New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-12
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL

FRIEND OF SIX 1SCRAr Eis'''
THE NECESSITY OF HIGH BUILDINGS URGED AND
r,,r1p SAFETY WHEN PROPERLY BUILT
To the Editor Of The Tribune s.o
s,r. p.fsrr,no n the bill introduced by Send.o
Payey to restrict the height OF bui'dlnss "'''
TO the similar resolutions when VIII pe 49, s,
hv the New-York Chamber OF Commerce az NV"
Nv, ,ss.ipy On March T. I beg that you viii si'o"
-. % offer few words not in harmony win 'hese
proposed movements ,us,,1s :,
The recent restriction Of the heisnt o. p'''u'e ,
Chicago has retarded the march OF IiApro'e"'7".
81 much that the resolutions have occh s''"''
modified IL IL then wise 10 disregard the eNpe''
a,ce or Chicago? No can gainsay me uo''
hili,v NJ concentration. Our great city ID nhi'eu
on three sides row. consequently iA"u 'eN'
more than abnormally valuable.
Tho "skvscraper" obviates this No accidents or
failures IN the management OF these h"S~ S"
ur.s has vet occurred. Heretofore. IN NASSAU 'o'
,, erty and Cedar sts there were 'u'''',-uo'' 49,,
bling. f,ur-story apologies for buiidlnes "''en
I'd. Oh. streets gloomy unhealthy and disgrace
TO any modern city. - -
Now property which heretofore couiu ns'u's '"''
irse,s has been enabled 70 yield hahusome e".
nus. while modern methods have made IL poss'oie
70 erect these tall buildings at less cost per CUBIC
foot than was the rule years ago WITH pu''''"s'
which were only 50 90 fee: nigh
Tho high buildings to-day are built on prec'se-y
the Same lines which engineers have followed io'
more than ATTY years IN the construction oi ''''s
The post ana girde constru ton or to-day IL cd'i De
safely asserted, Is safer, stronger ana 'eS' 'D7
10 be influenced by external shocks or Internal com
motions than any forth Of masonry CONSTITUTION" q"
such which the world has ever seen.
Great stress has beer laid upon the evils or THIS
system of construction and the dangers incideh' ~
liz use b.; referring &c the ireland puildihs' '"e
PARK Place building and latteriy the Manhattan
Bank building But OF these were well con-
Hranr n
that skeleton construction obtains An expert VINO
professed 10 have appeared before the Committee
OF The Chamber OF Commerce In reference 10 this
matter stated in recent COMMUNICATIONS INC
truth Is this building che Manhattan Bank ouiiu-
ing) was much better freproof building IMAM
those which are now being built. at the same time
acknow. edging that the fangcs OF beams were NOT
covered" ETC. whereas. the report OF ;. A READ.
! published In The Journal OF Commerce ard COM
mercal Bulletin" states Had the gir!crs and roof
beams Of this building been properly projected.
think most OF the damage to the oudlnz "oud
have been other than structural
The truth is. the ironwork was independent IN
protected In parts. and was not tied together az
In typical stecl-cage construction
These tall buildings are positive protection
against fire where they properly constructed;
each has a separate fire department apparatus in
dependent Of the municipal AID which may BE- sum
monsi and II the present Fire Department; Is un-
able to COPE with the requirements OF these modern
buildings then tina, Department must be reorgan-
led ami advance beyond the old-ti:ne limits whon
buildings were only eigh, nine stories high. Tho
fact that some buildings are MOI properly con-
structed q good argument 10 condemn all
As long IL the profession OF architecture s open
to every one 20 practise, II he chooses without
being properly qualified. so long will such evils be
found and their remedy is easily obtained.
Church towers and sDires are IN existence which
achnow,ejsed monuments AMI art creations;
they In the clouds high. II not higher. than
some ~ our modern skyscrapers. Why are not
these condemned. especially when consider that
a dome pr0pped upon s;!lts and carried upon arches
IL Of tire insecure forms Of building which
human ngei uity mas ever devised? There Is a
strong sentiment which uphods the h,nos, %
slbe limit and II there is any seeming inconSruity
In The ping 81 stories one apon the other Ike
blocks. 1t il only acknowledging tina; these All
buildings neither properly designed nor properly
placed.
Ny contention all along has been that natural
ditlons would limit the excessive increase Of tall
buildings simply because there Is a ratio between
the producing ability and the OF construc-
ton beyond which IL ~ not wise. from pecuniary
fully any owner who intends investing millions
In a Sky scraper when he hrds all around his plot
are smilor In which the income from rents Is
falling below The mark
II IL Impossible to carry the business OF the
present time I'm the buildings which sIfceI for our
forefathers. We want high buildings, and viii
have them II ia not necessary 10 reduce their
ami 10 so design tall buildings tina, thoy shall b.
public monuments ard not evidences Of private
greed. GEORGE MARTIN UDSS
New-York Feb. % 1895