New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-25
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
A TASK FOR ENGINEERS.
IN THE DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH
BUILDINGS THEY SHOULD HAVE
GREATER PART.

IN THE DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH
BUILDINGS THEY SHOULD HAVE
GREATER PART.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: May ask for little space In your columns
on a question OF public interest? High DWldhss
for all purposes, they are now being cohstfuc'su
have become possible, to their superstruc'ures'
mainly by what is known the skeleton iron con-
structon Under this method OF construction d."
iron or steel framework is put up intended 10 cais
the Whole, the larger part OF ali Ioads 10 come
on the building This framework Is covered with
brick stone or other material. both for appearance
and 10 guard against fire and lesser temperature
changes The foundations of such buildings owing
To the great loads imposed. are complicated anu
have to be propor,loned with great care
Engineers have made Of skeleton Iron con-
.tructon more generally for the last TWENTY-FIVE
years In bridges. roofs and similar structures Dur
ing that time and before. but not as rapidly, there
has been constant development In structures OF 'his
class-so much So in fact that structure Is iKeiy
10 show In Itself. with close approximation 'he
time OF It's construction. Comparatively recently
this method of construction has come into genera
use FOR buildings In ordinary domestic DuiiuihsS'
such as dwellings and others. there is likely to be
little necessity for what may be called engineering
CON slderatons But a modern high building not only
calls for foremost architectural ABILITY Out presents
both as 10 its foundations and Its supersTuctuie'
problems that tax the best engineering resources
Many such buildings are designed ana executed,
as they should be- by dsinterested dn the sense OF
not being employed by the CONTRACTOR architects
and engineers acting CONFORMITY In the majority
Of high buildings put up in New-York this cannot
be said to BE- the case. The more usual PROCEDURE
is tina, the architect designs the building ana out
lines the work and other engineering rea'uies
in a general way, leaving them to the contractor
engineer TO define and work out In detail. lie COL
lects his percentage, of course, on the whole WORK.
including the engineering work which he does not
do He cannot be blamed for not informing the
owner that more rational course might wei NC
pursued He insists that the contractor shaiI nave
a competent engineer (whom he recognizes by IN
,u,;ion, IL is a considerable compliment to sucn
an engineer TO assume that he Will design wholly
N the interests of the owner. As matter OF lact
his would lose him his job with MS employer the
contractor Depending on how the work Is le''
whether by the job. or by the pound OF pua'''Ns'
II is either cut down to the last limit consistent
with its temporarily standing up, or unnecessary
quantity is Jumped in the cheaper parts OF the
work There are honorable exceptions but the con-
di,ions tend toward these results. IL Is the con-
tractors business to make what profit he ialriy
49,,
I, Ia in no sense a discredit to an architect that
ne Il not also an engineer The PROFESSIONS OF ehBl-
noering and architecture ntrinsically different
despite the popular idea that they are alike. An
architect is required TO know the general principles
of construction. The preiomnating element OF MS
training Is. however to the end of producing the
correct and harmonious In form. The foremost
school OF architecture is the Ecole des BeauX Arts
An efficient architect requires to be man OF the
highest ability TO achieve success In his profession
is to gain great and deserved distinction The engi-
neer's training is prosac. He must confine him,
self rigaly t. economy. design for strength. ana
Al the same time 10 the most out OF given mae
rial. He has to make an exhaustive study OF me
laws Of forces of the strength OF materials, and
OF what they win bear without deterioration OF the
nature OF soils. Of stability under varying condi-
tons. In thesc days IL Is required OF MN 10 Eve
four or more vars Of hard work TO technical
course Of study, then number OF years 70 me op-
tanning Of experience and Judgment before he can
count himself fit to satisfactorily solve the prop
lens given him.
There have been and are men Of versatile minds
greatly differing directions There are Few, II any
men capable OF giving ten or twenty story build
ing proper arrangement ana architec,guIa form
form is indeed a nooted queston-and At the same
time to solve the problems involved in its stable ana
It is assumed that the New-York building laws
extent only In the light OF present development
these laws are antiquated. With much that is s1oi
letter In as far as they relate iron construction.
for instance. they are inadequate ana in some things
quality OF IRON The only test given Is that of test
ing Ia finished neces as they % int) the structure,
j. designed % carry. This method Of testing has
long been discarded by engineers, because II tells
strain the material beyond its c.asiIc limt In The
building laws cast-Iron In columns is taken AZ twice
the value Of steel. 1t IL known that cast-ron when
tested IN perfect specimens VIII give much greater
value In compression than WrOurht-!rOn OF steel II
Is also known that Il Is next 10 impossible make
sure of obtaining perfect large casting I'm the
shape Of 4 closed column "a no inspection short Of
practira. destruction o. the column will snow MD
den bowhoies or honey combng that may exit.
not t. speak % difference In quality of the iron in
dlnoreE, parts OF tho casting For these reasons
cAst-iron has come 20 be considered as totally
rc.iab. Tor columns.
The building laws make little or no provision for
TRAVERSE lateral stability. 1t ~ the reception
10 see any building framework. even II for mar
row building. that Is at al. bracei against lateral
forces sucn as wind and vibrations from other
causes The force Of gravity only Is. as a rule
recognized. The lateral dimensions and the filling
in OF cOurs" give more less lateral stability; bur
there IL 10 attention given 10 .nsuring IT, There
are kcly 10 De grave omissions OF provision against
eccentric loading. against strains cumulative I'm
their effect, against deterioration OF material The
building Is put up TO stand for the time being to
make the greatest showing for gwen expenditure
II generally does stand. and may for "A number OF
years without showing any defects. What may
occur 10 II. ara Is likely 10 IT, in ifty or
a hundred years Is appalling to think OF.
All features Intended 10 be covered by the New.
York building Jaws are directly the province Of the
structural, the sanitary or the mechanical engineer
he framed by engineers, and that provision for it,
execution should be placed with engineers
have tried 10 demonstrate that the design and
execution Of hgh building. or Of any buildng
where special questions Of strength involved are
much the work OF the engineer they are that OF