New-York tribune., 1899-12-24
BUTLDING CODE IN EFFECT.
MANY NEW PRov1s1oNs-FIRE LIMITS EX-
TENDED-ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS
REQUIRED AGAINST FIRE IN
TAIL BUILDINGS.
TALL BUILDINGS.

TALL BDlLDINNo.
With the opening Of the Buildings Department at
70 o'clock yesterday morning the now ouliuins quo
wen, into effect and more stringent requirements
will Ia nIaced on all kinds OF buildings for which
Mans are offered. The chief changes In the coue
are IN the matter OF sanitation freproohng ana gen
eral safety Of structure. The new cooe suPp@" -
the Tenement House law OF l@1 "hlch Ia" ~ "
outside Of the province Of the Commissioner 70 ie
visa or amend in any way. The Tenement HOUSE
ls,r s,u rorooI,s intact and the code has been
made N barronize with IT. The code represents
the first ood6cation ever made OF all the ordinances
and laws affecting buildings and building opera
tons in the various boroughs OF New-forh'
The FIRST important change is the extension "a ~.
FIRE limits o, the consolidated city. 1t Is contrary
n ,ho - 90 arac+ ary frame buildings within
this uroi, other than temporary sheds Tor use III
buld,, o,.raro,s The law OF 1892 fixed the hre
limits as the territory between the bat.e' cIsa
One-hundred and sixty y-hfth-st. o" ."e - .or,,
ana from the Battery 10 One-huhule - 49,.
nnth-st northerly to Westchester-aVe' Oh 'I "a =,
sna rha ,,a., ood. extends this limit so that IL
practically embraces all OF the island or Mahha',a
The only territory exempt is the h'sh -
Washington Heights and Inwood. west OF Dfoau-
way. The code also prescribes nre HH'''S i0' wv
Doroughs Of The Bronx and BrookS" ,,a..,,or ~,
Another important change Is the mocihcauoh oI
the OLD provision restricting every nom"
apartment or tenement house to heisn' -
enty-hye feet above the curb. The new cOre five
lows erecting TO a maximum height OF elgnos elgssddn9
rect The code requires all buildings H,h e1 auxo
Sghty+hye feet in height to be equipped Wi, ex
mary nTe appliances and apparatus. builu,ired 70
'eediES IO feet in height will be requih1ee sucb
Wonde aedluonal appliances. and IN ea0n "a al
'uilding there must be a steam pump al anI Vent n
oast one passenger elevator. These must Dc dn neP'
instantly IN readiness for the use OF nie"em, 81
specific defnition Of what constitutes hTteI nTe
defined In the clauses OF the new code, ~ PtU
es that where such building is located on sec a5y
80 corner Iot II shah not cover above me Sc Sc
story evel more than % per cent OF the arc i,
TIC whole or the lot. In the OF corner lQts
lea
Where any building is beng erected or repaired
more than sixty-fve feet in height contractors are
required 70 place above the sidewalk in front OF
The building a strong wooden shed. extending from
me building line 10 the curb for the protection OF
pedestrians.
In other respects the new code continues in full
'orce all the provisions for the protection Of Ire
and limb and for the safeguarding OF health which
were incorporated IN the old law Ii q so empowers
tho Building Commissioners Of each borough to
take instant action. where necessary. when build
i,ngs become unsafe and dangerous and authorizes
mem to recover bodies which may be buried under
isIen walls of buildings damaged by fire. Pro-
vision Is also made for tests Of the various sys-