The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-13
STEEL IN BUILDINGS
Contractors Want the Faulty Or
dinance Remedied at Once.
Gen. Lew Wallace's Seven-Story $780,
900 Flat Cannot Go Up Unless
This Is Done.

Charles lockwood representing a build
ers' exchange called on Building Inspector
Pendergast yesterday afternoon in regard TO
drawing up new building ordinance to be
submitted to the Council. AS the ordinance
stands at present such buildings mod
ern architecture demands cannot be con-
structed in this city without violating the
law Of the builders. The Commercial Club
building and the Marion Block are good
examples of this. While they are acknowl-
edged TO be among the very best buildings
in the city, if not the best in point of
structure, the law, the committee says, was
violated when they were built. According
to the present ordinance, which provides
only for brick and stone walls, the outer
walls of the first story of the Commercial
Club building would have had to be forty
four inches in thickness, tapering to twelve
inches in thickness for the upper floor.
Good architects say that twelve to fourteen
inches is sufficient for the first floor walls
of such building, if built Of steel and
simply faced with brick stone
A building is now projected to cost over
100000, that will be an ornament to the city,
and it is the intention to let the contract
for it in the next two or three weeks; but
it cannot be erected under the building or
Gen. Lew Wallace, on the northeast cor
ner of Meridian and Vermont streets. The
building will be 13Ox60 feet and seven stories
high. The architect is now working the
plans and Specifications. The building will
contain fOrty-two apartments, In suites Of
from two to six rooms. 1t will be a modern
building in every way. The front elevation
shows it to be rather plain, with little or
No TAFT ri will Sto
trimmings will be the material used. These
plans are being drawn up in accordance
with the necessities of a steel building and
all requirements of the ordinance as to the
thickness of the walls are being ignored
The outer walls will be twelve inches IL
thickness, made of steel, filed in with mol
low tile and faced on the fronts with
pressed brick and stone, which, according
to the architect, will make stronger wall
than thrity-siX-inch brick wall, which the
ordinance requires
The architect estimates that SiX-tenthS of
the weight of the building will rest on iron
columns in the middle of the building, each
of which rests on a foundation eight feet
square, while only four-tenths of the weight
will be on the walls. The floors to be
| laid over hollow tile arches, and all parti-
ton walls are to be hollow tile. The pres
| ent plans call for a building 130XG0 feet,
I but II is the intention to enlarge it in a
| year two, making il 20212x60 feet.
The architect saws that he is instructed TO
submit the specifications to the building in
spector. and If the city will not allow the
building to be constructed General Wallace
| will go where building ordinances are
| abreast of the times and invest his money.
This is not the only fault of the present
ordinance. IL is asserted. This is a minor
| fault. as il can De~remedied by an amend
ment of only few words providing for
| the construction of iron and steel build
| ings. There is hardly a section in the Ordi-
| nance. 1t is said. that Is not faulty either
| because 1t does not provide the proper reg
| ulations or on account of a conflict with
| other sections Engineers tests have shown
| that wall nine inches thick and not &c
| exceed three stories high will not show any
| fleyion with all the strain that the wall is
| one-story brick cottage with nine-inCh walls
| to which he wants TO add another story he
| must. under the ordinance, add another row
| Of brick all around the first story, chiSelna
| out the old wall to insert binders. The
| ordinance permits nine-inch division wall.
| carrying jOists, but it requires the joists
| 90 be inserted four inches In the wall anC
/ also that there shall be u space of -four
| inches filed with brick between the ends
Of joists entering the wall from opposite
sides. This is an impossbility in nine
| inch wall. Just a few days ago a mar
wanted to add four feet to the walls of ar
| SX10 feet brick kitchen with nne-inci
| above IL. He could not do so without in
| creasing the thickness of the entire frs
| floor wall to thirteen inches.
| Building Inspector Pendergast in speak
ing of the matter said yesterday:
| our present ordinances are so conflict
| ing by amendment that it is extremely hare
| and. l might say. hardly possible to deter
| mine just what is the law. Section 81 pro
| vides for fire escapes and standpipes or
| certain classes of buildings while Section
| l OF the amendment cOnfers certain power!
upon me in ordering fire escapes. but does
| not mention standpipes. / can't tell whether
| l have any authority TO compel the cree
ton of standpipes with fire escapes. Tn,
| present agitation for new ordinanc,
should be kept up till the present one i.
| repealed and new one enacted
| Architect Thurtle says that the best build
ing ordinance he knows anything about Il
| the one in force in Boston. and thinks Thu
city would do we'll TO follow il with prob
ably some few changes TO conform to loca
| conditions.
Quite a number of permits have beer
/ issued recently for dwelling houses cost
| ing from $3.50 TO 5000. Plans for mum
| Der OF others now in the hands o
| architects. but for some reason permits
have not been taken out. 1t is noticeable
| fact, although il may have no bearing OF
| the matter. that since the carpenters
| strike building permits have not average,
! five a day. and last Tuesday there wa!
only one issued. while for the month o
/ March they averaged nine a day and tn
first few days Of April nearly fifteen