The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-28
BUILDING ORDINANCE.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD
OF UNDERWRITERS
nd the Chief OF the Fire Department
Outside Walls to Be Increased Four
Inches in hickness-other Important
Recommendations.

Mr. J. +. Beasley, on behalf OF the uh-
derwriters and Chief Ryan, OF the Fire
Department, reported to the Legislative
Council yesterday the following building
ordinance for its adoption. The report
was received and filed and will be acted
/ on at future meeting:
PROPOSED BUILDING ORDINANCE OF TAXING
DISTRICT, SHELBY COUNTY, INSIDE FIRE
LIMITS.
The foundation OF all non-combustible
buildings to be laid not less than two and
one-hali feet below the surface OF the
earth, on good, solid bottom, and in case
tie earth is OF a yielding nature and should
require 1t a bottom OF driven piles or laid
timbers OF sufficient size and thickness or
broken macadam rock, well rammed down
in their courses, shall be laid to prevent
the wall from settling and all piers, col
umns, posts or pillars resting on the earth
shall be set upon bottom constructed in
the same manner as the foundation wall.
All foundation walls shall be laid in best
hydraulic cement mortar.
The outside walls OF the top story OF any
non-combustible building shall not be less
than brick or Is inches, the thickness
oil outside walls TO be increased 4 inches.
or 4 brick, for each story below, the base
ment included. For one story buildings
outside walls shall be 10 inches thick; two
story building, not less than 10 inches for
). the first story and l3 for second story;
three story in hight, 81 inches for
first, IL for second, and 10 inches for
third story; four-story building, first story
TO be % inches, second 10 be 81, third TO
be IL fourth to be IL inches; five-story
building TO be 20 inches for first story, %
for second, q for third, IL for fourth, and
13 inches for fifth; six-story building to be
IS inches for first story, 30 for second, %
Tor third, q for fourth, IL for fifth and Is
inches for sixth; seven-story building TO be
81 inches for first story, 80 for second, 20
for the third, 2o for the fourth, 81 for the
fifth, IL for the sixth and 10 inches for the
seventh.
The basement walls TO DO rated as an
additional story, unless said basement ex-
ceeds fifteen feet in hight IN the clear,
when an additional four inches is 10 be
added to the thickness Of walls.
In all buildings over twenty-five feet in
width and not having either brick parti-
ton wal. or girders supported by columns,
running from front TO rear, the outside
walls shall be increased an additional four
inches in thickness.
An increase OF four inches in thickness
for outside walls shall be made where said
walls are over one hundred feet long and
forty-nne feet high, unless there are cross
walls Of equal hight.
II solid buttresses are employed, with a
section area OF 800 or more square inches,
placed fifteen apart and extended TO or
aearly 10 the top OF walls, four inches may
be deducted from the prescribed thickness
OF any wall having such buttresses.
PaFty walls shall be OF the thickness
prescribed for outside walls.
All outside walls, as we'll rs party walls,
shall be built up and extended at least
twenty-four inches above the roof, and
shall be COPIED with stone or iron, or good
hard bricks, well laid in hydraulic cement
mortar for the last five courses.
Exterior walls, faced with stone, shall
have a backing OF hard brick work laid In
cement mortar; but In no case shall the
thickness OF the stone and backing, taken
2 together, be less than the thickness re-
quired for a brick wall OF the same hight
The stone facing OF wall shall always
be securely tied 10 the brick backing by
means Of metal clamps.
In all cases where a wall Is finished
with stone cornice, tho greatest weight
OF material of such cornicc shall be on the
inside OF the outside facing Of the wall. 40
that the cornice shall firmly balance upon
the wall.
Tho division, or inside walls OF an,
building shall be Of the prescribed thick.
ness as for outside walls.
No increase In the hight OF any building
beyond the hight for which the original
permit was granted will be allowed. The
hight Of stories for all given thickness OF
walls must not exceed eighteen feet in the
clear for the frst or lower story, fifteen feet
In the clear for the second aud third stories
thirteen feet for the fourth and twelve feet
for the upper stories; tho basement must
not exceed eleven feet In the clear Iiany
STORY exceeds these nights, respectively,
the walls OF such story, and Of all stories
below the same, shall be increased four
inches in thickness additional 10 thickness
already mentioned.
The outside walls OF rooms having trussed
roofs. OF ceilings. such a. churches, public
halls, theaters. dining-rooms and the like,
II moro than fifteen and less than twenty.
five feet high. shall average at least seven
teen inches In thickness, and II over TWEEN
ty.ivc high at least twcnty-one inches In
thickness, and u over ioriy.hye feet high
at least twenty-five inches In thickness.
Tle backing Of any iron front, tina, Is
not wholly selisuppofting, shall be treated
rs an independent wall No chimney
: shall be built with less than eight inch
walls, and no chimney top shall be less
y than four feet above the roof lfor Hat roof
and two feet above the ridge OF any
pitched roof; ordinary fuos shall have four
inch walls and eight inch lambs
All fines shall be- plastorcd on tho inside,
and q heavy coat OF plasicring shall be
put on the walls Of such iluo before any
woodwork shall DO placed against II.
In all cases the side end, or party walls
shall be anchored nj each tier, or story OF
floor beams, aud whero piers shall receive
girdcrs, they shall DO anchored thereto.
All brick piers shall be built OF the best
Hard, well,hurned brick, aud laid In clear
Cement mortar, two parts sand aud one
hydraulic cement, and brick we'll wet
when laid. Isolated brick piers under all
&. iron liniels, Orders, or columns. shall have
cap Of iron, or n cut stone cap the full
bize OF the pier, laid on bed OF mortar.
An iron plate OF not less than ono-half
inch In thickness shall In all cases be un-
= der iron columns.
Tho butts, or ends OF all floor beams
and mitcrs entering brick wall, shall be
cut on a splay Of three inches In their
width. All frc.proof corniccs shall bc
wclfsccurcd 10 the wall with iron anchors,
independent OF any woodwork.
M all business houses hereafter erected
or altered, the use OF ceiling boards on
ceilings or walls is prohibited. except for
wainsco;ing not 70 exceed six feet in hight.
No smokcpipc In any building with