The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-07-10
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DANGERS OF slkYscRAPEns.


cised by an Architect.
A New York architect has written
IN instructive paper in which the
modern skyscrapcr is severely criti-
cised, aud his warning that we IRE
running up our office buildings to
heights that are ill-advised in many
ways acquires additional cogency in
the face of the recent disaster in St.
Louis. The chief arguments advanced
In favor Of very high buildings in
large cities are, first, that buildings
must be made high In order to &C.
commodate the people; second, the up
per stories Of such buildings are more
pleasant than If nearer the ground;
third, u limitation of the height Of
buildings would depreciate the value
of property, which has been regulated
to the present standard. To this it is
replied that there is undoubtedly a
reasonable mean for the height Of
buildings, at which, with the neces-
sary light and air, maximum Of
available floor space may be secured.
This is shown in Paris, where the
AASA6ht VI OulAuluSo ASSSAASSSAS OuSS
nevertheless, the city is solidly built
up that it will accommodate quite as
many people Us could be provided for
IN the same area If the limitation as to
height were removed, If this be true,
it would seem hard to find satis-
factory reason reason why American
cities should be subjected to the dis
tlgurement and the dangers arising
from these monstrosities. II the
policy of building such structures is
persisted in the upper stories will be
no better lighted than the upper
all are carried to the same height, and
stories Of such buildings will be I'M
tit to live in, and the streets will be
converted into dismal ravines. The
third reason for high buildings: That
a limitation of the height would de-
preciate the value Of the property,
which has been regulated to the pres
ent standard, is fallacious. When a
district becomes pretty well studded
with fifteen and twenty-story build
ings, owners will find it very hard to
rent offices on the lower floors, and
the value of property must decline.
AuAJ VI cuSA OuAO1u6S NIc uOtOllOUSs
ly unsafe from various reasons con-
nected with the method of construc-
ton and the nature of the building
materials. Another constant menace
to these buildings is from corrosion.
The steel framework is imbedded in
masonry, where it can not be examin-
ed. and after few years no one can
tell what condition it is in, or whether
the building Is safe. In many in
stances the danger Of settling has not
been provided for with sufficient care.
Such settlement is calculated to throw
strains upon portions of the frame
work which they would intended tot
work which they were never intended
to bear, and under which they would
give way. Only very slight unequal
settlement would be required to shear
off rivets, the failure Of which Light
precipitate the fall of the structure.
Whether high buildings are to be per-
United or not, law is urgently need.
ed that the outer walls of flreproof
buildings shall be real, instead Of
masonry veneer" walls, capable of
supporting themselves. The space
that such walls occupy should not be
begrudged, as they are necessary for
the safety Of the building, and the
surrounding property, and any So
called Improvement in construction
which tends to lessen the thickness of
the outer walls should be looked upon
with suspicion.
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