Daily Republican., 1885-09-09
The Tower Again.
TWO SIDES OF THE QUESTION
TBE MATTER BEFORE THE
BUILDING com MIbsiON.
A LOVE FEAST.

The Building Comm ission, composed
of the Public Building Comm ittee of
City Council and Chief Engineer and
Surveyor Robinson, held another meet
Ing last evening, At the office Of tho lat
ter, to take action en- the new towel
proposed for the high school building.
Chief Engineer Robinson read the
following communication from the
Building Committee OF the Board of
Education
WILMINGTON, August %, 1885.
FREDERIC II. ROBINSON, Esq, Chief
Engineer.
DEAR SIR: The Building Committee
of the Board of Education propose to pro-
ceed with the tower Of the high sciv-ol,
in frame, covered with galvanized iron,
as, In their opinion, this Is the most fea.
sible and least costly way to make al
terations, to meet the requirement. Of
the decisions lately given by the Pub.
lie Buildings Committee of the City
Council. The Building Inspector, Mr..
Chand Ter, has notified us not to pro-
ceed, and we herein state that we be-
lieve cur purposes and position both
right and Just, and hence take appeal
TO you and the properly constituted
commission.
Most Respectfully,
b. Il. HEIsLER,
MICHAEL DUNN.
And also the folio wing conn munioa-
tion to the architect, from Building
Inspector Chandler:
OFFICE OF TIE BUILDGNG INSPEC-
TOE, Rooms Nos. IL and II Exchange
Building, Seventh and Market streets.
WILMISGToN, Del, Aug. %, 1885.
Mr f. l.. RICE, Architect.
DEAR SIR At your request have
examined our plan Tor the construc-
ton of frame tower, " be erected on
the new high school, Eighth and
Adams streets, being of the width and
height of the old proposed brick
tower. believe to construct a frame
tower on those walls and girders TO be
unsafe. l therefore notify you not to
proceed with the proposed frame tower,
by reason Of tbs walls and girders for
the base being too light to bear the
strain OF wind and natural stress
that they would be snbject TO. Re-
spectfully, PHILEMMA CHANDLER,
Building Inspector.
L. l.. Rice was on motion of Mr..
Moore allowed the floor. and said that
he felt great reluctance in being OBJ
liged to again appear before the COM
mission, and then proceeded TO explain
how it was now proposed to build the
new tower, and said that by adopting
this plan all the material except the
bricks and terra.cotta would be utilized.
He showed the plans prepared by b i'm
for the tower, and explained how they
intended to construct it, and make it
secure, leaving the latter matter to the
discretion and judgment of the Building
Inspector.
Mi. Rice said that, as far as he was
personally concerned, he did not care
whether there was tower on the build
ing or not, as he was disgusted with the
entire matter. He denied having tower
on the brain, as had boen charged by
some of the newspapers, but he thought
If the building was completed without
the tower its symmetry would be de-
stroyed. In answer to Mr.. Moore he
said that part of the Board of Education
were In favor Of having tower, and
others were opposed to 1t, but he had
found that those who were opposed to
the tower were opposed to having a
II Ugh School at all. In drawing these
plans he had been guided by desire to
u bOWOt Ih&b Woaih 10 POAA'sSt-
| ly safe at the least possible cost.
Building Inspector Chandler said that
| In his opinion the building would look
much better without the tower than 1t
would with 1t. He then proceeded to
discuss the proposed new tower, and
claimed that it would be too top-heavy
to stand. He said chat as far as he was
concerned he had no objection to hav-
ling tower placed on the building, but
he did object to erecting any kind OF a
lstructure that would blow over with
the first high wind, and II 1t did not, II
would vibrate 80 that 1t would endan-
ger the whole building. He contended
that the walls were barely sufficient to
hold the girders and roof, without
building tower on them.
This wall, where 1t is propos ed to
build the tower, Is but IL inches, and
consequently not strong enough to beaI
the additional weight, and If he had
the matter to do over again he would
not premit the walls to go up. He
criticised MIR. Rice's plans severely ,and
said that If it were not that he knows
Ihim 80 well, he would think he wa
crazy.
MIR. H. Taylor asked Mr.. Chandler
IL he had no. seen and examined the
plans and specifications while the
building was being constructed, and
he replied that he had such full con
fidence in the architect that he had not
consulted the plans.
"Did you not know before the walls
were built that 1t was the intention &c
put tower on the building ?" inquired
Mr.. Taylor, when the inspector re-
piled 1 had heard that 1t was to
be done"
cit seems to me that it is your duty
to examine the plans and specifications
land see that everything about the
bu lid ing is to be of proper mater ial,
land constructed in proper manner"
"I do not think that / have any.
thing to do with the plans or specitica.
Itious 1t is my duty to 20 around
lwhilv tne building is being construct
ed , and If see any ything wrong to con-
denim it.
Mr.. Moore asked If there was any.
thing in the city ordinance that re-
auired the Building Inspector to exam.
line the plans and specifications. when
Mr. Chandler replied that there was not,
for II he was obliged to do that 1t would
require the services of several assistants.
II lie also said that he considered the
walls of the building perfectly safe,
liz no additional weight was put on
I them, and was sorry that an impression
had gone out that they are not.
Il Mr.. b. II. Heisler, of the Building
IlCommittee of the Board of Education,
said that he regretted very much that
lMr. Chandler had expressed himself in
the way he had in relation to the walls
. of the building, as he was fully satisfied
that they are all right and strong
, enough. If there is not such q law, he
Thought there should be one, to oblige
, the Building Inspector TO examine the
f nlans and specifications, and thus be