The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-10
Furniture, Carpets
Stoves
wv. H. ME - SENGE1x IL
POI East Washington Street.
A Biz Fire May Prove a Benefit
1t Invariably Improvement City
Owner of May Gain

large fires that we have had. Take tho
Eastman. Schleicher d Lee fire that oc-
CURED on Washington street some years
ago. Very nearly that whole half square
was consumed. Now the buildings that
were burned out there were all in very
good condition, the only thing the matter
with them being that they were old. They
lacked the modern conveniences that are
necessary to bring business buildings up TO
the standard. II is an exceedingly hard
matter TO remodel an old building and make
ii lock like new. Those buildings on WASH
ington street could never have been made
into anything like the structure that took
their place. Then look at South Meridian
street through the wholesale district-what
improvements have been made there after
the large fires. Not only in these two in
stances have these improvements been
brought about after a fire. but there are a
number OF similar cases that have occurred
in this city. don't want IL understood
that am advocating big fires. for they
are dangerous both 20 life and property az
the time they burning. but the after
effects of them are not bad, so far as a
city s appearance is concerned"
rs this Improvement after a fire char
acteristic only of indianapolis" asked
member of the group
NO he replied. you will find that this
Is universal, because, as j said before. when
new building Is erected IL Is naturally an
Improvement over the old one However,,
better material Is generally used, and all
modern Conveniences are put into the new
building. You win find that this is done in
every city and town in the United States. L
nave cOmtllIDtt HOllCcu lldl a lhfkt lu
a country town will virtually make the
place. In some towns their buildings are
small and only two stories high. In many
instances they ilapidated. and have
none of the conveniences that mark the up
to-date buildings. Let fire sweep through
those towns. and in less than a year the old
tumble-down structures will be replaced by
new three or four-story brick buildings that
are as near like those found IN the cities 40
IL is possible 10 make them. These people,
like those in the city. know that the Old
buildings should he torn down and thar
they a hinderance 10 the further adj
vancement OF the town; but long NJ
neglect To do anything with them The in
slant they are burned down, however, they
take advantage Of their opportunity.
A GOOD BUILDING LAW.
What aids indianapolis greatly in the
improvement Of new buildings" continued
the insurance man, us the building law
that controls the construction OF every
building that is put ND. You understands
that this city has fire limit, which under
Mayor Denny's administration was exc
tended. II covers quite a large portion OF
the city, and all OF the parts wnere the
majority OF the business houses and factor
ies are located. To be more definite. the
fire limit starts at Michigan street and this
is the fartherest point north that IL
reached. Then by crooks and turns II ex-
tends west TO White river. The fartherest
and Pine street Is the limit east In thss
boundary II Is unlawful for a person 10
erect assist I'm erecting or cause 20 be
erected any building unless the outer walls
are composed OF brick. part iron or steel.
and the roof Of the building must also be Of
a material that is freproof
Tine law defining the fire limit also ap-
plies 20 the repairing OF buildings as well
as 10 the construction OF them. ANY person
who repairs or alters a building within the
limit-that Is, N IL be frame--and he re-
pairs IL with the same kind OF material as
that OF which II Is built. and n the repair
ing Is for 10 per cent. OF the value OF the
building at the time IL is being altered n
violates the law. There Is a heavy fine
attached 10 the violation OF this ordnance
and II Is the duty OF the fire chief and build
ing inspector 10 see that IL is enforced
You understand with such laws as this
IL is impossible 20 erect a building that il
not an Improvement over the old one In
the ma jority OF instances the buildings thar
have burned down were erected before
these laws were enacted so when 10 comes
10 putting up new structures in their
places IL has TO be done under the SUPER.
vision OF the building inspector. BY a build.
ing being nreprOof II meant that the mater.
ial Is the most solid sort and OF the best
quality. and that IL has a lot OF conven.
ienees In Il that the buildings OF years age
did not have"