The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-27
THE WALL ALLOWED TO STAND
CITY COUNCIL DISMISSED MIR.
kRENSoN'S COMPLAINT.

Had to he Cut Off-Then MT. NOR
rison's Wall EncrOached Upon Mr..
Krenson's Lot Underground and
Had to Be Clipped Back 10 the
Line.
The city Council put in three hours IN
two special sessions yesterday, investtgat-
ing a matter which finally resulted IN
nothing.
The investigation was brought about by
a letter from Chief Mcguire 20 City Mar
shall Power, calling his attention 70 COM
plants of the unsafe condition OF wall
of one of the buildings being erected by
Mr.. d. ]. Morrison, az Whitaker and Boil
ton streets Marshal Power referred the
matter TO Mayor Meidrim. The Mayor,
taking it for granted from the tone OF the
letter that there was imminent danger 10
the public, promptly ordered the work
stopped and stationed policeman at the
corner of Whitaker and Bolton streets TO
see that no further work was done. He
then convened special session of Council
to investigate the matter. Chief Mcguire
was notified of the meeting and requested
to have present all persons who had any
knowledge Of the dangerous condition of
the building.
When the council convened however,
the chief was not present, and had to be
telephoned for. He explained, on arrival,
that there was a session of the Fire Com
mission when he received the notice of the
meeting Friday afternoon, and that he had
simply laid the paper on his desk at the
time. intending to give it his attention lat
er. Not reaching his office yesterday I'M
ill nearly noon, he did not become aware
of the exact nature of its contents until
about the time Of the meeting.
Mr.. w. D. Krenson, who, as il vas
learned, was the chief complainant in the
matter, was present, however, having, he
stated seen the announcement in tie
Morning News that the meeting was to
be held for the purpose stated
After Mayor Meldrm mad stated the rea-
son for calling the meeting and his action
in the matter, Mir. Krenson was swoln,
and testified as to the condition OF the
building. He is the owner of the adjoin-
ing property, he said, and considered the
wall of the new building dangerous, be-
cause six inches had been chip
ped off the foundation. He had
reported the matter to the fire
chief, and had endeavored to find out
whose duty IL was to look after such mat
tiers as unsafe buildings, but could rot
learn that there was any official who was
charged with that duty The wall of the
building was too thin, he said. Mr.. Nor
rison had not been satisfied to build on
the ground which he owned, but had in
truded six inches beyond the property line
on Mr.. Krenson's lot in laying the foun-
dation the work being so done that he was
not aware of 1t until afterward. He had
accordingly demanded that this encroach-
ment be removed, which had been dine
by chipping off from the base of the wall.
Mr.. Morrison's contractor and architect
had contended that this did not weaken the
wall, but he was of the opinion that it did.
Fire Chief Mcguire said that Mr. Kren-
son and others had made complaints of
this matter to him. He had not visited
the place himself, but had had Inspections
made by Assistant Chief Mouro and the
fire inspector AS there was no violation
of the fire ordinance he did not see how
he could interfere and had accordingly
referred the matter to the city marshal.
Mr.. Emile Newman. attorney for Mr..
Morrison, introduced Mr.. Percy Sugden,
the architect of the building.
Mr.. Sugden said he considered the wall
perfectly safe. He said that the face of
the wall was directly on the property line.
The builder in laying the base of the wall
placed the bottom brick six inches over
Mr.. Krenson's property line, the encroach-
ment decreasing with each course. When
Mr.. Krenson found this out he complain
ed and the wall was chopped off clean on
that SIDE. The clipping off of the en-
croachment did not injure the wall or de-
crease its strength he contendede
Mr.. A. c. Scott, the builder of the house
said that the line of the wall was on the
line given by the city engineer. His fore
man had put the footings on Mr. Kren-
sons land without his knowledge he
said. The wall was clipped two weeks ago
and the house now has roof on IT,
City Attorney Adams advised the Coun-
Gil to go slow in the matter He called
attention to section 1873 of MacDonelr 9
code. giving the Mayor and chief fireman
the power to have pulled down or removed
any structure which they may consider a
nuisance or dangerous or in violation or
the fire ordinances. He gave it as his
opinion that such action was justiiable
only in extreme cases. as otherwise the
city would subject itself to the danger of
a lawsuit
Alderman Hamilton said that no evil
oence had been submitted to show that
the building was unsafe and moved TO
dismiss the matter. MIR. Krenson protest.
ed against this. If he had been notified
OF the meeting he would have been repre-
scented by counsel, he said.
On motion of Alderman Owens. the city
engineer was instructed and the fire chief
requested to make an inspection of the
building in question and report To Council
OF $50 O'Clock at night.
Council convened again at night TO re,
ceive the report of the two officials. Chief
Mcguire reported that the building APP
peared to be firm and substantial. He was
no enough of an architect, he said to form
an opinion as to whether the wall was
dangerous.
Col. VIM being i'll, Assistant Engineer
Hops acted for him in the matter Mr.
Hops stated the dimensions of the wall
with some calculations he had made,
showing that the thickness of the wall
was amp.e for The weight of it He ox-
pressed the opinion, however that any
sinking of the wall would throw il out in
the direction of Mr.. Krenson's property
ON account Of the cutting off of the base
on that side. This opinion caused some
discussion, without any definite conclu-
sion being reached.
City Attorney Adams called the atten.
ton of Council to an act of the Legisla-
ture of 1892 not included in MacDoneu's
Code giving Council the power 10 aha ~