The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-21
NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS.
THREE ORDINANCES INTRODUCED
IN COUNCIL BY ALDERMAN HAAS.


the Fire Department VIII BE the
OmciaI Electrical Inspector ana
VIII Have FuIf Power to Inspect
and Supervise All Electric Wiring
and Apparatus and the Use of
Composition Roofing Will BE Per-
mitted-The Ordinances Go over
Until the Next Meeting.
The meeting of City Council last night
was uneventful, the chief matters of in
! terest before the meeting being the three
ordinances introduced by Alderman Haas
All Of these ordinances relate to building
and building work. and originate with
| Alderman Haas as chairman of the fire
committee, all three having relation TO
| the work OF that department in reducing
! the fire risk.
! The first ordinance regulates the grant
| ing of permits for the erection of new
buildings, the second establishes the Office
of electrical inspector, to be filed by the
superintendent of the fire department, and
! the third permits the use of composition
roofing on buildings. The ordinances are
| of interest to property owners, builders
and contractors and electricians
The ordinance regulating the granting
of permits for the erection Of new build
! ings provides that all applications for per-
mission to erect buildings shall be filed
with the clerk of Council, and shall state
! specifically the character and location of
! the proposed building and the uses for
which it is intended. Upon receipt of the
| application the clerk of Council is to refer
h. rx-ily
report back to the clerk as to whether
or not the street lines and grades have
| been ascertaiued. The clerk will then re-
| fer the petition to the superintendent Of
! the fire department, whose duty it Will
| be to report back with an Endorsement
! as to the advisability of granting the pc
/ tition. Should he dsapprove of the APP
| pllcation the superintendent must state
specifically in writing the reasons for his
! disapproVal. The application will then be
referred to the Mayor for his approval or
disapproval.
Section of the ordinance provides that
! ii shall not be lawful for any person, firm
or corporation 10 erect any new building
within The corporate limits of the city
without having first secured the permis-
! sion provided for and for any violation of
the ordinance fine not exec sding 500 with
Imprisonment moi exceeding thirty days
either or both in the discretion of the
/ court, Sudu DS AlIlpCS- u, anu III duultlOH
! the work done in violation of the ordi-
nance may lie undone by the direction of
! Council and the building or structure may
be torn down or removed.
The ordinance is intended to remedy the
defects in the present system of
granting building permits, which gives
very ntte information as 10 the class or
character of building to be erected At
present the securing of building permits is
! largely matter of form and builders fire.
/ quent!y neglect TO do so until the build
ings are under way. In some instance
buildings have been erected without per
mits and the improvements so constructed
| have escaped taxation for one or more
years.
The ordinance establishing the Office of
electric inspector moi only makes the fire
superintendent the inspector, but defines
The duties of the office and the regula-
tions concerning electric wiring and ap-
| Pliances and also the fees
to be charged for inspections
| under the ordinance. The inspector is To
be under the direction of the Mayor and
fire committee of Council, and his orders
| are TO be subject to revision and approval
by them. The powers given the inspector
are important. He is empowered and d-
rected 90 regulate the stringing of electric
wires, the placing of electric light and
| power wires so as to prevent fires acct
| dents or injuries to persons or property
and to cause all electrical appliances to
| be SO placed, constructed and guarded as
| not TO cause fires or accidents or endanger
life or property; and to cause the removal
| of defective electric wires or apparatus
whenever in his judgment removal is re-
| quired by reason OF such defects
The inspector is given the right to en-
| ter buildings in the discharge of his du-
ties. He or a competent person delegated
! by him, is authorized to cause the removal
of all wires or the turning off of all cur
| rents where the currents interfere Win
| the work of the fire department, No
| buildings are to be wired or changes made
liz the wiring of buildings without first
| securing a permit from the inspector, and
! changes are not to be made in electric
plants after inspection without securing a
| permit from the inspector. Buildings
! newly wired are to be inspected and GER
| tificates given as to the condition and con-
formity with the rules and regulations
| Fees for such inspection must be paid
10 the city treasurer before certificates of
| inspection are given. For incaudescent
lights the fees vary from % cents for five
lights or less to IS for $50 to 800 lights. For
arc lights the fee is 80 cents each, and for
motors 50 cents for one-horse power up to
So for 15-horse power. For inspection of
| other electric apparatus the inspector NAV
direct the payment of a fee not exceeding
70 cents per hour for time actually consum-
| ell in making the inspection. All electrical
construction and all appliances used are
| required to be in conformity with the
rules and regulations set down in what is
known as the National Code of Rules for
Wiring Buildings for Electric Light and
Power" which rules are adopted by the
| ordinance For violation or refusal to
comply with the provisions of the ordln-
ance penalty of not exceeding 500 fine or
Imprisonment not exceeding thirty days.
or both, may be imposed in the discretion
| of the court.
The ordinance with regard to compost
ton roofing simply permits the use of
such roofing in the city, defines the char
acter Of the material to be used and the
manner in which it shall be laid All three
ordinances being on their first reading
went over to the next meeting of Council
without discussion.
A complaint was received from residents
| on the Oseeehee road of the dumping of
offal by the city scavenger department in
their neishborhood, making the neighbor->
hood both malodorous and unsanitary.