New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-04
FOR BETTER BUILDING La VS.
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE HELD.
REPRESENTATIVE MEN FROM MANY CITIES PUT
THEIR HEADS TOGETHER.

REPRESENTATIVE MEN FROM MANY CITIES PUT
THEIR HEADS TOGETHER
An important conference was held on Thursday and
Yesterday between representatives of the American IN
sttue NJ Architects the National Association OF Build
ing Inspectors the National Board OF Underwriters
and the National Association Of Fire Engineers Iilc
object of the convention to frame perfect Oullu
ing ordinance and the results attained speak Well of
The wOck Of the conference. Practical ana Interesting
suggestions of a subcommittee were adopted ana
standing committee appointed to receive further
recommendations, all OF when may lor inc pdeiS VI
model building ordinance.
The meetings took place at Nc. 15e Broadway In the
rooms OF the National Board Of Underwriters. Inc
conference was conducted by combined committee
representing the organizations mentioned. Among
those present were A. McAllser Of Cleveland; W. IL.
sayward, of Boston; Henry Reeves OF Philadelphia: .
+. A. Walton, of this city; George T. Sheldon, OF
BROOKLYN: John S. Daniels, building inspector of Bos-
ton: W. W. Carlin, of Buffalo, FheChief Bonner, OF
this city; T. NJ. Clark, of Boston, Alfred s. stone or
Providence Fret Chief l.. p Weber, OF Boston, Fire
Chief d. J. Swenle, Of Chicago; ~ e. HencrecK Oh new
Haven: Henry A. GOetz, OF New Albany James Butte,
of Detroit Henry A. Hills, of Cincinnati, and }. w.
Smith, inspector of the National Board OF Under
writers
Chief Weber presided at the first days session, and
Mr. Daniels at the second The National Association
of Fire Engineers made valuable suggestions, after
which a subcommittee handed in an exhaustive report
The committee decided that 1t would be unwise to draw
I'D detailed code which could be applied TO all cities
without local notifications The recommendations arc
as follows:
First that the Legislatures Of the various states
should establish State building laws for the general
control Of the construction Of buildings in each state
Second, that In all incorporated cities there should be
separate and distinct department FOR the In
spection of buildings. whose officers should be appointed
b,, fho nj
city, to be removed only for ineicicncy or malad-
ministraton; and also that reasonable opportunity
should be afforded for appeal from the decision OF the
department. Third. that aside from local codes,
the general law Of application OF rules should contain
rules that all buildings seventy feet high must
be built OF nc0mbustble MATERIAL that Interior
structural iron work in all buildings be covered
anil protected by frcpoof MATERIAL that all buildings
over fifty feet high be furnished with permanent
stand pipes and ladders for the assistance OF Tue
Fire Department; that the height Of buildings to be
erected should not be more than two ana One-half
times the width OF the principal street upon which they
ore located, and that no building or portion of u
building except church spires, should be more than
125 feet high except under special prOvision that
the opcn-air space not divided by walls OF brick
or other ncOmbsble material in all buildings hereafter
ctcd for rcante manufacturing purposes should
not exceed 5000 square feet, without special per
mission, based upon unusual and satisfactory pre-
cautions; that every building to be erected which
shall be three stories more in height, except dwelling
houses for one family, and which shall cover an area
OF than $500 square feet, should be provided
with incombustibe salrcases lnclosed in brick walls
at the rate of one such staircase for every $500
square feet In area Of ground covered; that wooden
buildings erected within eighteen inches Of the bound
AIRY line between the lot which they stand and the
adjoining property should have the wall next the al
Joining property of brick, when built within three
feet OF each other shall have the walls next TO each
other built Of brick that the owner of an estate In
which hre q. ginated should be held responsible
for damage caused by the spread OF the fire beyond
his own estate, If II shall be proved that In his own
building the foregoing regulations were not complied
with.
certificate from the Inspector OF Buildings or
other proper official shall be deemed sufficient evil
dence Of such compliance IL the building shall not
have been altered since the certificate issued.
Stringent local regulations were also suggested In
detail and adopted.