Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-29
new BUILDING LAWS
Continued from First Page.)

camphene or any indammable oil or other
Mighty combustible substance shall be &C.
cupied in any part as a dwelling. tenement
or lodging house. except that rooms for
ccachmen or grooms may be allowed in
private stables upon receiving special per-
NIT from the inspector of buildings.
Height of Buildings.
The next regulations of interest are those
referring to the height Of buildings. The
new regulations provide under this head:
Sec 40. No building shall be erected nor
altered On any street in the District of
Columbia to exceed in height above the
sidewalk the width of the street in its
front. and in no case shall building ex-
coed ninety feet In height on a resident
street, nor one hundred and ten feet on q
business street as defined in these regula-
tions, except on avenues one hundred and
sixty feet wide, where height not exceed
ing one hundred and thirty feet may be
allowed when the lot is of sufficient 'front.'
age and depth, in the judgment of the
Commissioners. to justify the same.
Provided. that the height of buildings on
corner lots, in all cases, shall be regulated
by the limitations governing on the broad
er street.
Provided further. that spires. towers and
domeS may DE erected TO a greater height
than the limit hereinbefore prescribed.
when approved by the Commissioners Of
the District Of Columbia.
concerning excavations, the only lii
portant change is that which provides
that when they are made ample protection
must be afforded by the persons causing
the same.
Another change mentioned is that every
building erected without cellar shall have
in the walls below the floor level in front
and rear not less than four ventilators,
each rot less than five by twelve inches.
A new regulation of Importance is that
in respect of foundations. Provision fer
these is made, as follows:
Pile Foundations.
Sec. Al. Where pile foundations are
used, borings of the soil shall first be made
to determine the position of the underlying
stratum of hard clay or rock and the piles
shall be made long enough to reach hard
clay or rock. and they shall be driven down
to reach the same, and such piles shall not
be loaded more than twenty-five tons to
each pile. The heads Of the piles are to
be protected against splitting while they
being driven, and after having been
driven the piles are to be sawed off to uni
form level and covered with an oak tim
Der grillage SO proportioned that in the
transmission of strains from pile to pile
the extreme fiber strain in the timbers
composing the grillage shall not be more
than 1,2OO pounds to the square inch.
Sec As. The foundation walls of every
building must be built of brick, stone or
other hard and incombustible material. and
where there Is cellar OF basement IN a
dwelling house the walls below the surface
of the ground shall be fully protected from
dampness by an exterior covering of
hydraulic cement, slate bedded in
cement.
In case of the removal of terrace the
walls shall be underpinned so far as, in
the opinion of the inspector of buildings,
1t may be necessary.
A Course of Slate.
Section 40. A course of slate must be
worked in all walls to the full width OF
the walls. two CO, rises above the surface
above footings in exterior walls where
there is cellar or basement. Foundation
walls of rubble shall not be used in build
ings over forty feet in height. except third
class buildings outside the fire limits. w here
rubble is used. one-third of the bulk of the
wall shall be built of through stone and
thoroughly bonded. No round or bowlder
stone shall be used. and If the foundatio
is on piles. the lower course shall be OF
block stone or concrete. Foundations OF
rubble shall be p per cent thicker than Is
required for other foundations. Founda-
ton walls of brick shall be at least thirteen
inches thick, and at least four inches
thicker than the walls next above them to
depth of twelve feet below the street
grade; and for every additional ten feet.
part tt ereof, in depth they shall be
increased four inches in thickness. Foun-
dations shall be thick enough to resist any
buildings may order an Increase of thick
ness for that purpose.
Section 80 The use Of soft bricks is pro-
hibited in foundations. The bond of brick
work shall be formed by laying one course
of headers for every five courses of stretch