New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-30

at our disposal for enforcing the same: cannoS
help feeling therefore. that the American people
are investing millions Of dollars in buildings which
ercumstsnces can be Considered as SUCH and the
durability of which Is absolutely problematic; =,
property, Mr.. Hastings said:
From the financial point. there IL no DOUBT mat
trailing OF common interests within building.
and that the great facility for transacting business
mode of doing business and shortened the hours
OF labor much as the telephone or the telegraph
and that the greed OF the landlord Is not the only
impulse toward such buildings: but the same result
would be accomplished II these high buildings were
walls ana honest STRAIGHTFORWARD construction, and
the height to which such system would permit us
the natural limitations than the artificial methods
which we now adapt TO the same"
WHERE TALL BUILDINGS SHOULD BE.
Bruce Price No $50 Fifth-ave.. who is The arch!-
tect OF the building of the American Surety
Company, which, when completed will tower JS
feet above the street line says that office buildings
when over fifteen or twenty stories high should De
treated monumentally He thinks that when great.
a a so Situated hat all four sides viii show they
become valuable additions TO the street, ana that
the erection of Isolated buildings OF that KIND should
be encouraged When lot is or sucn nature thdt
only one side of house erected on II VIII snow II
A series of such structures he thinks, would con-
vert the streets into canyons and yet there seems TO
point Mr. Price spoke OF a corporation .r individual
putting up ffteen-s.ory office building with all
tractive having light. well ventilated and otherwise
convenient offices with ample elevator service; res
taurant accommodations and. In fact, everything 70
attract tenants. Such u building. he said would
the low buildings in the nelghborhood. having less
attractive features. would remain vacant: -,
that the lower houses would come doYn and
in their places tall buildings each one littie more
perfect than the one preceding it. would he erected
and this plan being carried on a few wears, we
would soon have the canyons
Although We can readily see the disadv1ntages
resulting from such course" he added, Il think
1t would be arbitrary thing to say 10 one nan
II the OF tall buildings can secure control OF
adjoining property it would be an 1dvtnfse TO bota
could hold down building alongside his hgn struct-
s and thus keep b a h az or s
the street front left by the low buildings would fur.
those who occupy the offices But II no control q adj
joining property can be gained The big building
tateI in pure selfdefence. Public opinion Will finally
solve the problem, but should not be surprised r.
We had the thirty-st building before that time
A DETRIMENT TO THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY
Edward H. Kendall sad: IF high buildings be-
came general. they would. with few exceptions and
under rare conditions be a detrinent the beauty
Of the city and menace to the health and com
fort Of rs inhabitants"
UP to this time" he added, our highest COM
mercal buildings take on the appearance OF tow
ets or OF slices. The former II well designed.
points owing to their present isolation should they
cease to be Isolated their value in both these re-
but. even while continuing to be towers, through
isolation their artistic value is not very high one.
monumental. and not unitarian. or rather. has not
that degree of utiitaranism which requires abund-
n building must. therefore. express far more than.
less than the truth of rs type and so becomes
as DR. Holmes characterized the Washington ODE
"of the buildings which look like slices. with one
line walls nothing need be said from a pictorial
point OF view; they may for the moment be
nat q nO n k-,Cff n
proving a whole block or when three sides Of lib
era dimensions front upon broad streets. 1t Is quite
possible to produce towering structure which
shall give permanent pleasure TO the public eye
and enduring satisfaction TO the owners pocket
do the cathedrals and city halls OF European cites
fo h"bi or are from dstance
High buildings are menace TO public health
usually impair the light or the heating or the ven
tlation tand frequently all OF these sanitary req
sites) of the low adjacent buildings. Furthermore
the streets upon which they front owing to the
whnp h shR" wns nre Sowns so that at such
times. lOcOmotiOn would become quite Impossible IN
certain streets az II now is In Chicago. where wag
ons. horses ana men are from time TO time. VIC
lently overturned. and traffic seriously numbered
HE EXPECTS EVEN HIGHER STRUCTURES.
THE high building has been growing in popu-
larity OF late" said Francis II. Kimbal the archi-
tect OF the Manhattan Building and there seems
10 be good reason TO look for much higher struct-
is within the limits OF possibility. but whether
desirable. are questions on which opinions differ.
The tenant has certainly decided IN favor OF hish
buildings. FOR We know that top noors are the
FIRST 20 be let. no matter how high mp they are.
In that particular there Is no commerc,ai Iisk
Mr. Kmball demonstrated his theory by the ex-
pcrience Of the owners OF the Manhattan Build
I'VE expected" he said. ito rent all up TO and
the sixth floor long before anything
a6oye cogd be- disposed Of NV t tS ha Of fne
building depends only on the amount OF money the
owner is willing 70 expend. ,.o ,.,n., -, ,ru,.
He favors the limitation OF the height or build
ngs by law, They should be linlted he sad
street on which they front, and even then row
Of such buildings on each side OF the street might
lower hoors. II rows OF houses of that height were
erected all along our main streets there would
Insure proper ventilation and light An alley. Ten
or fifteen feet wide. extending for long distance
the same atmosphere "a Broadway would have
II buildings 80 feet high were erected on both sides
may look for within few years
PROTECTION FOR THE IRONwORK.
The elevator question. Mr.. Kmball thinks Is
not n serious one ana plays no part in the high
building problem.
The ironwork" he said. should be better pro-
Gc,ed than usually Isl especially sna 's 80 ,s
walls to the elements. The ironwork should be
should be waterproofed by the parafne process.
the same has been used on the Obelisk In the |
lark Every wall should be coated Win ri ledse
ihree- fourths OF an inch OF cement. which would |
make the bricks mpervious to moisture. and at the
same time would add to the looks OF the side |
walls which are ordinarily unattractve. Build |
ngs OF iron which collapsed during fire were not |
constructed IN this way-they were simply iron
buildings"
A 10 the fire risk In high buildings Mr.. Kim |
ball said: 49,
when a tall building is well equipped with |
rose and fire extingushers. there is more danger
han In a lower building. provided. of course. that |
he building has been properly constructed. agree |
With those who say that nearby buildings, IL not |
bi.,h |
o go to the most modern buildings.
NO say how long the high building or |
o-clay viii be considered high. The Equitable |
Building was al pulled to pieces and rebuilt few |
yithin hfty years the great big blocks may be |
orn down to make room for something still more |
tupendous?