The Washington herald., 1910-08-21

In recent article the Iron Age has
made it plain that the modern skyscraper
was evolved by accident. In which the
personal element largely predominated.
man had purchased a double plot OF
land in Broadway, with the understand
ing that he would later be able 70 pur-
chase an adjoining lot to square his own
property. AS his frontage was only
twenty-one and one-half feet wide and
included more than half the length Of hts
lot the necessity Of adding the adjoining
property was sufficiently obvious-as was
also his despair on finding that he had
purchased under misrepresentation and
must content himself win the narrow
frontage.
Under the laws OF the city the erection
OF q building Of contemporary type OF
architecture would have nearly covered
his Broadway lot with masonry. leaving
hardly more than a ten-foot passageway.
Strikes Original Plan.
The man carried his perplexity to an
architect who put his mind to a study
Of the building regulations. He discov-
cred that they. although specifying the
thickness OF wall required for the super
structure, did not name the exact point
below or above the curb at which it
must begin.
The idea occurred 20 him OF carrying
Up the foundation seven or eight stories
above the curb, thus getting floor space
where II was most valuable to tenants.
or, even better. Of carrying the founda-
lions right up 70 the roof and doing away
with thick walled superstructure alto
gether. The weight Of the floors and
walls could be carried and transmitted
20 the foundation by a framework Of
metallic posts and beams. The plan was
so new that although il did not conflict
with existing building laws. neither was
there any law under which Il could be
Immediately authorized
The plans had to be taken up by the
examiners Of the building department.
who finally approved them in April. 1855.
The beginning OF the work naturally
aroused curiosity. comment. and direfuI
prophecy. for the construction was quite
different from that OF the first tall steel
building that had already been erected
in Chicago.
Architect Takes a Suite
Nor was the owner himself altogether
happy The possibility that the build
ing would blow over. and that he would
find himself responsible for the resulting
damage. weighed on his spirits and re-
quired much soothing from the architect.
II was only when the architect agreed
to establish his own Offices in the top of
( the skyscraper and tumble with it thatt
the owner decided that the part Of wis
dom was TO quit worrying.
Even without this adventure Of the
narrow plot Of land on Broadway with
a frontage too small 10 build upon. the
skyscraper however, would undoubtedly
by this time have dominated New York
The growth Of Population and business
was bound to make more and more land
too valuable to build upon unless the base
Of the building. so 10 speak. could be
measured along the perpendicular. The
necessity Of making several Office rooms
and apartments rent where only one
rented before was inevitable. and Chi
cago had already shown the possibility.
II IS estimated that the combined ele-
vators Of Gotham do d daily business
that is more than double the number Of
/ passengers carried by the elevated, sub
way. and surface cars. But the sky
! scraper itself unfortunately creates yet
another aspect Of the municipal problem
OF population versus area.
The height Of a building. while 1t adds
in proportion to the number Of people
likely to use the sidewalks. does not in
crease their area, The higher the build
! ing. therefore. the more congestion in
the street And SO the next step In the
/ evolution Of the metropolis may perhaps
come when some worried citizen finds II
I impossible 10 get in and out Of his own
| skyscraper and takes his troubles to
| sympathetic inventor.