The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-30
STRICT BUILDING LAW
Sweeping Reform Proposed
By Hoboken Coun-
Cilmen.
FRAME DWELLINGS BARRED
Elaborate Precautions Against Bud
densickism and the Build.
ing Of Firetraps.
DWELLINGS BARRED

An ordinance will shortly be introduced
in the Hobokeu Council, which. II its
provisions are lived up to, will revolu-
tionize the style of buildings to be erected
in that city in the future, and will make
the erection of fimsy and unsafe struc-
lures impossible.
Colonel Stevens, of the Hoboken Land
and Improvement Company, would like
very much to have the ordinance 90 into
effect. 1t is the lengthiest that has ever
been presented to the Council, and the
following is a digest of it.
1t provides for the appointment Of a
Building Inspector, who shall be a COM
petent architect, the Council to make the
ual salary of 81, 900. All fees, %perquis-
ties and charges are to be paid to the City
Treasury by the Inspector on the first OF
each month. He is to enforce the observ-
ance of u code of rules, founded on the
New York Building law upon all owners,
builders. architects Il mechanics en-
gagged in the construction or repair of
buildings.
FOUNDATIONS.
All foundation walls are to be laid not
less than four feet below the earth's sur
face, where exposed to frost, OIL good
solid bottom. and if the nature of the
earth reQuires it, piles are TO be driven.
The piles must not be less than five
inches in diameter at the smallest end.
Whenever excavations for building or
other purposes on any lot are to be car
ried to a depth OF more than eight feet
where there is Il party wall adjoining,
hat wall is to be supported by u proper
foundation.
The footing under all walls, piers. COL
umns or posts must be of stone or con-
crete, the stones not to be less han Q by 8
feet and at least six inches thick and at
least twelve inches wider on all sides than
the bottom width of piers. All base stones
are to be well bedded and laid edge to
edge. All foundation walls are to be built
of stone or brick, and laid in cement NOR
tar to the surface of the ground; and If
constructed of stone, are to be at least
eight inches thicker than the walls Q
them to q depth of eight feet.
BASEMENT WALLS.
The basement walls Of dwelling houses
not over ~thirty-six feet high and not over
twenty feet wide are to be not less than
twelve inches thick If OF brick. The other
walls, except foundation walls, are to be
rot less than eight inches thick, but no
party wall is to be less than twelve inches
thick. The walls Of houses between thirty
six and fifty feet high shall not be less
than twelve inches thick above founda-
ton walls; walls of houses between fifty
and sixty feet must not be less than
twelve inches thick above the first story,
or the basement if a high-stoop house.
Between sixty and twenty-five feet, the
walls shall not be less than sixteen inches
thick to the height of twenty-five feet.
LOO SPANS.
All dwelling houses, hereafter erected,
or altered. shall ave brick or stone walls
on which the beams rest not over twenty
eight feet apart and III no case shall
| either end of Il beam or beams of such
houses rest on stud partitions. This clause
shall not be construed to prevent the use
of iron girders and columns or piers of
masonry for the support OF the beams III
such buildings in which the distance be-
tween the walls is not over th1rty-three
feet; provided. however, that no clear
| span is over twentv-eight feet, or provided
that an eight iuch thick partition wall
| supports the beams within five feet of the
centre; but no such partition wall shall
be built having an eight inch thick por-
| ton measuring vertically more than fifty
rect. This clause shall also not be con-
| strued to prevent the use of iron girders,
or iron GirderS and columns. or piers of
masonry for the support OF the walls aud
ceilings over any rooms which have q
| clear span of more than twenty-eight feet
between the walls; if the clear span is to
be over t~wenty.eieht feet. then the bear
| ing walls must be Increased four inches
In thickness for every ten feet
or part thereof that said span is
over twenty-eight feet. In dwelling
houses not over twelve feet six inches
in width, and not over fifty feet high.
the centre wall between Il two such
| houses alternating shall not be less than
eight inches thick above the foundation
| wall, but no such wall shall have an eight
inch thick portion measuring vertically
more than fifty feet.
FORE AND AFT PARTITIONS.
All fnra uufl .ft GFnh nprlitipnG and
such other main partitions as may be re-
| quired 10y the Building Inspector, which
! may be placed in the cellar or lowest
story oil any house. shall have good. solid
| stone or brick foundation walls under the
same, which shall be built up to the top
of the floor beams or sleepers; wooden
| stills may be used on which the studs shall
be set. All 9irders supporting the first
tier of beams In dwelling houses shall be
supported by brick piers, or iron or locust
| posts, of sufficient strength. on proper
foundations. Recesses for stairways or
| elevators MAJ be left in the foundation or
| cellar walls of all buildings, but in no
case shall the walls be OF less thickness
Than the walls OF the second story. The
walls of each story shall be built up the
full thickness thereof to the top of the
beams above.
No walls are to be cut off or altered
| without permission from the Building In
spector aud temporary supports are to be
very strong.
WALLS.
All stone walls twenty-four inches or
less in thickness shall have at least one
header extending through the walls in
every three feet in height from the bot
tom of the wall and in every four feet in
length. All headers shall be at least
eighteen inches in width aud eight inches
in thickness, and consist of good flat
stones, and no stones shall be laid ia such
walls in other position than its natural
bed. Stone ashlar shall be anchored to
the backing. and the backing shall be of
such thickness as to make the walls Qn-
dependent of the ashlar) conform as to
thickness with the requirements of the
ordinance, and all bearing walls faced
with Philadelphia or other face brick,
laid in running bond, shall be four inches
thicker than the walls are required to be
under The ordinance. Walls or piers. or
parts of walls or piers, shall not be built
in stormy weather.
Isolated piers are to be built into these
bondstones and capstones or plates are to
be placed under orders
TECHNICAL METHODS.
The walls OF all buildings below the
surface of tine ground must be built of