New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-22
SUNDAY,
AUGUST ID, 1897.
FAIRGROUNDS ON THE ROOF
HOUSES THAT ARE BEING BUILT
ON THE EAST SIDE.

ON THE EAST SIDE.
New things are not easy to find In New-York
sun they are here II one knows where to look for
them or course, there plenty Of new things
In the metropolis. provided one includes new
buildings and new people in the list. But novel
IDEAS assuming material form must be set down
rev and far apart. One idea Of this kind has
taken such shape that clear convention can now
be obtained OF what It will be when finally worked
out reference Is made TO the roof Fairgrounds
which are TO be a feature OF several of the new
schoohouses that now under construction or
soon to be built in the lower and more crowded
part OF the city
One OF the laws passed in 1895 as n result OF tho
labors OF the Glider Tenement House Commission
in the previous year. provided that thereafter no
schoolhouses should be britt I'm the city without
open-air Fairgrounds. On It's face this IL an ex.
oeedlngly good law. but when It is examined closely
1t will be found that 1t implies a good deal less
than 1t seems to signify. The trouble with It, as
an expert pointed out the other day. Is that MOTH
ing Is said about the dimensions OF the proposed
Fairgrounds and the Board of Education might
triumphantly declare that 1t had complied with
the statute by providing ten feet square
in the open air for the Of l.5Oo 1000 children
The educational powers that be- however. have
proceeded on no such theory. In downtown dis
tricts. where land Is exceedingly valuable. they
have decided in several cases to place Fairgrounds
on the roof. where they can be provided for q
triflng additional expenditure
The first Of the buildings with such Fairgrounds
to approach completion IL Public School No. l.
which stands on the south side of Henry-st. and
from Catherine-st Oliver-st II is five stories
In height. without counting the playground. which
may in a be regarded as an additional story.
As schoolhouse fully up date It is deserving Of
attention. but the matter of present concern Is tho
use which Is TO be made of the roof Just
the roof has 10 be reached by means of ladder.
Wback
when has opportunity to what roof
playground Is going look like under the inte-
gent guidance of Mr.. Snyder. the Superln;e ndent
of Buildings for the Board Of Education.
The open space the r,of will embrace about
ten thousand square feet. The playground will 10
open only the south side. On the north. east
and west sides the walls OF the building are TO 10
carried up fifteen or sixteen feet so az 20 give
the playground protection from the winds Of VIM
ter. On the south side the wall rises 10 the height
Of four or five feet to guard against the danger Of
any child climbing up Il and falling over. \
further protection will be furnished In stout
wire netting that will be stretched across the
tire top and run down to the inclosng wall
the south side This netting will not only save
the school children from the danger Of falling
In they venturesome, but Will
likewise prevent them from throwing anything
the walls 10 the peril of the heads of people
passing on the sidewalks below. II they balls
In their play the balls will be In no danger Of
getting lost
The playground is Irregular in outline. since
there Is a wing at the east end OF the building
over which 1t will extend and provision is also
made for carrying the stairways 10 the roof The
wire netting overhead will be supported by
framework OF ircn. As the width OF the play
ground is sixty feet, this framework is rather
elaborate Superintendent Snyder is Of the opinion
that such heavy trusses not needed and that
no harm would result from supports OF gaspipe at
intervals in the playground and 1t is probable that
this idea will be adopted In the other buildings
where Fairgrounds are TO be provided on the roof.
The cost of this new departure has not
been figured out, but Mr.. Snyder believes that II
the building anyway; only now IL is made heavier
than would otherwise be necessary. A course OF
cement will first be placed top of the tiles that
form the ceiling of the fifth story OF the buidng
then a course Of asphalt will be put down and on
the top of all tiles will be laid, The extra cost
dition the walls carried up few feet higher
and the framework and netting provided. In this
way place for play in the open air Is secured
that would many thousands OF dollars II II
were obtained by purchasing ground and tearing
away buildings.
In the case of the Henry-st. school the roof Is
COZ siderably higher than the buildings In the neigh
borhood and there is nothing TO oostruct the view
The East River Is in plain sight as one looks 70
the SOUTH and the Bridge seems so close at hand
that II almost looks II could jump 10 II
from the edge of the parapet.
grounds their roofs are the new buildings (
East Broadway and Scammel-st., at Rivington and
FORSYTH SITS, at Hester and Orchard SITS, ana AT
Suffolk and Rivington SITS.