Evening star., 1909-07-19
BILLBOARD REFORM
Proposed Adoption of Rules
Promulgated in Cincinnati.
MINUTE DETAILS COVERED
Restrictions as to Size and Material
Employed.
SIGNS TO BE SAFE AND SEEMLY
Commissioner West Suggests Incor-
poration in New Building Code
of Certain Regulations.
SIGNS TO BE SAFE AND SEEMLY

preparation.
The suggestion for the regulations came
to Commissioner West this morning in
the shape of copy of new ordinances
governing display signs recently prornul-
gated In Cincinnati. and Commissioner
West will forward these rules to the En-
gineer Commissioner. with the suggestion
that such OF them as are applicable here
should be incorporated in the new build
ing code.
One of the restrictive clauses TO which
Commissioner West will invite particular
attention is that which provides that
no such sign or billboard shall be erect
ed on or facing any public park, square,
municipal, county or federal building"
The Cincinnati Regulations.
The several provisions of the Cincinnati
ordinances, after that which specifies that
billboards can be erected only on per-
NIT from the municipal official in charge
OF such matters, are:
"Signs and billboards Or any device
in the nature of an advertisement, an
nouncement or direction when construct
ed Of wood. shall not be erected over two
feet in height.
IAN signs and billboards constructed
in the fire limit, more than two feet In
height. on any buildings separately,
shall be constructed entirely of metal.
including the upright supports and braces
OF the same.
mo signs or billboards erected upon
uprights or any other supports extend
Ing into the ground shall be at any point
more than twelve feet above the surface
Of the ground and shall be properly sup
ported and braced.
"Billboards shall have at least twenty
four inches of open space in height be-
tween the ground and the billboard.
There shall be an open space OF six
feet between each billboard and any
adjoining structure or lot line.
There shall be an open space of not
less than two feet between any two bill
boards.
mo billboard Shall exceed 500 square
feet in area.
NO billboard shall be nearer to the
lot line on any street than the house line
adjoining the same.
In no case shall any billboard be less
than fifteen feet from such street line. s
Where new buildings are erected pres
ent billboards shall be set baek to such
house line of adjoining lot.
All signs which are dangerous in any
manner whatever shall be repaired and
made safe or taken down by the owner.
No matter shall be posted on any
such structure that is licentious or OBJ
scene or depicting the commission of any
crime.
mo matter shall be posted on any such
structure until it has been inspected and
approved by the superintendent Of police.
1t shall be unlawful for any bill poster
or advertising sign painter to post any
matter upon any board owned or con-
trolled by licensed advertisers without
the consent of the advertiser or upon any
building without the consent Of owner of
such building.
Fences OF wood not used for adver-
tisinF purposes shall not be more than
ten feet In height and shall not be used
for advertising purposes
mo such sign or billboard shall be
erected on or facing any public park,
square. municipal, county or federal
building.
Nothing herein contained shall prevent
the owners or operators of any open air
place Of amusement or ball park wholly
surrounded by streets. vacant grounds or
railroad rights OF way from erecting or
maintaining suitable screens about the
same In accordance with plans approved
by the commissioner dn charge os bill
boards). or from displaying proper ad-
vertising matter on the interior OF such
screen.
''The foregoing paragraphs of this sec
ton shall apply to existing bilboards.
Each separate paragraph OF this sec
ton Is hereby declared to be independent
of every other paragraph and invalidty of
any one shall not inSalidate any of the
Others"
Endorsed by Civic Association.
Commissioner Vests stand against the
hiding of the Union station and the plaza
behind huge billboards has received the
emphatic Endorsement of j. Horace Nc
Farland president of the American Civic
Association. H also urged further re-
strictions. citirs some billboards in the
National Capital which lie regards as i'm
proper.
II am glad to know oficially that the
emphatic stand you have taken against
the DETACHMENT by biliboards of the local.
ity near the Union station has been ap-
proved By your colleagues. and that
therefore this disgrace will not occur he
has written Mr.. West.
This action has more than local I'M
portance, for If it is right to protect the
proximity of the Union station in Wash
instou II is right to protect the proS nifty
OF the new Pennsylvania railroad station
In New York and OF any other great sta
ton In any other city.
an respect to the general matter OF
aboIishing billboards within the District
of Columbia, would say that ! tllink
there will be much difficulty in SO doing.
desirable as the action Is. II the position
is taken that no outdoor advertising Is
nermitted save that related TO business
contiguity on the premises. many per-
sons are struck with sense OF unfair
ness or incongruity. Notwithstanding the
perfectly logical accuracy of the posi-
ton. | have therefore for some time
ceased to advocate the abolition Of BILL
boards, copfining myself strongly to sug-
gestions that they be sharply restricted
and that III every case their proximity
be taken into account.
!. Some Objectionable Instances.
For instance. the bilboards I have
mentioned to You previously as existing
near Maryland avenue and 1st street
southwest and within view of the Garfield
statue. which really serves as fore
ground for them, ought, 1t seems 70 me,
to be prohibited from the standpoint Of
their relation to the National Capitol
surroundings. In the same way, the bill
boards along Il street, think II Is.
Just acress the street from the Capitol
grounds. are in extremely bad taste.
have shown photographs of these three