New-York tribune., 1895-07-29
TiLL BrTLDINGS AND PUBLIc WELFiRE

The desirabiliiy Of limiting the height Of build
ingS is again under consideration. The question
has been brought forward in a practical and
somewhat startling manner. The engineers Of
the Fire Department have asccriainrd that the
pressure OF wafer In downtown mains IS not
sufficient 10 throw i stream 10 The top or nearly
10 the top. Of many II sky scraprr' recently
erected That fact II Is held. j. 4 menace To- The
public safety. In ease Of n fire in ihc upper
stories of one of those buildings the Fire DE-.
partment could do nothing Tnc. such buill
ines are nominally nrcprpof Doubtless some ~
them really are: some Of them may not hr. Mos
of them have rooms. perhaps whole floors ill'-l
with furniture aud other nflmmablr matter
which may AZ any time be- set anr". Should 81
be- there would be- no checking Tho flames from
the street They would simply have 10 bc lrf
10 burn Themselves out: or 10 burn The hulldiug
out. II II were not hrcproof. meantime nlrlnr
far and wide and scattering sparks lnl burning
brands broadcast over The adjacent blocks and
streets That is not an occurrence to br r..
gard,1 with Indifference
Three courses are open fpr rcmclylng his
state of affairs one j. to increase jhc water
pressure. That would he entirely feasible. from
an engineering point OF view. But II would be-
exceedingly expensive II would not suffice
merely TO construct new reservoir ~ higher
level New mains would have 10 be- Laid, and
new pipes and hydranis put in all over the city.
The present equipment was intended for II water
supply at moderate pressure. II /, already sub
jcctcl To- grra; strain AZ II ought 10
endure |, would not stand a doubling II the
present pressure. which would be needed 10
carry The water hundred or more feet higher.
To ask the city. and The people individuality 70
90 10 such trouble and expense merely for the
sake Of n comparatively few tail buildings would
he altogether unjust. \ second course T. Ia
limit by law the height Of buildings hcnccforth
10 be- constructed. That the government Is
doubtless competent 10 do. 1t has long been
considered proper IL prohibit the construction
u wooden buildings within the socalled 'ir"
limits" The same principle would sanction the
| prohibition Of buildings too tall for the Fire De
partment 10 reach.
The third course, and. II seems 10 MS The best
| Is to make buildings frcproof. We do not mean
| hreproof only in name but hrcprcof In fact. 81
| many so-callc1 frcproof buildings have been
| burned in late years. and have burned like
verl,ablc tnder boxes. that people have become
| somewhat sccptical on the subject N"yrrlh"
| less II Is possible 10 make buildings absolutely
| fireproof There are now In existence such
| buildings The Tribune Building, one Of The first
| constructed Of tl" modern tall buildings Is on,
| OF them II has been tried repeatedly and moi
| found wanting Most Of the rooms In II ar,
| filed with furnit,irc. papers and other intlam
| mable materials. II ever such contents yet atre
| the building Is not endangered The tenants or
| the next floor may know nothing about It, Thos,
| a.. If.;t anf hn
disturbed If left alone the fire could not extcnd
| beyond the room, or 1T most the suite of rooms
| i'm which II originated. And since II Is thus con
| fined il Is an easy matter 10 put II out with 4
stream Of water. either from IN engine in th'
street or from The ample pscrvor which lh'
building itself contains. The building Is fire
proof and IL would be safe If there We're M
| pressure whatever in the water mains.
| There are other questions. open 10 considcra
ton. concerning high buildings. ON narrow
streets the lower floors get little daylight. an,
| artificial illumination must be- rcsortcd TO- That
no doubt. Is an evil. All buildings cannot. %
course. enjoy the advantages of place that Tn,
Tribune Building enjoys. with frontage on
| park and consequently unobstrucfcd light an,
ventilation. 1t might. therefore, be desirable t'
make their height proportionate to the width o
| the streets OH WHICH 'h'! ihc'' anu 10 inik'
their fronts Of light colorcd stone or brick a
TO assume fair degree Of natural illumination
for The lower floors The sanitary question i
still unsettled. We cannot however. see why
with proper plumbing and ventilation, conditions
| In a tall building should not be- at least as whole
| some as In low one Nor has 1t been showr
that the streets are made less sanitary by BEN.
lined with tall buildings. They get less sunlight
no doubt; but they get more ventilation, as ever,
one knows who has faced the strong cllrrcnt
Of wind that sweep through our downtown
canyons. The only requirement that Is proven Il
be really essential Is that tall structurcs-and. in
deed, all-sha be absolutely freproof That I
something that is perfectly practicable and tha
In the end Is profitable 1t should be impose,