New-York tribune., 1903-05-02
THOMPSON Is ELIGIBLE.
BUILDER ELEVEN YEARS.
Buildings Department Permitted
Vanderbilt Portico 1t Noe Forbids.

The friends of Perez NJ. Stewart the former
Superintendent of Buildings. yesterday made an
effort to show that Henry S. Thompson. the new
superintendent, is not eligible, because Of his
not having had ten years experience as a
builder.
Mr. Thompson began his experience as a
builder two years before he left college, in 1894
said President Cantor to a Tribune reporter.
"Since that time he has been identified with the
building industry in various ways. and probably
knows more about building than any Of his
predecessors in the bureau"
Rumors by the score were started yesterday
about Mr. Thompsons former afiiation with
the Thonpson-Adams Company and the Thomp-
son-Starrett Company, and the deduction was
made that he would take sides with some par
ticular building company against some other
company.
A letter was sent to Borough President Cantor
yesterday alleging that the Buildings Depart
ment in May of last year approved the plans
and specifications for the covered portico which
George W. Vanderbilt has been prevented from
completing on his house at No 640 Fifth-ave-
The Buildings Department put violation on
this portico on Wednesday, since which time
nothing has been done toward completing it.
The porte cochere. as at present partly built
seems to be clear violation of the law" SAID
Mr. Cantor yesterday. This is particularly re-
grettable as the Buildings Department appears
to have sanctioned the building of the portico on
plans submitted by the architects nearly year
ago. This places me in a most embarrassing
position The law will compel me to order the
tearing down of the portico in spite of the fact
that the Buildings Department, a branch OF the
city government nomtnally under my super
vision has sanctioned the erection of the struct-
ure shall see Mr. vanderbilts lawyers to-
l..,;,- ,,aT7ff fOr al
ing the work to proceed. The aldermen might
pass an ordinance in favor of allowing this
portico to be built but if the board did this the
ordinance would have to be general one, and
such an ordinance never would get through the
board. The whole thing is embarrassing, and
shows the need of having the Bureau Of Build
ings constantly under the management OF some
one who will be on duty every day and keep
constant watch Of what is going on in all the
departments"
The letter from D. c. Weeks & Son. archi-
tects in charge of the portico work at the van
derbilt house. is as follows:
Please find enclosed copies of the plans which
were passed by the Buildings Department Wltaot6 WIN Ut
question on May @ 1902. attention being called 10
nished by and flied with the department with the
plans and we therefore consdered tL cee tera
tions. Also, as there numerous preceoents
throughout the city. private stoops, notably in
haitian Hotel Hotel Boulevard. Belasco Theatre,
also Sherry's and the Cafe Martin, where a space
the house to the stoop line is USED Ior ClIih6
purposes More recent examples are apparent on
houses in MadiSOn-aVe-One at SiXty-SlXtn-St anu
one at Sixty-third-st Further. understand from
reliable informatjo that permit was granted 10
the St Regis Hotel to construct and MAINTAIN d
stone terrace "A feet long and 10 feet VIDE eXtehu
ing TO the stoop line and enclosed by glass.
In regard to the block on the west SIDE OF tlfth-
ave between Fifty-first and FIfty-second stS on
which the hove mentioned building is situated, the
fact is that main fronts OF the only TWO houses
on this block are set back from the building line
from ten to thirty-SiX feet and furthermore, the
width Of the sidewalk is greater than on the ma
iorjtv Of blocks in Fifth-ave- Throughout the
length Of this block there is no encrOachrnent Tor
block in the avenue and the sidewalk is fully hf-
teen wide whereas. as a rule. the aVaIla Dle
sidewalks on account OF the projections or the
newell posts are not more than fourteen feet wide
Does it seem Just at this date TO question MS
right To carry out the plans approved on May y,
1902 and practically finished at present. especially
when. as has been already mentioned, the city
profits largely in air and light by the very plan
OF his house?
It has been charged by Mr.. Stewards oppo-
nents that the office under his direction was
greatly denloraIized by his being away from
it and that Office records were allowed to lie
around loose. It also is alleged that the depart
ment headquarters are in unsanitary condi-
ton and that many of the employees have been
made i'll from working in offices next 10 defec-
tive plum bing. It is understood that Mr.. Thomp-
son is making an investigation of the building,
and that preliminary report will be ready in a
few days.