The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-21
A BAD STATE OF AFFAIRS
Cheap, Wooden Buildings May be
Erected in Ward -Four.
THE LAWS ARE EXECRABlE,
Various Sources OF Authority and No
Definite Regulations In Regard 60
Bulldogs. Fire Escapes OF Elevators
The Matter I'm the General Assembly.

One OF the curiosities on the docket
the House judiciary committee is an &C
to amend the building law of the city c
Providence.
The curious feature Of IL is not in th
bill itself. but in its history. 1t was pre-
sented two years ago. There have bee
two hearings on il, aud no one appeare'
in opposition. But for some unaccount
able reason the bill still remains il
embryo.
Being questioned upon the subject thu
inspector OF public buildings presented
few of the incongruities of the present
law and the need Of a new and more sys.
tematic inspection. Some Of these pecu.
l~iarities ore not only amazing but Offer
an encouragement TO DOOR building.
Right down in the first fire district, in
the very heart of the city, for instance,
any one can now II he chooses, build a
shell OF a wooden building covering no,
more than $500 square feet. provided only
that il il not more than 90 feet and a
roofin height and provided il is not placed
within 10 feet of the line. Think OF
a law that would permit the erection of a
cheap wooden building at Turks Head
ADU SLfAhKrll tHOuku L ~ Mitl tDts uOt
build " ithIn ten feet OF "A line no permit
need be secured. Only recently a build
ing costing over 500. 600 was nearly
finished and the Inspector of buildings
had no means of knowing of its existence
because being more than ten feet from
the line its owner was exelup from Sc
curing a permit.
People VINO build houses are the source
of a good deal Of amusement. aud it is no
wonder that they become confused and
at times almost give up in despair.
III a man wants to build a house he
applies TO the city engineer for a permit.
IL he wants to raise his house and build
under il he goes to the city clerk for his
permit.
III he wants TO make n lateral addi-
tion to his building he applies to the city
engineer.
III he wants to build a barn he applies
TO the Board of Aldermen.
If he wants TO put in a steam boiler he
applies to the city clerk.
Ii be wants to put up a fire escape he
applies TO the inspector OF buildings.
II he wants TO build an elevator he ap-
plies to no one. The city has no laws
governing elevators.
Not infrequently "A man wants to do all
these things. III so, he sets aside "A day
aud plods from ne Office to another and
back again, aud usually ends in disgust
VIC VI OdiAAAhA lGkuldllOUS
OF the city.
Unfortunately. too. in the long run he
usually vents his reasonable anger upon
the i~noffending head of the inspector. He
sees the need of some new laws aud he is
told that the City Council has unani-
petitioned vhe Legislature for a
law, and things must wait until the
Legislature moves.
The present Inspector was appointed
nine years ago. He did all the inspect
ing then; and now when Providence has
nearly $50, 900 Inhabitants n is con
stru ting nearly 1000 new buildings and
to old ones every year the one
inspector still does all the inspecting.
lie has no deputy nor can he appoint oue.
Last year there ere 931 prints issued.
rate averages over three buildings
day. THIS allows no time for
fire escapes. 1t makes
no allowances for barns. 1t gives
no time for inspecting steam boiler
locations, and leaves very little time
the next. Naturally enough, too, all
people want the inspector at the same
And more frequently they give
little heed to his directions. Only re-
,ently a man was requested for the sew
snth lime TO put up "A fire escape. That
nan has a most happy faculty of forget
ing all about the fire escape every two
III NV "a t61iDC IN hOI uD ~ Il
A few days K by The merest accident
} chimney was found to be built on a
wooden support. which must in "A sho rt
while shrink and leave assures between
he bricks so that the fire could be easily
communicated To the building.
Then there is the sanitary element i'm
building. The City Council has author
ty TO enact plumbing aud drainage Law s.
nut 1t has never done SO, consequently
plumbing aud drainage are
'ery common IN Providence buildings.
u Is thought by the inspector that this is
fr. quent' source If disease.
No laws govern the inspection Of elc.
'ators. The inspector frequently gives
on this this subject, but no laws
" rules guide him in doing so.
However the various ways i'm which
ppllcations for permit and intentions
o build are made are SO imperfect that
frequently Il building is partly construct
q before the Inspector Is aware of IL.
plans and Foundations
re frequently discovered anu Sc
ions loss n expense entailed i'm
them. AT times. Too. a
otherwise safely constructed is fin-
shed In some defective manner. An iln-
roperly constructed flue is not discoy-
red until the Insurance men refuse 10
lace insurance on the building. Then
is too late TO remedy the defect.
1T would seem" he builders say
that all these incongruities might be-
aslly changed 10y some such law as is
ow pending and the city saved from
great dangers which now threaten
aud Will continue To grow more threat
ning unless a remedy is applied soon."