The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-24
END OF SKYSCRAPRRS
Insurance Men Would Re-
strict Height Of Houses.
AGHAST AT SINGER TOWER
Giant Structures Considered a Fire
Menace To New Xork-Lfmit in
Been Reached with FOrty-One
stOrics-COmmissiOn at work.

New York. Sept. BIN tia shadow of
the great Singer Building tower, insurance
men and business interests are standing
aghast
The impression is growing that the city
must not allow any more such structures
to arise in the midst Of the crowded imam
cial district.
A new issue OF construction has been
raised. 4 strong movement has been
started TO restrict the height Of buildings. /
1t is urged that twenty stories is high
enough for skyscrdpers, especially in view
of the fact that such big buildings are in /
creasing rapidly in Manhattan and that
the entire island may be covered with
them some time.
The public did not realize the i'm
mensity Of the f0rty-one-story building
until the structure was seen actually ris-
ing 70 pierce the clouds. New tt is feared
by many conservative men Of affairs
They regard such buildings as a menace +
not only 10 the safety Of the CITY, but in
the matter Of population congestion
fGOple ~ Ou4U J1 IA streets.
II such great structures We're TO cover
the downtown blocks the streets would
not be big enough 20 hold the people
who would rush 10 them in the morning
and pour out Of them IN the late after
noon. And the hours through Tie day
would see an almost equal crush Of
people on account Of those who would
pass in and out Of the structures in tie
transaction OF business.
There Will be a population OF 1000
in the Singer Building, and over -0gJ9 in
the adjoining City Investing Building.
part Of which is % rise thirty-fve stories
above the street. II is realized that the
downtown streets could not accommodate
the traffic II many more giant skyscrap-
ers are 20 De built
President George W Babb. Of the New
York board u fire underwriters, has adj
vauccd another reason why the height of
buildings should Dee restricted. He saws
tie financial district viii be wiped out
by nTe some day unless there IS more
caution and foresight iu the skyscraVc-
construction. The fire underwriters have
requested formally that the building code
revision commission shall limit the height
Of Hre-IUu9f buildings 10 10 feet, Or
eleven stories
Two Billions I'm sLyscrnpers.
It is calculated that New York has
over S2C0WGg invested in its sky
scrapers and their contents Most OF
it is in the crowded financial district .
While architects do not believe that|
really Greproof skyscrapers increase the
danger from fire. they agree generally +
that the !udiserimiuutc construction OF !
-kyscrapers adds 10 the dangers OF the /
S-61H.u"e.a community.
SkyscraTcrs Of ,he absolutely freproof I
type act as huge lire walls and stop the /
spread or CONGREGATIONS In such build /
iugs. however. there is usually much in /
ilammahie material, and the boosted fire. I
proof structure proves often o. be as
easily victim as its U0ufrepr0of neigh /
Dor. In spite Of hrepro1f theories il is
feared that huge tower like that OF
the Singer. ia the midst OF mass ot
skyscrapers, might act as "a great flus
and become an element of unforeseen de- /
Structou
Real estate men are divided on the
question OF restricting the height of
buildings Those who own land in the
central skyscraper zone oppose such
measures because they would tend TO
make the land less valuable But an
others seek 10 favor it because 10 would
force spreading OF large construction. I
Effect on Land Value.
II downtown builders could not go
higher into the clouds iu order 20 sup
ply offices. business men would have 70
seek offices farther away from old cen
ters- That would start new building in
tie outer zones, and the new demand
would add much 90 the land values.
So far as the welfare and architectural /
appearance OF the metropolis are con-
Cerned, IL is believed that great good
would result from q restriction OF build
ing height Il would tend 20 lessen popu- !
laJiOu congestion. which is one OF the
most serious current problems. and il /
would relieve the skyline Of many
m0nstrosities.
Il is doubtful if the movement to re-
strict high construction will result in
actual laws at present 1t is one OF the
incidents which show the formation Uf
new opinion. After period of thought
and education. il is expected 10 become /
crystallizc3 in an advanced policy OF
building regulation.
In the meantime the market is en-
crossed in several Weighty matters. The
governors commission on the TOrrcus sys-
TEN of land title registration has begun
its labors Il viii have "a mass of in
formation In hand soon after the first
of next month Then il will be in q posi-
ton to develop public sentiment by means
Of open hearings.