Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-12
Safety OF Buildings.

The sulioined communication comes
from distinguished civil engineer. IL Il
worthy OF The attention OF the City Fathers.
Certainly no moro important subject "a
likely soon 10 come before the Council than
that Of securing the safety Of the persons
who IN this city frequent lodgerooms. so
cieiy.halis, halls constructed to be rented
out for profit TO any and all applicants. &C.,
&C., &c. Richmond Is too large now TO be
governed by the usages and customs OF
village. The City Council must assert Its
rrerogative.
A subject kindred 10 the ono Of pro-
yiding that houses shall be constructed
with sufficient strength Is the providing OF
IuIes and regulations for building houses
on line, We know OF two squares In the
western end OF The city which have had their
beauty much married each by the erection
OF a single building not aligned with those
on the rest OF the square. Let the Council
recognize Richmond as a city. and legislate
accordingly. Our correspondent writes as
follows:
wcnecd law which shall enforce the
scrupulous inspection OF all buildings in
the city, especially those 10 which people
resort In nur3bers-theatres. concert
rooms, assembly-Tooms, dancing-halls.
schools, churches, hotels, dep0is, grand
stands, agricultural show rooms. ware
houses, factories, mill. &c. Careless, ig-
norant, or niggardly construction may con.
vert any OF them intoa hdeous trap for hui
man beings. and no precaution against this
IL nov provided by our statutes. That there
should be is sufficiently obvious, yet we are
10y no means certain that such law will, at
the outset, meet with universal approbs-
ton. In this "land Of liberty we carry
our Jealousy OF restrictions TO excess. and
there prevail san idcn, howe Ter erroneous,
that one should be allowed upon his own
premises 10 erect his own house pretty
much az he plCases. lie may, under the
existing state OF things. determine its di-
mensions, the strength Of It's walls and TIM
bers, and NAV finally put into use a struc-
ture which his ignorance approves, but 10
v hich 10 life should be entrusted. The
penalty OF such folly Il sm6ly incurred.
And as VILLAGES expand into towns. towns
into cities. their" path Of progress widens
with the SUM-" and these crude conceD-
tons Of our duty disappear. Whether
Richmond has developed sufficiently re-
mains 10 be seen.
The Washington community Is just now
in n stir upon this subject. A hotel IN
which the unsuspecting traveller has been
accustomed for years to take his case a
week ago came tumbling about the ears OF
its occupants with fatal effect. There was
no stern, no earthquake, no shock OF any
kindto cause IL; the downfall came because
Of the inherent weakness Of the wretchcd
pile. This may serve as a warning to u.
But there is truth in na,dage, homely but
opposite, "Wise men may learn from cX-
ample, fools must be taught by experience
alone" That the latter do not outnumbcr
the former we sincerely trust. We have
had experience enough, 10 DE sure-tnc
Capitol crush, the yielding OF mill floors,
stores. warehouses, foot-bridges, highway
bridges. the nervous dead and plnicky feel
ing which prevails when we assemble in
great crowds. as we did not long ago to
hear concert have they produced no i'm
preston on our minds Yet what have
we done TO provide against lurking danger
and TO give our citizens the assurance that
they may come together in any public
place with entire confidence and safety?
Nothing. Which OF our c0uDcilmen will
take the initiative in thisY Secure for us
building ordinance. and faithful, compe-
tent man TO enforce it, not forgetting,
either, that "tiS dat qm otto dat"