The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-05
HAMPERED CONTRACTORS.
THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH NOW
BEsET BUILDING OPERATIONS.
The Commissioners Will Be Urged to
Make More Liberal Regulations, So
That the Work of Construction May
Re Faciiitated-Lamp Thieves.

AT the last meeting of the Master Brick
layers and Stonemasons' Association com
mittee was appointed to have conference
with the District Commissioners with regard
to an amendment to the building regulations
governing the display of lights at night and
the distance from the curbstone which may
be occupied by building material after work
ing hours. This committee has arranged for
conference with the Commissioners on the
10Th instant. At present the law requires
that but eleven feet from the curbstone can be
occupied by building material, and in o
street where there is a street-car line, no
matter what the width of the street may
be, the material must not extend further
than within two feet Of the nearest rail- Not
withstanding the fact that the eleven-foot
limit only applies to the time after work has
been suspended, the police have caused much
annoyance to contractors by compelling them
to keep within the eleven-foot limit during
the day. The contractors claim that they are
entitled to two-thirds of the roadway during
working hours, provided that there is no large
traffic or street-car line on the street.
In regard to the stealing and non-lighting
of lamps at night on building material Mr..
W. H. Carson, vice president of the Master
oiiShihyCio f1SoOCldtlUU, Sdlu 10 lERALD
representative that he had had considerable
trouble. Mr. Carson employees a man espe-
cially for the purpose of attending to the
lamps for the various buildings he has in
course of erection, whose duty it is to see that
they are properly placed and lighted, yet
during the time occupied for the man to 90 from
one building to another lamps are frequently
stolen. Mr.. Carson favors the employment
of watchman from the time the first brick is
laid for every building in course of erection,
and that the contractors should consider the
extra expense for this purpose in their esti-
mates for the work. sit often happens
said the gentleman, that when different con-
tractors, such as the brickmason plasterer,
and builder employ different men to attend
the lamps they will, for mere spite work,
blow each others lights out, and if the other
man does not come around and light them
again there is likely to be Police Court case
in the morning in which the contractor is
usually loser"
"What we propose asking the Commits
sioners," continued Mr.. Carson, sis that they
will allow us an extension of space during
working hours, of course not to interfere
with the street travel, but in order that the
building may be erected in the least possible
space of time, and also that the police on the
beat where the building is being erected will
once in while glance his eyes in the direc-
tion of the lamps and notify the watchman of
the building If any of them are out. If we
can get them to agree to this proposition 1t
will save us much trouble and expense. l
know that an officer can't be everywhere at
the same time, but it certainly would be a
small amount of extra labor for them to
notice when lamps were being carried off,"
Mr.. Thomas j. King, secretary of the Build
ers' Exchange, said the matter had not been
brought officially before the Exchange.
Mr.. James Hughes, the well-known plas-
terer, stated that it would be great benefit if
the Commissioners would allow the contractors
little more space for their work. AS things
were now, it was u continual struggle and
everybody was in everybody else's way. SAT
one time," said Mr.. Hughes, 1--WE were requir-
ed to prepare mortar and plaster on the park
ing, but it was finally discovered by some
bright mind connected with the District Gov
ernment that it was not only injur-
Gus to the grass and the health of
the neighbors, but that the drippings
would run over the sidewalks, spelling
many persons dress and shoes. Now the
Jaw 40 lAdO L1OAG GdI budil 10 uluuo OH u NdIeI-
light wooden flooring where there is con-
crete roadway. Why this is l cannot see, for
lime has no effect whatever on the asphalt,
and many claim that it hardens and improves
1t. In regard to the lights at night, have
had any number stolen from me and have
been arrested and fined time and again when
it was not really my fault, AT any rate, l
think that every buildingin course of erection
should have special watchman from the time
the first brick or stone is laid. l am also in
hopes that the Commissioners will grant us
more street space for our material during
working hours, for as it is now, when there is
no alley or yard room we can't give the care
and attention to the mixing and preparing Of
material that should be doue. Let us occupy
half of the roadway during the day and build
ings will go up in much less time than it now
takes.n
Few Building Permits Issued
The total number of building permits issued
for the week was eighteen, providing for the