempt to ring round with a wooden wall.
What should be done, If it be possible to
do it, Is to put back into tile ordinance the
old provision oil the suhiect,-tO provide
that a person who is continually violating
the lay may be continually arrested and con
of letting suits go by default in their slothfll
way, Should follow them up yigOr-
ously and unrcIeutingly. If defendant
appeal, they should fellow him to the Grim
inal Court, they should consult with the
State's-Attorney, lave the case put upon the
calendar, and Sue that 1t is brought to speedy
trial. 'rhert. should be uU Ict-up until the
offender is fined out Of existence. After Il.
few violators of the law have been stripped
Of their money by a course nf vigorous filing,
law, in this respect ut least, is unprofitable
business,
But it seems almost hopeless to expect
anything to De done. The I'olice-Court JUS
tices, with hardly HI exception, the Building
Inspectors. the city authorities from top to
bottom. seem 10 be determined to wink at
violations Of the law, or, when they are
1uEetl upon their attention, to deal with tile
o!fenNers MS lenltntiy rs possloie,-elLnelr,, +, 70
als!nlss the case or to suspend the me; lne
his repeated declarations ln favor Of wooden
buildings, his future 70 issue any orders
spurrins up his Subordlnates n tills matter,
aud the tampcrlnG win the i.ollcc-Jusllce
courts. ny LAitl. AltScIl A!tu 0tauDtl tliFc
done their work, and it looks now, unless
SOME more vigorous steps are takeu, us II
disohedience to the law would run riot, and
wooden buildings woul.! so up, not only Ill
the outskirts, but IN tho heart OF the cit
fhele r. is s nG G1sn rsI'suH r nd t oM ous5 m
session: It is within its power t. take n9tisc
Of all lerelictioDs Of duty. on the part Of cltY
officers. the Mayor and Aldernlen included.
It is in the poWerOf tile Grand jury to !llvcs-
tigate these complaints against negligent
and slothful city officers who draw large my
and 10 nothing except wink at violations OF
the Building ordinance. After having satis-
fled themselves that these officers are not dis
charging their duties, the jury should inlict
theln and the State's-Attorncy should push
the cases to swift trial and certain convic-
ton, i'll order that these, drones who hang
around the City-llall and the POLICE Courts
may learn that there Is vet justice III ttl4
la11d. In no other way than this, it appears,
can the
CITY BE FREED
from, the danger which is hanging over it, of
annther contarration Which will inevitably
follo1x, in casn wonien buildings are allowed
tn ~, I'm ~ freeIy rs ut present.
Owing to his own rigllt-lninueduess. or to
the structures Of The TRIBUNE, one Police
Justice at least has shown 4 disposition to
opey The law. and to impose fines which mean
enmeti III i,ino - a. anI III to sec that they are paid.
iustira innsrSnl, yesterday. at tIle instance
of Tnsna.,6r iSrnwc imnoseI tI,e following