New-York tribune., 1900-12-11

80 -, ,,ste,IniSs bT new teneInents. CThe commis
sionsr az Buildings. however Is giyen eiseIe .t lo
70 be occupied IN special cases where ln Rls op a.
materially improved. But IN no case is mere tRaT ,
Is per cent OF The ot perl5se4 70 p re te1enoents
Out az 2S6 tenenents inspected, where THIS IN
9 ss sssp Psr esS & Ss o fM M '
house, Sr peT fs fs6toe8t bonses or s. per cent
covered exactly 3 per cent OF The ct ano = tene
sS s6 6enf 81 fhe lo tthe extreme maximum author.
zse By law n enE = Sse % 3q 2pd d = TIE 6q nd ST
These did not include any tenements which ran
49, 49, s5's IN sI 81 these cases the teneunents
covered over s. per cent OF the lot.
DIDN'T BELIEVE THE FIGURES.
Being asked 10 explain these figures. Mr.
Brady first said he did not believe them 10
be true "supposing they are true" said MI
Cravath, would they show defect in your
DEPARTMENTS enforcing the law" Brady ao-
mitted that they would. II we furnish you
with a let OF these houses. viii you investigate
them. and If violations Of the law are found
VIII YOU prosecutor i will replied Brady
The subject OF airshafts was next taken up
and Mr.. cravath read this from the report;
The law preseribss that the cemmssio,nesiT si, OF
Buildings shan have power 20 maze ss SIS ooTTeT
the Commissioner OF Buildings has made The regnI,
SSa s' a RisS SS9Es fo5f 55f ehes h al each
az l2 new tenement houses N q cases e or % s &
cent these airshafts were not increased ABOVE lle
fifth story as required
The only way sIr. Brady could explain that
was by saying that his inspectors could noi nave
done their duty in complaining Of the violations
he said that in the last three years he had oeeh
compelled 10 discharge at least one hundred IN
spectors for faults OF that kind. His whole force
was only iG0 inspectors. and he needed many
more, he said, in order to DO the work properly
NO HEED PAID TO FIREPRooF LAWS.
Ftreproof construction was the next subject.
and on this point the report says:
In Al new tenement houses over three stories and
cellar height the law requires tnat IL me Slows RSG5s b5r n
the public halls shall be oopstrneI@e9 @ & % S1 1eneent
houses Of his k.ne IN % easefi SeIis Were con
,,5 ~ ertiTSi, Of wood fThis applies to the floor
beams and not mercy 10 ne 1DoiIs I'm new tenement
houses over three stories and cellar in height the
stairs shan be eonstructeo of SOW SOW ,y, i..5 boses
Ia rs or 81 per cent; the stars were SoL- on
structed OF wood. instead OF slow burning OF hre-
Tie law also requires that In new tenement
stairs shan be inclose6 with walls OF slow burning
or hreproof construction. Out Of 40 new tehenent
were iBoiosed simply BY wooden stud partitions
Enclosed by brick walls.
BRADY MAKES A DEFENCE.
Mr. Brady. in trying 70 defend this state Of
things. took the extraordinary ground that ord-
nary wood might be used Tor the lifts and
treads" OF stairs if they underlaid with
wire lath or plaster He maintained that the
wood in such cases came under the designation
slow burning" and was all right. Self-closing
dumb waiter doors were then discussed. As to
them the report says.
The law also requires that all openings 10 dumb
we ,or f9ss Ssb sba N h@ S Sroof ahS seosng SO
as prevent the spread OF FIRE through the build
being 50 that they shall not be left open in any
case OUT OF 207 tenement houses, IN 2Ol' or q
closing ''''-
BRADYs OPINION. OFFSETS THE LAW.
Mr. Brady said iron doors were good enough.
He did not think il necessary for them 10 be
self-closing. Mr.. Cravath asked in surprise
II Mr. Brady set his judgment up against
mandatory provision Of the law and this evoked
from Mr. Brady the wonderful opinion that the
Board OF Examiners OF the Buildings Department
had power 10 modify the raw except where
ventilation or light was concerned. He said a
Corporation Counsel had so advised him. Fur
ther questioning brought out the facts already
referred to, that in spite OF eleven thousand
violations reported few had yet been prose-
outed and builders went right along with their
work, despite the rules Of the Department
Brady was then asked what remedies he could
suggest for this state OF things. and he sug-
gested more inspectors a special law bureau
and fine Of $3.50 for every proved violation Of
the Building laws.
DooNER's TASK SOON AT AN END.
Mr. Dooner came next. He began by saying
that he dio not know Of single tenement house
covering more than - per cent of the lot Asked
what he would DO il he were Informed that ex-
perts had found many such. he replied that he
would report the matter TO Mr.. Brady He con-
sioereo his responsi bility ended there. Asked if
ne could mention any instances where buildings
fully completed in violation OF the building laws
had ever been pulled down by order Of the
courts he was able 10 remember only one but
on cross-examination II came out that this one
hao been built by mistake partly upon the lot
OF another owner
After Commissioners Guilfoyle had declared
that the law was carefully enforced in BROOKLYN.
this was read 10 him from the report:
IN Brooklyn So new tenement houses were in
rooms bss 10 SSss. SsSSs. OF = per cent OF al the
Their sole light and ventilation from small in
ft9Sea eos airsaaits about feet By teet. or square
or skylight all OF which is contrary 10 law. The
ment houses The halls and stairs shall have win
COWS COWS opening 70 the outer air Out OF SS new tene-
ment houses IN 81 cases. or 70 per cent OF al The
hSyis ana stars had 40 windows 70 the outer air.
All the hoo Of the pubic nails we're NJ e eensTee5 pen GfSs q
s,y %SSo: 30 a, oSt ot = new tenements "a OF 100 per
81 S ne ~ Sow esII oSTning F o. hrsgIoot nasteFia our
were inside Of The building IN S cases or q sssS mrs
cent ef s ne cellar stairs were nor inclosed with
piAck walls. In 3 cases 81 per cent OF All there
were no hreproof doors the TOP ana bottom Of
the cellar stairs ana in cases or s. Der cent ~
All. these eoors were not self-closng.
Mr Campbell, OF Queens and Richmond bor-
oughs. was met with this indictment:
In the Borough OF Queens. out OF "a new
M ss4siaeat ~ houses houses "a 8 cases. OF q per cent
but opened solely on small. interior inc.osed vent
shafts about feet by feet. covered oSsr
by roof or skylight al the top. Contrary 10 iaVT
out OF "a new tenement houses in so cases
s per cent. the halls or stairs baS -