Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-13
NO askY sCRAPERs" WANTED.
Recently Adopted Building Regula.
ffOna I'm Germany.


tl0ns I'm Germany.
United States Consul Sawter at Glau-
chau has made an interesting report to the
State Department In regard to building reg
lations in Germany. which contains several
things Of special local interest. "Apropos
Of the much-discussed and widely agitated
subject OF tenements and high buildings in
the United States" he says. especially in
the city of New York, where many OF the
new Office buildings are 800 feet or more
in height and built on the steel skeleton
Plan. veneered with masonry, and I'm view
of the assertion that the exclusion of light
ana AIR from the narrow streets must az
feet the health of the city, a few of the
recently adopted laws governing the build
ing OF tenements and dwelling houses for
those OF modsi ate means in Germany may
be OF opportune interest to Americans
THE government of Saxony is making
every endeavor to better the condition of
tenements and moderate-priced dwellings
In Saxony. from sanitary point of view
as well as In social-political respect.
These efforts are due to the increase of
population in many of the cities and their
neighboring communities. In a recent de-
cree the boards of public works, or -Baupo-
fzeibehorden.' have been instructed to pre-
vent as much as possible the building of
ordinary tenement houses, and also to take
all possible measures to provide the man
OF small means with good, healthy and
comfortable lodgings. The ministry of the
interior has therefore thought it appro-
pirate, after hearing the arguments of the
board of health to form a set of resolu-
tions the most important of which will
be Of general interest
The Saxon government directs that I'm
the laying out Of new streets and sites
Tor dwelling houses builders must choose
q position where direct exposure to sun
light may be had. not only in front, but
at the rear OF the site as well; therefore.
closed streets streets with houses built in
fows) shall be laid out from northeast to
southwest or from northwest to southeast
" course, in laying out building plans for
the arrangement of street lines the special
local conditions and hygienic demands are
always first considered. Another important
feature in the plans for the building es-
peciaily in the erection of large dwellings,
Is the provision of squares in a sufficient
cumber and size, well as front gardens
with the culture Of trees. Above all things
the board of public works shall prevent
uHder all possible circumstances. the cree
tion OF new tenement houses, although they
cannot in all cases be entirely excluded
For this purpose the authorities have ar
ranged certain measures for the width
and depth of a dwelling house of about l.,
by Ii meters (about 40 by AZ feet), which,
as a rule, must not be exceeded. The reeu-
lation governii the supervision of sleep
ing apartments in all kinds OF dwelling
houses, small hotels and lodging houses
in order to guard against and prevent
overc-owding and to promote sanitary con-
dltlons, Is also important. 1t is required
by law that family lodging shall COM
prise at least a sitting room that can be
well heated, bed room, and, when prac-
icable, kitchen, as well as the necessary
space for cooking utensils wood, etc Sit
ing and bed rooms combined must have at
the smallest calculation 80 square meters
(s23 square feeO of ground space, and
must he provided with movable windows
The total surface of the bed room windows
shall In every case and at the lowest esti-
nate amount to one-twelfth of the ground
surface space of the room. All windows
must open into immediate air. and at least
one shall open into the street or a suffi-
GENTLY large yard or garden.
1T Is most desirable that every lodging
when the arrangement of rooms SO war
rant, should have two windows facing
each other, so as to render a thorough
airing OIL the apartments practicable. An
apartment house is to be condemned as
overcrowded and unhealthy when IL does
not AFFORD at least 20 cubic meters COG
cubic feeD Of breathing space for every
adult and at least 10 cubic meters for
every child The given capacities are the
lowest estimates of space demanded by the
new laws governing the building of DWELL
ing houses. These rules are enforced by
constant inspection by agents of the i'm
perial board, and the law is carried out
to the Letter for the protection and COM
fort of the German people.
The problem as to sky scrapers' Is not
new one, for in ancient Rome II was
necessary to curb the zeal of landowners
and builders by DEGREES limiting the height
OF ouilclnSs on the principal streets. AS
the architects of those days dealt only with
solid masonry, their structures We're GER
tainly lofty enough. How one of those old
Romans would open his eyes IL told that
nineteenth century America could bargain
with great ironmaster for the skeleton
of a twenty-four story edifice at so much
per ton, delivered and put together on his
site in any big city, the various parts
Icing brought together and fitted like
a childs puzzle, so that the tow
ering structure is reared with the speed
of magic-in a night, as it were Ger
many will have none of this new architec-
ture preferripg the old, more substantial
and solid styles. The Germans, with a de-
sire to obtain the full worth of every pfen-
mig expended, argue that the iron or steel
In contact with mortar will inevitably be-
come honeycombed with rust, and ulti-
mately will be unable to sustain the weight
of brick and stone placed upon 1t. Com
siderfng. also. the danger to life and limb.
the elevator accidents, etc, the conserva-
tive German is not enthusiastic regarding
sky scrapers'"