New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-02
RUILDING LAWS AND uETHODS.

The Coroner and the jurymen who invest-
GATED the West Broadway building disaster did
,ber work we'll and the Distrct-Attorney's office
assisted with commendable zeal The inquest
was carefully and diligently conducted and the
verdict was entirely satisfactory. In specifying
concisely the defects which the jury believed
to he the immediate cause Of the collapse and
in holding responsible the six men who were
intimately connected with the bad work. all that
the inquest could properly do was done. The
responsibility for further action deyolves upon
The Grand Jury and the public prosecutor. 1t
has been suggested that the Coroners jury might
odvantageously have extended its inquiry and
gone at length into the question of modern meth
DDS of construction ard the supposed inefliciency
Of the building laws. This Is subject OF great
imporfancc but we do not think that the Coro-
ner's fury possessed the best possible qualifca-
lions and facilities for adequate treatment of 1t.
Such IN investigation in order to accomplish its
purposc must be thorough and in the highest
degree intelligent.
II may be that the Grand Jury which is about
70 convene. and to which this disaster will be
referred. will consider such an investigation 10
he part Of its duty That indictments for man
slaughter will be found II is scarcely possible 10
doubt and they will need to be prosecuted with
vicor and determination, that the whole truth
concerning individual responsibility may be as
certaned and a suitable penalty imposed If guilt
is proved. But 1t seems to us that the Grand
Jury has an excellent opportunity to perform
valuable service by going outside the question
Of personal blame for this particular catastrophe.
There is no doubt that men of expert knowledge
and sober Judgment have grave approximations
concerning the safety of the high buildings
which illustrate the commercial architecture of
this period The steel skeleton IS playing n
great part in modern construction; but doubt Of
its stability. as it is commonly articuated. exists
in the minds Of men whose dstrust is disquiet-
ing. and the time has come. We think, for con-
drming or removing apprehension.
Moreover whatever may be thought as TO the
soundness of the principles and methods which
at present enter SO largely into building opera
tons there is no doubt whatever that the build
ing laws framed 10 meet the requirements Of an
earlier period are out of date to-day and in need
Of severe revision. The Superintendent of the
Building Department has made known his dis
satisfaction with the conditions under which
he is compelled to attempt the performance of
a very important and oncrous duty and very
slight experience is needed to discern the diff
cutics under which he labors. Officially he
stands between the public and a continual men
ace of danger from ignorant and constituencies
builders. but he can do no more than enforce the
law and if the law is seriously deficient the pro-
lection which he can afford must be- slight. In
disputably the law needs to be amended, but
close inquiry into defects and remedies must
precede the work Of revision.
The Grand Jury possesses ample faciitieS TOT
conducting such an investigation with the ala Oh
experts whom it can summon To its assistance,
and prescntment based upon comprehensive
study Of the whole subject of municipal puild
ing might be of the highest utility