New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-23

buildings and the general character OF their a CON
almost entirely from any other form Of construction
to be found in New-York City in years preceding
urai effects are IN my Judgment greatly in advance
Of what has been found In years past hs sincesest
form Of hattery. and New-York Is being nattered.
according to that dictum, by cities all over tns
country.
COPYING NETWORKS WAYS.
Cant you be little more explicit tnan that'
suggested the reporter
ITO be sure / cam he said. IAN the principal
cities in the United States are copying from inc
New-York building laws and cities in foreign coun-
tries show anxiety to become acquainted WIN
the methods which we have introduced here to COM
pensate in some way for the small acreage whicn
nature allotted to Manhattan Island, little suspect
ing probably. however. what a great weight IL wouio
have to bear Representatives OF the building raae
in European cities have written TO us ior ihiorm@-
ton. I might mention among others Rome LONDON
St Petersburg Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and even from
Melbourne In the far-of Antipodes. Each one OF
these correspondents has asked for copies OF our
laws rules and regulations We administer and
condct the business OF this department and to each
one have directed that careful replies De SEM,
ing account in detail of all the Information tnat "
DO these people desire to initiate the example
OF New-York IN putting up SKY '
no said he that can scarcely be the ne r SS'eSs
tall buildings any OF these cities because strange
as appear When spoken Vi III
great centres in what We are accustomed 70 eau
efYete Europe they have more space mere m IS
values are not so great there as they are here. Il
is more a matter Of curiosity than any tning eSS
ana ahai uneSnanerabie Yankee has
in all other woId be- Obliged to
long time to pause and Son sas 70 move rom
one end Of this town to the other end eyer, day.
while London and Paris the two grea. r naS are
more like a wheel. radiating from centre anora.
pay for an omnibus or ramway to walk from me
place where they work to ,nn ane 90 paI anywhers
Washington has been called the CITY OF Magnn a,tn
Of %s ept ane Eat" and With the
NewYork. the enormous area OF ana wn rcahIa to
one as to the other whether 1t be IN the East or IA
the Vest in the North or In tn; tn D Seu up big build
ngs Europe that foreigners appear cage, , ,per
Secase they wish to utilize whenever they can with
advantage those points in our puluins Jaws WIZ
are improvements the methods IN vogue VIII"
them"
THE SYSTEM OF INSPECTION.
"uow do YOU keep track OF the work which 10
beins done on new buildings. see that II Is In
compliance with the orders that nave oeeh 'ssueo
by you by your subordinates!
81 have that we'll systematzed.' Mr. Brady re-
pIied Here is a book In which keep the names
~ all tho inspectors and here is a map OF all
that is included within the municipal boundaries
OF this city with the section that each Inspector
is Obliged to look after laid out In black ana
white. When l find any discrepancy or ihfrae-
tion of the laws as laid down by this Depart
mont ont Of the complete observance OF which
there can he no squirming. | know al once ~
whose district the delinquency has occurre1 , an
district directly responsible We nave altogetner
in the department, some he ssd that they are faith.
full and efficient workers l 90 not want; ana
did Tas to n sss tn to : se aa Sa"e de-
sired always TO see that not alone tar should
be obliged to do a full months work for a full
months have snS there's ,ss l has 'as
homes! effort on the part OF the men hs has mot
been ns done he denqaents have heard from m:
always in a way that they are not likely to forget.
great as IS isa' between Se actual
building and the popular estimate .0 Of sne hos, al
ways and not between the actual cost and the
popular esma,e as You say as 'f led in the ds
partment 1t is easy enough to explain tnat; Inc
str%etion Of the building and have no reference
whatever to the interior decoration ana hnisnihs.
upon which unlimited sums may be spent. or TO
the cos, OF the ground Take: for example. t CSiis
p. Huntington's house, at fltth.ave ana r MY
have iiscoyeTsd the estimate a, as xn filed
IL there has been any mistake
VARIATIONS IN ESTIMATES.
II do not recall what the actual estimate for this
building was. and often when you find estimates on
our files they may be for additions that were not
contemplated when the original plans were drafted.
and have reference at all to the estimates for
the original plans But In the case In question x0O-
is probably the correct figure for the full esti-
mate. That. however. is only, might say, for
the bare walls After that MI Huntington couId
the house Another reason for the comparative low
ness OF estimates OF costly buildings may be ac-
counted for In considering the purpose for which
the structure Is put up Spectator one VINO
be likely to file higher estimate than the actual
cost: while a private owner. who wishes TO enjoy
the property himself and who has an eye to a pos
eble heavy tax levy will be interested naturally In
making a return OF the estimate at lower figure
than the actual cost The estimates which you have
found here are approximations. based on calcula-
furnished by the architects In the preparation
OF the plans. $500
why are these plans filed here at al?"
"Well' he replied, there great many rea-
sons, among which Is very little thought o.
namely. that 1t shows the practical growth OF the
city. Then II must he seen whether the structures
that going up In accordance with the build
ing law safe. healthful are calculated as to
strength and pressure and many other things or
do d,1 what he liked we might have the Irregularities
or some other far-off place.
at is an opinion held by many. Mr. Brady" said
far from Broadway y INDEED one has to leave that
in the shape and height of buildings"
Mr. Brady smiled
I'm giving you an interview" he said IT did not
suppose It would develop into cross-ex animation"
In closing the Superintendent OF Buildings said
that he did not doubt that Fifthave. below Fifty
ninth-st. as residence street exclusively was
doomed. Notwithstanding the many costly private
houses that recently built there but above
Fifty-ninth.st. Il would remain for long time ~