The evening world., 1894-08-13
GN|CAG0's TALL BUILDINGS.
u.nv Of the sky-Scrapers Said to
Be Against the Law
..,,sd by Corporations, Who
thereby Exceeded Their Powers.
nv Associated Press.)

c,rcAGO. Aug. 13.-The Pullman Com
~, q. not the only concern which is tc
- hrought into court for alleged viola
.',r n the powers conferred upon it by
w. gate of Illinois. The quo warrantC
..oodings against the Company, OF
18th George NJ. Pullman is the guiding
.n,rit is only the beginning of series
~ suits against interests whose aggre'
~.,o inheritance equals that of the Pull.
n,.n Company, so far as Chicago is con-
cerned.
Tbese interests are the building com.
n,res of Chicago, which have for ten
roo,s been engaged in a race in erecting
.tv.scraping structures. They are to be
made TO show cause why they should
not be punished for alleged violation
NJ their charters, which in the cases OF
the majority provide for the building of a
safety deposit vault or a structure de-
voted to the arts and sciences. The an
nouncement that this Is to be done is
made BY people close to the Attorney
General, and it is coupled with the state
ment that nine out of ten Of the modern
high buildings in Chicago are erected in
clear violation OF the law.
With d few exceptions all are owned
BY corporations organized as safe de-
post companies bearing legal titles diff
ferent from those painted over the en-
trance doors or chiselled into the stone
fronts of the structures. The Rookery,
National Bank of Illinois. Continental
National Bank. Chicago Opera-House
buildings and the Unity building are ex-
serted, with the proceeds of stocks and
bonds issued upon the building and the
leasehold. for in the majority of in
stances the. ground occupied is not
owned. but held under long leases.
In the aggregate they represent in
vestments amounting to a great deal
more than the sum total OF the Pullman
COmpany's capital. Probably $50, 900, 900
would not cover the sum which has been
expended on these buildings. No corpo-
ration, so it is stated. is permitted by
law to engage in the buying and selling
o' real estate or the erection Of build
nes for rent as a business. To evade
his provision, says an eminent legal
ormed to erect buildings in Chicago for
office and store purposes have taken out
charters for the erection of safe deposit
faults. or buildings devoted to the arts
r theatre
Having secured the charter the COM
ianies have proceeded to establish
iafety deposit vault in the basement
md then to cover 1t with structure
all the way from eight to eighteen
stories In height. In some instances, it is
stated by the man whose statements
are herein given. the companies have
failed even to build the safety deposit
Faults. but have contented themselves
with constructing ordinary vaults in
their buildings, sufficient to comply with
1.-The law. Some of the buildings are
owned by associations which have is
|sued stocks and bonds.
This Is declared to be in violation Of
The laws as interpreted by the late
Chief Justice Schofoeld, of the Supreme
Court. In a decision rendered by him
In 1883 he laid down the rule that no as
ISOLATION could exercise the power of a
|e,rporation. In short. says the man re-
ferred to. the high buildings of Chicago
|are Illegal entities and they are to be
passed upon by the Court.