New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18

A VALUABLE AID IN THE ERECTION OF
IMPORTANT STRUCTURES.

The collapse OF the monster gas tank in TWEEN
tieth-st. near Avenue a, by which many lives were
lost n great number OF persons injured ana
property to the value OF nearly $4,000 de-
stroyed, has caused many people who are inter
ested in building operations to make searching in
quiry as to the methods employed by contractors
and builders in testing the groAd upon which they
build and the material which Tioy make use Of 1t
Is well known that the Building Department Is
represented at the various building Sites that its
inspectors examine the plans Of buildings and when
they in Of erection keep an eye on the
work but the territory covered by the Building De-
partment is large. and the inspecting force is COM
paratively small and defective material and in
sufficient foundation may sometimes escape the
notice Of the city officials and or those VINO nave
the building contracts
Ii is for this reason that the inspecting engineer
has become a valuable and. some people think. an
Indispensable factor In the building fraternity.
His functions known to all architects ana con-
tractors and he has been for several years valu-
able aid TO the large railroad corporations in the
construction OF bridges and TO leading architects
as agents for owners of large buildings, but the
average citizen knows little on the subject until
he becomes Interested in large building operation
The inspecting engineer the representative OF the
owner, and his business IS to that the con-
tractor does his work properly and uses the speci-
fled kind of material.
Before the foundation Is begun he makes an ex-
animation of the ground and determines whether
il is I'm propcr condition and whether II will carry
the load which Is to be placed on II with safety
Then ne passes upon the foundation work. and as
the building progresses he examines every detail
not only having . competent inspector at the build
ing site, but testing and inspecting the structural
metal work at the rolling mills and supervising the
manufacture at the constructing shops. where It's
manufacture is also hurried along and Its shipment
expedited. Then defective pieces are rejected ami
good ones marked win the stamp of the Inspector
! Il died In
10 be put into position.
The representatives. of the inspecting engineers
duty at the iron works day and night, and
do a reputable manufacturer as much good as tne
proceed and errors of workmen are prevented or
corrected. thus saving the manufacturer the cost OF
labor ana transportation record Is kept Oh eacn
piece and. no matter how large the structure is De
il great bridge or skyscrapng Office building ts
the record VIII show the weight OF every piece me
heat number. its ultimate strength. elastic unit.
elongation and the chemical analysis, showing the the
carbon. phosphate, manganese ana sulphur IN .ne
part In question. The record SHOWS by inference
under what weight or pressure failure would be
produced ana the lnspecuoh IN an Tes L 50
farrcaching that the owner feels that his house or
bridge is being constructed in the best ana most
perfect manner. and strictly according 10 MS con-
tract
Absolutely safe which would have been deathtraps
If defective material and bad construction had not
been discovered by the inspecting engineers ana
in one Of these concerns there ~ on exhiDitlon
| piece Of iron which, If it had gone into the
| structure, might have caused frightful loss OF
The railroad companies although they have their
own chief engineers. usually have all their new
rails Inspected and no bridge work Is undertaken
! without the co-operatCn )f some reputable In
! specting engineer
| have been taken" an engineer said. the corpora
ton to which the structure belongs will feel itself
less responsible than If no examinations or nspec-
lions had been made. and the certificates or expert
Inspecting engineers as to the proper construction
| Of 4 building 30 a long way toward reducing the
| responsibility OF owner in case OF accident. as
such records of careful supervision demonstrate to
Jury that every reasonable and customary pre-
caution has been taken
| The charge usually made by inspecting engineers
for inspecting a building In course OF manufacture
and erection is / per cent. and the fact that the
largest owners pay that amount cheerfully leads
the men in the inspection business TO refer to their
work as a good investment, which not only reduces
the possibility OF accident 10 minimum. nut as
surea the honest performance or the contract ana
frequently hurrics its completion.