Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-07-24
Mcclellan vetoes The New
York Building Code and
Gives His Objections.
100 MUCH Difference
OF OPINION IN MATTER
No Chance Of the Ordinance
Being Passed Over the
Mayors Veto.

Clellan yesterday vetoed the pro-
posed building code, over which ex-
perts have been struggling for more
than two years and around whlcn
gigantic political fight has been
waged.
He objected in a general way to
the entire document and speclncaily
to seven provisions, which he enume-
rates in a letter to the Board of Al
dermen, suggesting that the whoie
code be reconsidered.
The mayors treatment of the Gin
der concrete situation was unexpect-
ed He recommends that before 1t be
accepted on a parity with other fire.
proofing materials 1t be subjected 10
further tests, and he announces that
he will have Mr.. Lewis make tests
this summer in the presence of repre-
sentatives of the concrete and hollow
brick interests.
Not until last night did the mayor
make public his action on the new
code. and it came as surprise. He
had indicated that he probably would
not approve or veto until next week.
AS soon as 1t was learned that he had
vetoed the code there was disappoint-
ment in the camp of the hollow brick
men and exultation in that OF the
concrete manufacturers, who, how
ever, could see only half victory for
themselves.
Champions of the new code could
still have it enacted into law II they
could muster two-thirds vote OF the
Board of Aldermen, but they realize
that this cannot be done. The code
squeezed through By margin of two
votes.
That part of the mayors veto mes
sage referring to hollow tile and GIN
der concrete is as follows:
Sections 116 anu Ill of the code
contain the provisions in regard to
hollow tile, cinder concrete and other
fireproofing material.
~s1f-tfre-.ebiections which were Of
fered to the use of cinder concrete
are valid, 1t may be questioned
whether the use of this material
should be permitted at all. If, on the
/ /bther hand, the claims put forward
the advocates Of this material are
%ell founded, Sections 116 and III
of the proposed code may place un-
warrantable restrictions upon its use
and unnecessarily increase its cost
The use of cinder concrete has de-
veloped since the enactment of the
present code, but there seems ample
evidence that it has been used with
very satisfactory results in this city
when a building has been erected by
skilled workmen under careful and
intelligent supervision. Whether OF
not it should be freely admitted on a
parity with other methods Of con-
struction Is a question that can only
be decided after more extensive ex-
-periments conducted under impartial
supervision.
ut developed at the hearings be
fore me that no stress tables OF this
form of construction exist, except
those prepared by interested parties
and that no experiments have been
made at all to determine the percent
age of unburned coal that can be
safely allowed in cinder concrete
when used as fireproofing.
II have asked Mr.. Lewis, chief en-
gineer of the Board of Estimate and
Apportionment, to conduct expert.
ments and prepare for you: (1) Ac'
: curate stress tables; (2) Data show
ing what is a dangerous percentage
Of unburned coal In cinder concrete
SO that your honorable board may
have before 1t information which will
enable you to frame suitable legfsla-
tion In reference to this form Of CON.
struction. At all of these expert,
ments | have directed Mr.. Lewis tc
\~permit representatives both of the
cinder concrete companies and oi
their opponents. the hollow tile com
panies, to be present.
Daniel f. Cohalan, counsel for the
National Fire Prooflng Company
would not comment last night on the
veto of the ordinance. II wish te
read the mayors veto carefully be-
fore say anything about 1t, said he
Alderman William p. Kenneally
chairman of the building committee
who represents Charles F.. Murphy'f
district in the board, said that the
mayors recommendation for further
tests for cinder concrete were fair.
81 am very sorry that the mayor
vetoed the ordinance" said he. II
represents lot Of work and 1t looks
now as If we would have to do 1ot
of 1t over again. Without having
read the mayors memorandum care
fully 1t seems to me that the mayors
stand for more thorough tests OF Gin
der concrete before it is to be used
in fireproofing is fair and right. II
should be remembered that the COM
mission made a number of these tests
while the code was being framed.
am confident that the results of the
tests will show that the code, as fav.
orded by the majority, WAS only fair. >
William F. McCombs, of the Law
firm of Roe & McCombs, No. 90
Broadway, who appeared for the Gin.
der concrete interests against the en-
actment of the proposed building
code, said last night:
"The cinder concrete interests are
entirely satisfied with Mayor McClel-
lan's disapproval OF the fireproofing
provisions of the code. These sec
tionss would have had the effect OF
driving this great industry out Of
business in New York. The repnta-
BILE concerns engaged in that industry
will welcome the suggestion that rig
orous tests be made as to its fire re-
Aug qualities"
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