New-York tribune., 1909-05-17
BUILDING CODE CRITICS
Continued from first page.

/ On Nav 6 the minority report says, the Chair
said that a motion to omit a section prescribing
certain restricted fire limits had been carrleu-
The vote was nine for the motion and seven
against it, which. it is said, was not enough 10
confirm it, Other violations of the rules 70
make certain the passage Of the majority report
as it now stands were made freely, the minority
says.
Many other changes in the majority report
were urged at length in the minority report
The report Of the majority, for instance. con-
fiicts in many places with the tenement house
law, while Section IA of the minority report ex-
pressly states that nothing in the building code
shall be construed repeating. abrogating or
impairng any of the provisions of the tenement
house law.
provision for restricted fire districts was
adopted tentatively by the commission, but at
the last meeting before the report was submit
ted this provision was entirely stricken out, no
reason being advanced for such action.
THE great losses from confagrations which
have swept some of the big cities Of this coun-
try" said a member Of the commission last
night make II obvious how necessary IL is to
construct in certain parts Of this city zones Of
freproof buildings. These would act as bar
riers against any general spread Of huge ire
Section 20 Of the minority report would entlreIy
minimize the chances OF such a con1agration
In brief, the provisions OF this section are that
within such a zone no buildings exceeding three
stories in height are to be occupied for mercan-
tile or manufacturing purposes unless they are
thoroughly 1reproofed.'
LITTLE FIRE PROTECTION. IT is SAID.
Criticism IS being made Of the alleged failure
of the majority report to care for human life in
cases of fire in shops and factories. 1t IS pointed
out that while much attention has been paid to
safeguarding places Of amusement where peo-
pie voluntarily congregate. little attention has
been paid TO protecting the lives OF the wage
earners who in large numbers are obliged 20
work in non-1reproof buildings. The majority
report allows large unrestricted floor areas.
which are considered among the most dangerous
things the fremen have to combat in fires in
mercantile and manufacturing buildings. AS
the report now stands It permits in nOn-hreproof
buildings an unbroken floor area between fire
walls of 1900 square feet when the building
fronts on one street 30 square feet when II
fronts on two streets and 1900 square feet
when fronting three or more streets Ihe
minority report allows an unbrotei. area be-
tween fire walls OF only 5000 square feet when
fronting on one street, 2.JO0 additional square
feet when the building fronts on two streets and
10000 square feet when ii fronts on three or
more streets. It provides further. however. that
when standard equipment OF duIOIhdIlC SpiIA-
klers is installed this floor area may be in
creased 20 per cent.
Chief Croker particularly anxious to have
these restrictions adopted, for these large un-
broken floor spaces Dire known as fire breeders
70 every fireman He has said that IT is essen
TALLY TO the interest OF the city TO keep down
such spaces much as possible. and that
when a merchant or manufacturer finds IT abso-
lutelv necessary to his business 10 have an
unusually large floor ii is only right and
proper. for the protection of those about him
and his employees that he should have to install
some internal system of fire protection.
While the report of the majority makes re-
oulrement for automatic sprinklers mandatory
and retroactive for all existing buildings in
classes Z and +, with certain exceptions, the re-
port Of the minority requires the use OF auto
matte sprinkIers in all buildings hereafter erect
ed or in such existing buildings as may be
designated by the Fire Commissioner. as pro-
vided for in the ctys charter.
dealing with fire conditions which was criticised
bv chief Croker and the other members of the
commission signing the minority report is the
permission to shingles on the roofs of frame
buildings outside the fire limits. The minority
report insists on the use Of on-cOmbustible
material wooden shingles are a potent agency
in the spread of fire.
QUESTION OF CEMENT TEST.
The majority report says that the test of Port
land cement shall be in accordance with stand
ards prescribed by the American Society Of Civil
Engineers. although that society at present has
no prescribed specification for cement but
code instead. of methods OF manipulation for
the testing of cement. This code has been
adopted by the American Society for the Test
ing Of Materials part OF the standard sPeci-
fcations for Portland cement. The result is
that according TO the majority report there will
he ,Sad fOr
foundation work and building construction The
majority report also falls TO prescribe definite
specification and test for lumber used in build
ing construction. The report is also criticised
for allowing elevators 10 be installed and Op-
Grated under the sole supervision of the bureau
of buildings
The sections of the majority report dealing
with the legal aspects OF violations. unsafe
buildings. etc, are declared not 10 be definite
enough or practical enough. The minority mem
bers of the commission say these sections are
confusing conflicting and incapable of being
forced. and that they do not give proper protec-
ton to the city. The report of the minority was
drawn by the legal adviser OF the commission.
The majority report, II is charged further,
makes no discrimination in favor of mill
structed, slow burning buildings and the rein
forced concrete fire resisting buildings over old
non-ireproof buildings. which is de-
scribed by the minority as unjust unfair and
Illogical The report closes
In conclusion desire TO reiterate in the
strongest terms dsapproval Of the report
OF the majority and regret the attending neces-
stiles which make IL compulsory part
submit q minority report We believe the
minority report TO be consistent with the duties
that have been charged with, TO prepare
vision of the building code of the city of New
York. TO meet the requirements OF this period.
We do not agree with the broad principles
mentioned in many sections of the report of the
yYHY MD taH and vH-gda