New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23
ss,onal man saying that bis charges we're high

and his services good? Al never did ina'
newer isw apyhns like il A
oWas that vour own idea or did somebody sug-
sest II to yo1s Any own personal idea ro,r. ell
oAnd 1 was so good you have KEEP II good deal
OF attention the first time. Perhaps there u no
oer like da in ydn the
average at these weekly meetings OF your boaf sa
A.on TUESDAY last we had seven'y-SeVen cases
oAnd you exercised your Judgment v on eaSn ohs
a. member snDis 'o Of TIE Board did ,s., sr.
oAnS in thess ydeut, leases engineering
problems in many of these cases arose? A'-ies'
HIS JOB AN EASY ONE.
OFF you attend to these matters faithfully ana
put your Judgment upon them. how 90 you mo
time to render these good services for these nigh
charses7 A-Why sir my time In cases that come
before the Board Is only during the hours that the
Board is IN session. At last Tuesdays meeting
the number OF cases was unusually high' i ,n,
run forty or fifty and sometimes they are as low
ne thirty But there never is a thought given to
them by except during the hours we are !"
o~You say that in these cases that are ,S.I pre-,
soSSh to EXCEPT IN he hour anG perhaps
moment when they are presented to your A'-iha'
o-But my dear sir these are the cases , Which IN
are 70 deal with the safety Of the peop'e sir living "
o-They deal with engineering problems: mat nat
tiers OF strain matters Of weight, matters OF hre-
fretons 70 nnt M ireshutters and fre-escapes and
such things as that. don't they-all such matters
oA RSs such sha matters err AThe Board is not
with the sto Of tn strain as ars
TO by the Department of Engineers. that the pro-
posed construction is amply strong an Or cases have
passed through the hands OF Board in the last
four years OF buildings that have fallen down!
Al think single one. SIR
Q-Now. are you sure or that! Al am pretty
sure Of that; yes. sir.
IRELAND BUILDINGS COLLAPSE.
o-Then in the case of every building that has
fallen down IN the city Of New-York In the last
four years the plans have been ultimately finally
approved by the Superintendent OF Buildings; do
YOU mean to say that? Ayes. sir; mean to say
like in the case Of the Ireland Building. on West
Broadway, plans were presented absolutely IN ac-
cordance with the requirements Of the law but In
carrying out that work they built for example. one
pier. a centre pier. oyer an old well .A.. hoe
been stated: do YOU know that it is true? Ayes;
Q.-Don't YOU know a pier was set on a piece Oh
very treacherous and slippery foundation for an
iron pier or column? Alt was built over an o'
o-Did you see the old well? Ayes. sir: ,,o
Q.-With a column over 1t? Alt was where the
o.-Where the pier was' Ayes, sir ,.,,o,
0Did You see the piece ,ood Oh aso tSat sp? At
think so l was there day after day during the
'o'mis II not a fact that more buildings have
fallen down within the last four years. within the
o-i Would like have you make up from your
fallen down. and the dates when they nave uohe
go A.-Pardon me; have nothing more 10 O., 90
with the official records OF the Department tnAh
you have. ! am In no way connected with the De-
partment of Buildings, excepting to meet IN me
Department of Buildings as member OF TINS
Board of Examiners once week | would nave
power to comply with your request Isl Mr. Rradvq
A~Most assuredly sir.
Owe will take as much off your shoulders as
cnn FRYER. in Justice to all interests con-
cerned. How many hours were you IN session Iast
TUESDAY? A.-somethng over three hours II was
something after o'clock when we got through
Q.-Was II much over three hours' A'-No' SIT
three four hours.
THREE MINUTES TO EACH CASE.
O-And tried seventy-se cases? Ayes, sir.
O-That gave an average of about three minutes
10 each case? A.-The bulk of them were very
SHINE cases: the bulk Of them are Of one kind of
cases
o-The bulk Of them were one kind OF cases
namely the hreproohng cases? A-No sir; d9 9l I
remember whether we had a single hreproohhs
have cases pr Bref sSns to ySp BY
ment Of the Board of Education? AIT the last
Q Yes A-To the best of my recollection no
,sthere was school arm there for the adding OF
an extension to that building would rot De sure:
before "e did ' you mo not? Al cannot recoect
Ole has made applications in reference 10 sev,
hat the live weight on the floors should be one
hoAnd those have been granted? Ayes. sir;
that has been our custom a. ,ho, arsa, A-To the
o-Wha, does the law say about buildings for
weight that must be sustained? A-The law Is a
little vague but the Department Of Buildings =, has
the Intention in the new law 10 reduce the weight
TO sixty pounds.
BIG REDUCTION PROPOSED.
o-To sixty pounds? Ayes sir that is the
intention-not to exceed seventy-fve pounds That
is according TO the best engineering requirements
Of the day.
O-Do you not know to-day that iron columns
IN this city are carrying 30 per cent more strain
than they are allowed TO do in Boston? Al do
not know that for fact.
o.-Do you know 1t by common reputation? A
o.SHave you heard IT? A,,No; sir.
Q.-Never heard 1t before? A-No. sir.
ID would suggest that you investigate that a
little Al have the Boston oS. s,~rO,ssor Intends
TO further reduce this limit Of safety 10 sixty or
seventy-five pounds? Al have expressed my IN
dividuai opinion. and sure the Building Code
Commission viii place the building limit at sew
enty-nve pounds at the outside ..
for IT is exceedingly important. Have you ever
Of RSPS being being eT sT In this city
o-Those things have never come to your atten-
The Chairman-There may be some misunder-
standing to the carrying weight do not know
which is correct. DO you mean In the new coue 70
reduce the minimum so that each square foot shall
not be allowed to carry more than seventy-nVe
pounds? A.-That is right; to make provision FOR
live load.
O-That II shall not exceed that? Ayes. sir;
that you must have II TO carry not less than sew
enty-five pounds.
Mr. Moss-It may be than seventy-fve
pounds? A.-The law states the minimum. Any
one can build much stronger as they please
putting heavier iron ron columns? A~surely.
O-And iron columns cost money? A.-Surely.
O--And people do not put In any more costly
columns than the law requires. do they? A.-That
Is right.
ONSo when you state the minimum. that Is prac-
tically what would be used7 Ayes. sir One
complaint against the existing law is that Of the
frenen Nearly all the laws of other cities
have materially reduced the requirements of the
New-York law
Q-You somewhat interested in ironwork
are you not? A.-Not at all
O. Have YOU not been? Al have been engaged
In the ma nufacture of architectural iron.
Q-You represent the society. do you not? Al