The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-08
TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR.
Buildings and Plumbing To Be Over
looked by a City Official.

Law Which Ought To Work a Re
form in Building and Plumbing
Contracts-A Board of Examiners
Provided For,
The ordinance to create q building in
spector for Savannah, introduced in the
city council Wednesday night, is of great
interest to builders and property owners
generally. 1t is said that about every
builder in the city is a candidate for
position, either as inspector or
as member of the board
of examiners, though this way
be a libel on the builders.
The ordinance was prepared with the
assistance of Architect Eichberg and goes
thoroughly into every detail of building.
covering all technical points in a most
thorough manner. The chief feature of
the ordinance is the creation of the Office
of building inspector The salary
has not yet been decided upon. The
Inspector is required to be a practical
mechanic, architect or civil engineer, who
has served at least ten years as such and
who is regarded as competent man of
good character. He is not allowed to en-
gage in any other business.
Section of the ordinance provides that
'before the erection or alteration of any
building in the corporate or jurisdic-
tional limits of the city, the
owner or his authorized representative
shall submit to the inspector of buildings
a copy of the plans of the proposed work
and a brief specification, which shall be
kept on file in the office of the inspec-
tor, and such work shall not be begun
until approved by the inspector and per
NIT for the same issued by him
Should the permit be refused the owner
OF his agent has the right of appeal to the
board of examiners, whose decision is
final
A BOARD OF EXAMINERS.
Sec. 3 provides for the creation of a
board of examiners to consist of two
competent builders, and one architect,
who have served at least ten years at
their trades, to be elected by council for
the same term as the inspector. They
shall meet upon notice by the inspector
and are to receive compensation of s.
each for each meeting.
The inspector is given full power to
pass upon any question relative to the
mode of construction, quality of material
and workmanship used in the erection
or alteration of buildings, in order that
they may conform to the true intent and
meaning of the several building ordi-
nauCes. Appeals may be made from the
Inspector to the board OF examiners. An
appeal must be accompanied by the pay
ment of SIS to defray the expenses of the
meeting of the board of examiners.
Lines and grades of lots material of
walls, depth of foundations. depth
Of cellars, protection of adjoining
walls, fire walls, thliicknes5es of
brick walls Of dwelling houses,
stores and public buildings, elevator
shafts, chimneys and fiucs, fre-proOf
shutters, cOrnices and cutters, roofs,
floor beams, scuttles and skylights, are
all specially mentioned as coming under
the supervision and regulation of the in
SpeCtOr.
4 table of thicl1nesses of walls of brick
buildings to be conformed to hereafter is
provided, running from one TO ten stories.
The smallest width allowed for any story
is thirteen inches, which is fixed as the
thickness OF the wall of the top story,
whether a building is one or ten stories
high, The smallest thickness of base
ment wall allowed is eighteen and run
ming up to ST. inches for a ten story
building. For a six story building the
thickness Of walls would be as follows,
beginning with the basement: 4Ol5, 81,
5l-s q, 2215, Is, 49,
THE ERECTION OF FRAME HOUSES.
Strict regulations are provided as to
frame buildings within fire limits. The
Inspector is given authority to examine
any structures or buildings reported as
dangerous and to order the same removed
or repaired by The owners according to
the exigencies of the case.
The ordinance requires that every
building that shall hereafter be erected
over seventy feet in highth shall be con-
structed of fire proof material through
out.
An important section Of the ordinance
IS That which requires fire escapes for all
buildings three or more stories in hight,
occupied or erected for OCCUPATION bv
three or more families above the first
floor; or used as hotels, lodging houses
or boarding houses, having more than
fifteen rooms; factories, mills, office
buildings, workshops, hospitals and every
building in whole or in part occu-
pied or used as a school or place
of instruction are required to be provi-
ded with fire escapes or other means of
egress in case of fire, as shall be direc-
ted by the inspector of buildings. Owners
OF buildings having fire escapes are re-
CURED to keep them in good repair.
STRICT PLUMBING LAWS.
The plumbing regulations appended to
the ordinance amount to a complete or
dinance on the subject. Every
building located within 800
feet of a city sewer is
required to be provided with at least one
NlICI CIOSGJ anu SuCu OJllet duulUIOudl
plumblng fixtures as are necessary in con
nectiOn Herewith. Every private branch
sewer, 300 or more feet in length, con-
structed through the streets and lanes of
the city, is construed and declared to be
city sewer, and connections may be
made with it By other property owners on
paying their pro rata Of the cost to the
original constructors. The cost of laying
OF new branch sewers is to be betrayed by
the adjoining property owners.
The ordinance occupies twenty-three
tut pages Of typewriter matter. The
penalty provided for the violation of the
provisions of the ordinance Is fixed at not
less than $50 nor more than 500 for each
and every twenty-fOur hours of continued
violation after notice to cease or remove
same has been given by the inspector.
The ordinance will be printed III full in
tho regular publication OF the minutes of
the meeting in the MORNING NEWS.