New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05

When contractor is determined TO skin every
thing' said one Inspector who has district in
the tenement house region south Of Fourteeath-st.
You We got 20 watch him like cat watches a
mouse. If you go your rounds regularly every
day. he's on TO you like cIockwork and everything
crooked is hidden OUT of sight when you get there
I've known some contractors 10 have men stand
ing at each corner OF the block to watch for the
Inspector
The temptations OF the building Inspector are
also increased largely by the character Of the
people with whom he comes in contact On the
East Side there many aliens who have emf
grated from lands where official extortion IS recog
nized as an essential principle OF government
1hey are accustomed TO pay for peace IN the Old
World. and they soon come to the conclusion that
conditions are not much different in their new
home When such citizen is informed therefore
that ne has transgressed a building law. his nrst
question is:
How much 90 you want9"
Many and various the ways IN which soma OF
these men violate the law and being discovered
plead that they are Innocent of any intention o.
wrongdoing- Only the other day an East Side sbo-
/ keeper was brought before Isaac HOPPER sinner
intendent Of Buildings, accused OF having made al
terations without notifying obtaining the con-
sent OF the department 1t seems that he had put
up several partitions in the back OF his store ana
was subIettins this extra space. After pleading
/ his Ignorance of the law. the shOpkeeper said:
/ I taught it vas all right. needs so much
| schpace. I sells it Ober again
/ Another East Slider was brought before superir-
! tendant Hopper. charged with having built an ex-
ira cellar stairway without the permission OF the
| department
at no hurts nuttngs" said the accused citizen
/ 'Nooodys gets hurted by dis stairvays I did Il
/ all MineseIf.''
/ Under former Tammany administrations graft
1 was made the less possible for the palms OF the
/ district inspectors by compelling the builders 20
/ go to headquarters" Such a system was more
agreeable to crooked contractors. for the reason
that they paid less money for protection and wers
! less frequently harassed with threatened COM
/ plants. As they bothered BY an
! inspector, they went to headquarters and fixed
things there.
According to Mr.. Hopper however the danger OF
graft among the district inspectors reduced TO
a minimum. when they are required to turn over all
/ their complaints to him. Such is the present sys-
/ tenn OF the department. and every case IS now
/ brought before the superintendent or his deputy
Mr.. Hopper. therefore. regards the building
ordinance which gives the superintendent power
TO stop work any building where defective
Illegal work has been discovered. and which
only lacks the Mayors signature to become law.
as likely TO prevent any repetition OF the Darling
/ ton the Eighth-st. disaster.
| Up TO The present time" he said IN speaking OF
the ordinance. could not stop Illegal work
/ enough. Despite the complaint OF the Inspector.
builder might go on finish up his job, and even sell
I the house before the city could take action
1t is the opinion of most builders however. that
graft viii flourish in certain parts OF the Build
( inspectors
( is thorough that OF the Tenement House De-
partment. At the present time the building tn
spector only reports violations Of the law. When
/ a catastrophe occurs. because OF the use OF cast
iron where steel should have been used. too
small pillars pale brick the inspector
/ simply says he didn't see anything wrong.
/ Whether or not he was paid for his blindness is
an open question As the grand jury said IN the
Darlington case:
| THE system of inspection in all buildings IN
/ process of erection at present in vogue In tho
Buildings Department is grossly inadequate.
One who formerly high official OF this
city. and thoroughly cognizant Of the conditions
listing in the Buildings Department. said that ths
only way of securing safe buildings a system
by which the inspectors reported the progress of
construction various times from the foundation
to the roof In old buildings 10 be torn
down TO AFFORD the necessary site, the inspection
of the Buildings Department should begin
then and only end with the finished structure
such a system IS In vogue in the Tenement
| House Department this ex-Ofhcial said. ''and Il
could easily be introduced into the Buildings De-
partmeEt. For every building in process Of erec-
ton a card would be given the inspector. and on
this record he would jOt down at certain intervals
the facts concerning width of walls thickness OF
beams quality OF material and all tho other leces-