The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-26
ANo1mnn PLAIN LESSON.

The imperative need for ccmpetent buildings inspectors. and for good laws properly enforced, has again been exemplined in New York, where four large residence or tenement flats, which were in. coursa of construction. collaps- ed last Sunday and tumbled down. Two of the buiIdings were six stories in height. while the others were i've, all of them unfinished. Each was intended to accommodate scores of families. and 1t is fearful to contemplate the deaths and injuries that would have resulted if the fAts had all been occupied.
 One of the contractors whose work thus went to pieces. upon being dues- tioned, declared that he didn't know what was the matter, which is plain evidence that he must be thoroughly incompetent. for 1t is impossible to be- lieye that any man competent to super Intend the construction of such build ing could see 1t fall to pieces and not be able to assign any reason for it. There was no cyclone. earthquake or other unusual disturbance to account for such an occurrence.
 There Is nothing dificult about the problem. We are told that in conse- auence of better transportation facili- ties there has been an unueual and hur- ried demand for tenement houses in the sections of the city where these houses were being erected. and the conclusion is plain. The contractors took the jobs of building these houses at low prices and under obligations to have them ready for occupancy in the shortest possible time. The result was cheap material, cheap and hurried work, and a lot of flimsy structures which would not bear their own weight.
 Now, if these structures had stoood till they were completed 1t is practi- cally certain that they would have speedily been filled with human beings. Then a collapse would have meant the killing and crippling of hundreds of people. sacrificed because of the greed or incompetency-perh both-of contractors and builders who were per- mitted to carry forward their danger ous plans without proper supervision. It has been but few months since the terrible disaster to the General Slocum steamer caused the loss of nearly a thousand people. There was a great excitement about 1t. and investigation showed the most surprising criminal carelessness. not only on the part of the steamer people themselves, but of the inspectors of shipping.
 If these houses had been occupied and had tumbled down. causing the loss of life that would have been inevitable, l there would have followed an outcry, possibly an investigation. and perhaps the blame might have been placed where it belonged. Then, too. there would doubtless have been spurt looking towards proper inspection of buildings which might have lasted a month or two. The time for such care and precaution is all the time. and a proper regard for human safety de- mands that dwelling or other houses which are being erected for human occupancy should be inspected and su- pervised by men competent for their duties and who would not allow any building erected and occupied unless they were assured of It's stability. Nor should this precaution be confined to New York or other large cities. It ought to be of universal application, for human life should not be endanger- ed for want of proper care looking to- wards It's preservation.
 When we come down to the particu- lars of these Sunday accidents We are more than ever impressed with the criminal carelessness existing some- where In one case the entire rear wall of six-story building fell inwards and carried with it portions of every floor from roof to cellar. In another case the entire interior of six-stbry house fell into the cellar. Still another was i that of fve-story building. the entire rear wall of which fell outwards, while in the fourth case the statement is that the house fell in."
 These buildings were of brick and one of the explanations sent out from New York Is that the mortar used in their construction was frozen and that a sudden thaw caused the walls to give way and the buildings to, tumble in. Does any one imagine that if these houses had been constructed of good material, and with good workmanship, change of weather would have tum- bled them to the ground? The idea is preposterous. and We have no doubt that full investigation will show that there ought to be some criminal prose- cutions set on foot in the premises. In the language of The New York Mail:
 The laying of brick work in freezing weather Is forbidden, but the Building . Department seems to be unable to eno force the regulation. It devolves on the department to tell why 1t is nor enforced. Everybody knows that brick has been laid all through the past win ter, which has been one of almost con tinuous frost. The danger of the col lapse of some of these walls, in case of such a thaw and rain, must have been perfectly plain to any good builder or competent inspector. Why was there not some warning?