New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-04
TALL CITY BUILDINGS.

Coma Interesting remarks on the subject Of tall
buildings are contributed to The North Ameri-
can Review" by Mr. A. l.. A. Hmmelwrieht. an
engineer who has had considerable experience
in the construction of plants for larg Industrial
enterprises and Is now the manager or the de-
partment of freproof construction In the Jonn
A Roeblings Sons Company. AS an expert on
the subject of freproof buildings what he mas
tn saw on this head is Of special Importance
though we note that he afrms that previous 10
1892 very little was known ABOUT prac'ica'
methods of 'nreproofng. As general propo-
sition this is perhaps fairly correct put II was
more than fifteen years previous 10 1917 Una.
,rho Tribune Building was erected with special
care that 1t should be ireproof and the ract that
II Is so has been demonstrated on more tha'
one occasion, when fires have broken out III u
and have with little difficulty been confined to
one or two apartments, without the slightest
damage to the building az a whole We agree
with Mr. Hin1mewrifht cordially when ne says
that ''n order that building shall be hreproof
Ell is not only necessary hat the materials used
"shall be Incombustiblc. but also that those ma
"teriaIs shall be so adapted and employed to the
best advantage that they may effectually resist
characterization and retain their strength and
'frmness under all the conditions that may arise
''in the case Of a connagration ana the supse-
'quent operations of a fire department. unhap-
ply. experience has shown that this Is not the
case as respects many build 'gs when are pro-
claimed to be ireproof but have not proved 70
he so when subjected to the only real and de-
termining test.
As to high buildings constructed in accordance
with the modern practice Mr.. HiTmelwright
is OF the opinion that no limit can be set TO the
height to which they may he safely run up.
Buildings Of fifty or sixty stories he CONSIDERS
as feasible as those Of twenty-five or tnirty
stories. provided the additional cost OF the foun-
dations and structural iron Is not an insupera-
bic obstacle to investors. At the same time pe
docs not expect to see buildings OF this height
erected In his Judgment there are no architect
ural or engineering difficulties In tn way. but
he doubts whether they would prove prontaple.
To this we may add that before such buildings
are undertaken there will probably be law
nut on the statute book placing a reasonable
limit to the height Of buildings proportonately
10 the width OF the street on which they front
Such a law was proposed In the last Legislature
in this State but failed to pass.
Its failure Mr.. Himmewright regards as
good thing; he says that II passed IT would
"prove n serious blow TO owners OF real estate.
and won certainly fail to correct single one
"of the many hagrant evils that now exist lie
seems TO think however. that the main objec-
ton to tall buildings ia that sufficient light and
air cannot be provided TO those who occupy
them: he takes account Of the fact that light
and air are shut out from adjoining buildings
and likewise from the street. which is made
damn and sunless trench between massive
walls In connection with this phase OF the sub
iect he offers an interesting suggestion. II Is
that a law he framed providing that only GER
tain PROMOTION OF the total frontag Of lot
should he occupied by building. leaving an
open space on each de OF II. This he thinks
would regulate the evils OF high buildings ef-
fectually and he proposes that building should
occupy so per cent OF the front OF the lot on
which il stands. and - per cent Of the lots
total area The suggestion Is a good one. but 1t
is doubtful whether its adoption would produce
the result desired unless there is also law
regulating the height OF tall business buildings.