Evening star., 1909-04-23
FIimsy Construction Allowed
Under Present Laws.
INSPECTOR MAKES REPORT
Recommends the Adoption of More
Stringent Requirements.
WOOD USED INSTEAD OF STEEL
Change in Height of Apartment
Houses Suggested to Permit
Fireproof Construction.

That the building regulations passed by
Congress in force at present allow the
construction of fiimsy apartment houses
is, In effect. the report of Building In
spector Snowden Ashford, submitted 10
Commissioner West today
AS a result of this report Commissioner
West has urged upon his colleagues the
Importance of securing legislation which
will prevent this type of construction.
and efforts are being made, in the alb
sence of congressional enactment, to pre-
vent it. He has asked the Engineer Com
missioner If some regulation to prevent
it cannot at once be taken up by the
Commissioners.
Commissioner West forwarded a memo
randum to Engineer Commissioner Jud-
son nearly two weeks ago inviting ms
attention to the fact that number OF
apartment houses of f1imsy construction
are being erected. mention being espe-
cially made of the large amount of timber
being used, and he asked whether or not
such buildings are allowable under the
law and the regulations
A report was received today by Com
missioner West from Snowden Ashford,
inspector of buildings. to the effect that
this form of construction is permitted
in buildings up to five stories or sixty feet
in height"
No Law to Prevent Use.
II brought this to the attention of the
building regulations revision committee
last April continued Mr.. Ashford. and
have referred to Ii in annual reports.
The committee has drawn up a resula-
tion to prevent 1t, and plans lately SUBJ
mitted show steel columns and beams in
place of studs / have persuaded other
hrsflx cIrhc tftrhn CT fnr
even then it is not safe form of con-
struction In case of fire. for the loads
are concentrated. and when the column
falls the whole structursxcollapses The
area with the fireproof partitions or brick
walls. AS the work referred to Is within
the law and act of Congress. l cannot
prevent 1t. l have several times recon-
mended a change in the law to encourage
fireproof construction"
When asked further about the matter
today. Building Inspector Ashford ex-
planned that law enacted by Congress
allows the construction of combustibie
buildings to the height of five Stories
and 1t is a question for the corporation
counsel to decide whether or not the
Commissioners have power to make regu-
lations which will encourage fireproof
construction of apartment houses five
or less stories in height.
Mr.. Ashford's Recommendations.
The building inspector says that he has
called attention to the matter in annual
reports. In the report for 1905 he said:
'T beg to call attention to the practical
results Of the amendments made year be-
fore last to the law relating to the height
of buildings. The law as originally draft
ed placed the limit OF height on resi-
dent streets for fireproof buildings at
ninety feet. but Congress reduced the
height to eighty feet for fireproof build
ings and left the height for combustibie
buildings at sixty feet. The former height
will not allow more than seven stories
in fireproof construction, while the lat
ter height will admit of five stories In
combustible construction. Consequently.
a type of building has resulted consisting
of brick outer walls only. with an enor-
nous floor area subdivided by stud and
lath partitions only, and no interior walls.
I would, therefore, recommend that Con-
gress be petitioned to allow ninety-three
feet for fireproof buildings on residence
streets or reduce the height Of conbusti-
BILE buildings to fifty feet