New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-08
THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ON TRIAL.

Tho lesson of Ruddcnsick appears To have
hoon foreottcn. reminder in the form of some
further sentences to State Prison Is hceueu 10
enforce upon contractors and builders the ncccS-
stv of obeying the laws and not sacrncihG the
lives of people to their carcessncss ana I'M
scrupulo,Is greed The preliminary investigation
of the collapse Of the Orchard-st tenement
houses on Friday last reveals a gross disregard
Of life and law which should be severely pun
jshnl and which at present does not appear 10
he confined TO any one person. The sand when
was used in the mortar Is reported to nave been
duc from the cellar and TO have been mixed
with loan. SO that II was little better than mud
Tho walls we're built in freezing weather, ana
whom tho icv mortar melted the building fell
Of IFS own accord Old beams from demolished
buildings were put into the structure, and inc
whole affair was flimsy that an observer
warned the workmcn that II was not safe and
,ba, tho building laws were being violated
Two hours later the structure collapsed, buryns
Ave men in the ruins victims not or an acct
dent but Of the deliberate criminal actions Of
their felow-men
For This slaughter the contractor appears d-
rectlv responsible. But he is 10y no means alone
70 blame The owner Of the building Is also ap
parcntly AT fault, and the person who drew the
plans and specifications according to when Inc
work was done should be- called on To explain
his share in the work. Finally the Building
Department should he held To "A strict accouhta-
bility for allowing the erection Of such "A dea'h
trap or for a fault which IS quite rs great iail-
inc 10 prevent the work being don" In an I'M
propcr manner. one building inspector Is al
ready under arrest but responsibility does not
end with him. II was the business or Supcrln-
tcndcnt Brady To know that he had III subordl-
mates and to keep himself assured that they
were enforcing the law. That is what he holds
his office for. and II Is no excuse for him 10 say
that he has 10 depend on his inspectors.
pood executive officer has suboriinatcS on whom
he can rely His discipline and his energy ere
ate force which does it's work we'll ana hon
estlv. Even inferior men bccom" efficient under
proper leadership. \ poor office stan argues Il
poor head.
Don't blame the entire department for The
acts Of one man" IL the plea of the Assistant
Superintendent but in throwing the fault on To
Ornsby the suspended Inspector h" accuses tn"
management Of his department. which should
be 50 conducted that there could be no such neg
lcct Of duty If the Orchard 81 building bad not
happened ~ fall no attention would hav" been
called TO the inspectors shortcomings. ana there
IS no reason 10 suppos" that h. would not have
gone on allowing unsafe buildings 10 be- erected
bv the score Nor Is it likely that he alone
is careless or dishonest. \ system which has
n place for one such inspector in all probability
has places for many more. And asld" from the
inspection the Building Department appears 10
have been at fault The plans Of the Orchard
~ housoS wore npuroypI hV the department,
and competent observers have declared that,
however faulty the construction and materials
NAV have been. the plans were more faulty
still
The Coroncr's Jury begins its Investigation
into the deaths OF the five men to-day. Here Is
an opportunity for the Coroner elected on the
Reform ticket 10 show his ability and make Il
thorough search This is a ease which should
be made TO give a warning 10 builders. II also
gives opportunity for thorough understanding
81 the character of the Building Department un-
der Tammany management. Superintendent
Brady may have the best of intentions, but II he,
like other city officials. has fallen into the habit
Of allowing wrongdong 10 90 on unchecked I'M
der him. he should be replaced by somebody who
will be- more cxacting. His assistant asks:
What interest would he have in employing in
competent mcnT' Eut this argument from mo
tive will have little weight in the face Of plain
failure 10 do the work expected Of him. The
departments duty is to see that buildings are
properly planned and constructed. If 1t fails TO
do this. It IS worse than useless. The only test
of Mr. Brady's fitness is what he accomplishcs.
Falling buildings do not bcSpcak an efficient
department.