New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-09
TO STOP UNSAFE WORK
Il NEW BUILDINGS Law.
TibuHe'S and County Committees
Ordinance Introduced.

At the request Of the Republican County Com
mittee. which was working on the suggestion OF
The Tribune. Alderman Davies introduced at the
meeting Of the Board Of Aldermen yesterday an
amendment to the Building Code giving the
Superintendent Of Buildings full power TO stop
all work building he may consider unsafe,
to require everybody TO vaCate the building. and
10 make such repairs az he thinks necessary for
removing the element of danger. This ordi-
nance was drawn by ex-Justice Julius NJ. Mayer.
who, when taking up the subject with The Trib-
une discovered that the aldermen had full power
to act in this case
Although Alderman Davies urged Immediate
action. he had rather hard time even to set
his ordinance read. Committee Buildings
snapped Little Tim" Sullivan. who acted as
president in place Of President Fornes.
But Mr.. Chairman. this is important" said
Mr.. Davies Il would urge Immediate action on
this. The terrible accident at the Hotel Dar-
Hngton showed that the Superintendent Of
Buildings should have summary power 20 deal
with such conditions. The Board OF Aldermen
has full power TO deal with this contingency.
There has been a bill introduced in the Senate
To remedy the existing conditions. but I don't
see why We should leave it 70 the legislature
when the aldermen can do il and get the credit
Before the measure had been read Little
Tim had consigned It TO the COMMITTEES. and
Alderman Mccall Objected to Is being resur-
rected for Immediate action. Af1errnan Dawes
pledged himself 10 work in every possible man
for the ordinances furtherauce. and he has
with him other aldermen. although many Of
them did not seem 70 realize Yesterday the i'm
pOTtauce OF the proposal.
The Republican county Committee was glad
To take up the reWedyiug Of the law. shown
le necessary by the Darlington collapse.
which could not have been prevented by the
Department Of Buildings. The committee acted
the more readily beCauS- il was advocating a
local remedy for local evil IL was unueCeS-
sary to go TO Albany for legislation to correct
the building Code. the members said, when
under the charter the aldermen had fun power
To amend the code.
MIR. MAYER DRAFTED ORDINANCE.
Therefore Mr.. Mayer drew up the ordinance.
and Alderman Davies consented TO introduce it,
II follows:
BE it ordained by the Board Of Aldermen Of the
An ordinance entitled the Building code. adopted
September y. lse9 bv thu Board OF Aldermen aud
hereby amended by adiing thereto a section t5 be
known as section 157a. as follows:
sscI2g 10 L. In g'tsG tnfre ThaI be- IN The
borough having jurisdiction. danger 4, life or
WORK or work In violation or or not in compliance
with any of the provisions oc requirements Of this
have the right and he is hereby aIth"rzed and
empowered. TO order all further work be stoppcd
In and about said building and to require AN rer-
sons in ana about said building forthwith 10 va
in or about the building rs in his iudeme1t may
he necessary to remove any dEnger thereftcm.
And said Superintendcnt Of Buildings nay. when
necessary for the public safety. temporarily close
ine or p9rt thereof and Tho Polite, T%r+rt,T,a-+
when called upon by the sail Superinterdeut 81
% requirements"
THINKS TRIBUNE SHOULD BE THANKED
Il think the public should thank The Trfb-
uue" said Alderman Davies. for bringing this
solution Of the building difficulty 70 the atten-
tion Of the Republican County Committee. and
great credi. is due the committee for taking
up this ordinance so promptly. With this ordI-
nance in force. there need be no fear that the
Buildings Department VIII not have sufficient
power to deal with any emergency which might
arise No workman need dread to 90 to his
building each morning, fearing a repetition Of
the Darlington disaster.
Il am only too glad that have been able 20 |
help such work by the Introduction Of this !
ordinance The situation here was acute. The /
public. Mortified by the extent of the CatastrO-
phe. was astounded when the officials Of the
buildings Department declared they had no real
power 10 protect wOrkmen and tenants from
unsafe buildings. Then The Tribune working /
with the Republican County Committee devised
this plan Of remedyiug the evil To introduce
such an ordinance and 10 help 70 in every way
posstbIe is rather privilege than the duty OF
an alderman with the city's interests at heart.
This has interesting side. too. There is
much talk about home rule these days. a bill
was introduced by Senator Dowling. Tam
many man, TO enable the legislature 10 step into
the breach to help out the buildings laws. Here
IS an affair purely local. with a purely local
remedy. The aldermen have the fullest power
under the charter to handle the whole situa-
tion: it seems somewhat like departure from
home rule 10 appeal 10 the legislature under
Alderman Cirifenhaeen. who represents the
Washington Heights District, said: Il shall
heartily support the proposed ordinance intro
duced by Alderman Davies. Building operations
IN my district are constantly going on. and I
am for the speedy passage Of a measure CalCu- I
lated TO protect life and property"