The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-26
AN UNHAPPY NECESSITY.

We had hoped that it would be unneces-
sary to thresh again the old, old straw
which clings to the subject of tall build
ings, but the arguments made at the meet
ing of the Fire Department Committee of
the Board of Supervisors seem to require
consideration. We have been confronted
with certain rules prevailing in foreign
cities, and have heard much about exclu-
sion Of light and sunshine. All this APP
pears to ignore certain conditions peculiar
to California, and for the millionth time
brings Us to face the ancient folly of pre-
cedent employed to apply to conditions
which should be eliminated from our con-
ception of our particular and peculiar
needs. 1t is inapplicable precedent that
accounts for nine-tenths of the rules which
hamper the growth of California. Judge
Ross has given the most poignant applica-
ton of it in deciding against the right and
principle of irrigation in California. Until
we shake off these ancient nightmares we
can never hope to make California the
splendid unique commonwealth for the
production of which nature has furnished
US with so abundant material.
Even the philosophy behind the Euro
pean rule limiting the height of buildings
seems not to have been learned. This
simply is that a house shall not be higher
than the width of the street upon which it
fronts. There are minor variations from
this rule, but they are Insignificant. The
wisdom of European cities is acceptable
only to the extent of its applica bility here.
When Europe has adopted the means of
urban transportation prevalent in A erica,
and when she has created fire departments
to compare with ours. and when she has
caught the first glimmer of the American
art of constructing fireproof houses, and
when the temperament of her people has
undergone the radical change which trans
forms phlegmatic person into one of
American nerves and energy, and when a
hundred other miracles have been wrought,
then it might be well to quote European
rules to Americans; and when that is done
we shall still have to imagine the European
transformed from an American into a Cali
fornian, living in climate foreign to the
knowledge and experience of the average
American. 1t does seem that Californians
might have the independence to master
their own conditions in way to suit their
own purposes best. If they cannot, per-
haps they would better emigrate to Europe
and take their chances of making a living
there.
1t was asserted at the meeting of the
Fire Department Committee that the Mills
building had operated to the reduction of
rents on Montgomery street in its vicinity.
Have the wretched horsecars and the
abominable pavement of that street no
right to share of attentions Have the
hard times nothing to say? Ordinary rea-
son might convince us that the concentra-
ton of inhabitants by the erection of tall
houses would necessarily tend to the rails
ing of rental charges in the neighborhood.
If that has not been the effect of the Mills
building we shall have to abandon COM
nonsense or look elsewhere for the
reason.
And suppose that the fine, tall, freproof
buildings do command higher rentals than
the shabby old houses of long ago; is not
the tenant to be praised for wanting to be
better housed? Shall the enterprise and
energy of the men who want to improve
the City be held in check for the accommo-
dalton of silurians?
The subject is so large and the local con-
ditions so different from those upon which
European precedent is founded that it cam