The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
TALL BUILDINGS.
An Architect Argues that the Lofty
Structures Are Entirely Sase.

New York Letter in Pittsburg Dispatch.
Recent cen, ADDITIONS p TO buildings Of the sky.
that several more tall structures are on
the boards of the architects, naturally pro-
go without endangering the lives of tenants
and neighbors?" This question was put to
promptiv said be h berf nf bndn ne
nowadays is limited only by the convenience
of its tenants. This convenience is de-
pendent more or less upon the speed of ele-
vators. When the time comes that the
journey from the ground floor to top story
becomes too long. for comfort then the dis
lance will have to be lessened: that's ALL
Then, as if warming up to the interesting
subject, this architect, who designed the
Surety Building. at the corner of Broad
way and Pine street, continued: 1.-THE
strength of material has nothing to do with
the distance to the moo f we cond g ct
persons to rent the upper floors. Practical
imagine that thirty-four or thirty-five
stories will be about the limit So New
s York architects a,s IKE Or Parkhurst. are
the fact that elevator folk are keeping
pace with the space-piercing ideas of the
to hoist top-foor tenants to their offices
near the clouds. The newest elevators
shoot up and down with sickening speed,
and are credited with being safer than the
slower-moving sort. There are more ele-
vators now on Manhattan island than there
are street cars. and their accident lists are
calm the fears Of nervous strangers. MANY
Of whom almost collapse during their first
The architect quoted above also talked
entertaininsly concerning the construction
the first place a building should be erected
according to the conditions of the site not
in spite of them. Certainly very sensible
suggestion. AS there is no precedent in
Greek architecture for a very tall structure.
the owner should not NEEDLE with the ex-
pert designer, who has to make rules to
! pyicfjnC fhara
Greek standards to follow. This hint is
meant for those aesthetic property owners
mental facades and leaving mean brick
side walls towering aloft to Shock the eyes
OF the multitude, as the face cannot be
front. Instead of this Mr.. Modern Archi-
tect would have a board of censors to regu-
late such. things, SO that the sides would
whole. Drifting from the artistic to the
business end Of his business, the architect
continued: THE steel construction so much
Used now in tall buildings is surprisingly
simple and wonderfully strong. 1t is moth
bridge, The iron mills have helped us won
derfully. too. 1t is now possible to get
steel beams for Orders thirty inches in
diameter. The steer work is much quicker
and easier 70 put up and makes a more
substantial building than masonry My
building at Pine street would. i am sure.
much lower stone structure. To make
such a building fall it would have to be
would all fall together like log and would
not not crnmble until it struck the earth. If
TINS pullulng were of masonry it's walls
at the base would have to be seven feet
thick. They are now less than three The
steel construction lessons the cost of build
ing very greatly, and the time even more.
As each story is supported on girders and
nothing on the walls it is not necessary
to wait for the cement to set, All who
peruse this should not neglect to visit lower
Broadway. should they ever happen to be
in town and take a look at the structure
referred to, as well some other monu-
ments to modern architectural genius in
the same locality. The trip Is worth much
more than Ine time spent and the car fare.