New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-28
HOPPER DEFIES AHEARN.
DECLARES ORDERS GOOD.
Only in Abeyance, He Says-Won't
Resign-To Investigate.

After long talk with Borough President Ahearn
yesterday. Isaac A. Hopper, Superintendent of
Buildings in Manhattan, told reporters that he
not going to resign his office, and that he was
gong to make investigation of the recent col
lapse of unfinished buildings in Harlem. His in
CURRY will be independent of the now being
made by a committee appointed by Mr.. Ahearn.
II grieved and shocked to hear of the col
lapsed buildings" he added ''and hope to be in
strt-mental in amending the building law to
prevent a recurrence of the same. I court in
vestigaton by any competent. lawful authority
What remedy have you in mind?' was asked
My remedy, as have announced before lies in
licensing the builders They important in
the care and saving Of human life doctors
and druggists. l contend that the who erects
buildings to shelter human beings should not be
allowed to do so unless he is competent"
Mr.. Hopper did not appear TO think that the
orders he had given relating to the of patent
satety elevator clutch. a patent hange for water
fixtures In buildings and patented smoke test
plumbing in new houses had been entirely revoked
by order of Borough President Ahearn, although
Mr.. Ahearn has declared that the orders have been
revoked for good and will not be heard of again
during his term of Office. 1.-The orders merely
In allegiance" Mr.. Hopper said. land shall make
further Investigations before putting them into
erect" AS to the Pratt safety clutch. he said
1t had been recommended to him by Charles w
Dayton, his old friend and counsel, whose brother
was interested in the company but he was willing
to change the requirements OF the order relating
to elevators so as to admit the Of any other
safety device
AS to the smoke test" Mr.. Hopper said, IF
BIRD B. Coler is interested in that company 1 don't
know It, The test is good one, and should be used
in every case where plumbing is Inspected"
Mr. Hopper said that recently when he trav-
cling in the South he met a wealthy New-Y Yorker
who a prominent figure In the administration
of Mayor Strong. and the told him he had
bribed inspector of the Buildings Bureau for
500 "Of course there is graft in the department"
Mr.. Hopper said but could stop it in week If
1 had the power to make arrests The builders
the who to blame for it,"
Mr.. Hopper said he had suspended Thomas Oar
cey Inspector of buildings, weeks ago be-
cause Darcy neglectful of his duties and was
insolent, He declared there political motive
for that act.
Reporters asked this question: Take building
put up in the winter in three months on which the
inspector has reported intervals without pro-
nouncng it unsafe. is there any other check on
the inspector until the building falls DOWN.
NO" was Mr.. Hopper's reply, there is none
whatever"
Take one of the buildings reported on by Aud.
On February the report shows that the founda-
ton walls were Ten days later the report
shows that three stories were in place On Febru-
airy 2 the six stories in place. In less than a
month the walls of that building fall down. How
do you account for that. inasmuch there never
had been report against the method of construc-
ton in that building?
Aud had thirty-fve different operations going on
in his district In private undertakings there is
always a superintendent or an overseer for each
separate undertaking. The department needs more
Inspectors
''If the records of your own department show
that brick on some of these fallen buildings was
laid in zero weather. who will be held respon-
sibe?"
II not going to put the responsibility any
body but myself until after the rigid investi-
CATION I have been a builder for twenty-nine
years. and have laid brick in freezing weather. -
But that was before the new law was passed, -
one of the subordinates of the Office prompted him.
."Oh, yes. Mr.. Hopper said. quickly that was
before the amendments to the Building Code"
Borough President Ahearn asked later If
Mr. Hopper's orders which had been revoked,
were really dead issues merely in allegiance
and he replied: They are dead issues. unless some
one makes charges against Mr.. Hopper. If any
one feels that ne has been unjusty treated by Mr..
Hopper and makes complaint 1 will hold
Vestgation.'
But did not your order revoking the orders of
the department prove that injustice had been
done?'
Il satisfied that the orders were unwise, and
they vert revoked"
''ff your committee exonerates the Buildings De-
partment from any blame for the fall of the build
fngs which collapsed will you then take up the
cases in which you found Mr.. Hopper had acted
unwisely and put MIN on trial? .
I'VE will cross that bridge when We come TO IT,
II any has any complaint to make against the
buildings Department or the superintendent 1 will
investigate it and that justice is DONE