The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05


lations. affecting the classification OF build
| ings. the provisions Of the present law with
| respect to horoscopes. and revising the
| penalties for maintaining unsafe structures.
VIII be urged before the Municipal Assem-
bly, at the present session.
The existing ordinance, which was passed
by. the Assembly and approved by Mayor
Ziegenhe!n in 1897. has been entirely revised
by c. F. Longfeilow. former Building Com
missioner. Every section OF the old law
has been carefully examined and remodeled.
wherever deemed necessary. by Longfellow
and a committee OF the st. Louis Chapter
of the American Institute of Architects.
The revised and amended bill is now in
the hands OF Councilman Gibson. who will
Introduce 1t in the Council as soon as he
has had the opportunity to study it close
ly. Mr.. Gibson told Mr.. Longfellow that as
soon as Terminal Railway matters were
disposed OF he would take up the building
law. carefully study the proposed changes
and then offer 1t 10 the Assembly
Fires. during the four years regime Of
MI. Lonsfcllow, in which many lives were
lost. because of the lack Of fire-escapes.
such as the sufrocation OF thirteen persons
In the Empire Hotel. Beaumont and Olive
streets. resulted in close attention to fire.
escape provisions.
The flre-escape sections of the ordinance
are changed TO coincide with the State fire.
escape law. enacted at the last session of
the Legislature.
One poin; involves the drop gangway at
the bottom OF the tire-escapc. This is not
required by the State law. II Is argued shat
II the escapes lead down TO within ri3e feet
OF the ground, persons can jump the re-
manning distance. or be easily reached by
Others from below.
GIVES COMMISSIONER
MUCH MORE POWER.
The gangways are expensive and awk-
ward. Consequently IL is deemed advisable
to do away with them. Moreover, the State.
having decided against them. the city must
do likewise.
The revised bill gives the Building Com
missioner more power. Among other things
he will be enabled to order fire escapes built
where he deems them necessary. II II be re-
tain places. and ii after examination he
holds the same opinion. under the bill he is
vested with authority to order the escape
constructed.
His power to act with respect to unsafe
buildings also is increased. II. after warn
ing from the Commissioners office. unsafe
buildings continue 10 be used, he Is given
authority TO remove them. close or harr!cade
them. assessing the cost against the owners.
The new bill divides buildings into four.
instead OF three. classes. They are: Fire
proof, so-cailed mill construction. brick
buildings OF ordinary construction, and
frame. The change Is the Introduction Of n
tion." which are semifreproof. such rs
a large number OF the Washington avenue
business houses and Bars annex The
changed classification Is for convenience In
referring TO the kinds of buildings.
Fire limits are somewhat modified. A strip
OF territory in the southern section OF the
city, along the River des Peres. is omitted
from the fire boundaries. Two additions
are made. one north OF Easton avenue and
the other south of Forest Park.
Regulations for the erection of frame
buildings are entirely revised. The consent
OF property holders; where the. new law en-
9 9 would not be reSmiTsa to erect IA
ordinance provoked. many unpleasant
.'neishborhood rows since IL any citizen
from whatever motive desired TO prevent
another from building frame building in
block. he could do SO by getting rernou-
STRANGE signed by the majority Of the prop
erty owners In that block
PROVIDES FOR ERECTION
OF FRAME HOUSES
The State Supreme Court has decided that
the Municipal Assembly has the power to
regulate building. and that this power can
not be delegated TO property owners \
proviso is introduced in the revised o-di-
nance with respect to frame houses. which
permits the erection OF a frame building
within the fire lines. II II be IS feet away
from any street IS feet away from any
ether building. ard IS feet away from any
other property line.
In accordance with the. stand taken by
other cities the height OF buildings is re-
stricted. The first class shall be no higher
than 100 feet, the second class 20 feet. the
third class IS feet. and the fourth class 20
feet. Under the old law the second class
was restricted to 80 feet. The new ordi-
nance holds ordinary brick buildings to rs
feet. but allows the semifireprpof TO SO to
- feet anu the freproof to Is; feet sGch as
the Bank OF Commerce, the Frisco and
other downtown structures.
The prescribed thickness OF walls for
dwellings is somewhat modified. A three
story house may be built of is-inch walls
throughout. instead OF IS inches on The first
story as heretofore. II will be possible also,
brick buildings built before the enactment
of the present law without Increasing the
thickness Of the walls. The purpose OF this
change Is TO remedy the injustice which the
existing law rendered those persons. whe.
having built. before 1877. building which
they intended eElarEiRg. were prevented
from so doing by the building law
Mr.. Longfeliow's bill does not require cell
lar ceilings Of dwellings to be rlastereti.
Such provision in the present law Is man
dstory, As the plastering Of the cellar cell
tngs Is designed as a precaEtion against
IRE II imposes extra expense on those who
have no furnaces or heating apparatus In
the cellar. Consequently, the piastering OF
the ceilings Is not made obligatory. since
Mr.. Lprefellow believes that those having
furnaces will plaster the ceiling voluntarily.
while those without them need not 40 90
EASEMENTS AUST HAVE
EXITS To THE STREET.
An important provision demands that all
basement saleSroomS and workrpoms have
an outlet direct to the street. This involves
~ hrGs fssAn stores The reason for such