The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-21
Was Written BY an Insurance Com
pany For Cities of Bemidji
Glass.
DECLARED TO BE REMEDIAL
Intended to Be Beneficial And to
Establish Certain Definite
Standards
WOULD PREVENT FIRE TRAPS
New City Inspector Would Have the
Power to Enforce Its
Provisions.
WOULD PREVENT FIRE TRAPS

w. c. Klein, chairman of the fire
committee OF the council, has re-
cei1ed model building ordinance de-
signed for cities Of 1000 to 10000
population This ordinance was
drawn by the Williamsburg City Fire
Insurance company and is recon-
mended for adoption for cities of Be-
midji's class. 1t is said that by hav-
ing buildings eretced in accordance
to the rules of this ordinance, chanc-
es of fire are materially lessened and
insurance rates accordingly lowered.
Mr.. Klein has been in the fire in
surance business for many years and
as chairman of the fire committee
has been looking over building or
dinances with view toward intro
ducing one at future council meet
ing. He believes that he has discov-
cred the right one, both from the
view points of practical building and
of insurance.
The proposed ordinance follows:
TITLE.
Section /. The following provisions
shall constitute and be known as THE
BUILDING CODE, and may be cited as
such and presumptiyely provides for all
matters concerning, affecting or relat-
ing to the construction equipment, al
teration, or repair of buildings or struc-
lures erected or to be erected in the city
of Bemdji.
Sec. 2. Building Code a Remedial
ordinance). This ordinance is hereby
declared to be remedial, and is intended
to secure the beneficial interests and
purposes thereof.
PRELIMINARY REQU1REMENTs.
Sec. 8. New Buildings to Conform
to COde). No wall, structure, build
ing, or part thereof, shall hereafter be
built or constructed nor shall the wir-
ing of any building, structure or prem
ises, be constructed or altered, in the
city of Bemidji except in conformity
with the provisions Of this code.
alterations to Buildings to Conform
to Code) No building already erected,
: or hereafter to be built, in said city,
shall be raised, altered, moved, or built
upon in any manner, that would be in
violation Of any of the provisions of
this code.
FOUNDATIONS.
Sec. 4. Foundation Walls). Founda-
tiOn walls shall be built Of brick stone
or concrete, and shall be at least four
inches thicker than the wall next above
them.
INDEPENDENT WALLS.
Sec. 5. Supporting Walls). For
buildings hereafter erected in the ware
house class. including store. office, pub
lie assembly, factory or public build
ing, the minimum thickness of all in
dependent surrounding or dividing walls
in the same, carrying the loads of floors
and roofs shall be made in accordance
with the following table:
(Party Walls). When the above walls
are used for party walls in non-fire-
proof buildings, the twelve-inch sec-
tions Of the walls shall have corbeled
lodges to carry the ends of the beams,
or be increased in thickness to not less
than sixteen inches, and the beams en-
tering the walls shall be staggered. If
the beams do not rest on corbeled ledg-
or are not so staggered, the twelve and
sixteen-inch sections of the wall shall
be increas sed to not less than twenty
inches.
walls Built for Party Walls May be
50 Used). Walls heretofore built for or
used as party walls, whose thickness at
the time Of their erection was in ac-
cordance with the requirements of the
then existing laws, bat which are not in
accordance with the requirements of
this code, may be used, if in good con-
ditton, for the ordinary uses of party
walls, provided the height of the same
be not increased.
HEADING COURSES IN BRICK
WALLS.
Sec. 6. (Heading Courses in Brick
Walls). In all brick walls every sixth
course shall be a hearing course except
where walls are faced with brick in
running bond
pace Brick to be Bonded into the
Backing). In which latter case, every
sixth course shall be bonded into the
backing by splitting the face brick in
half and backing the same with con-
tinuous row of headers
(Thickness for Walls with Face Brick
Laid in Running BOnd). All bearing
walls faced with brick laid in running
bond shall be four inches thicker than
the walls are required to be under any
section of this code. Z
HEIGHT. 5-.>.
Sec. 7. (Limiting the Height of Build
ingS). No non-fireproof building here
after erected shall exceed ffty-five feet
in height. -.
Height Of stories). The height of
stories for all given thicknesses of walls
shall not exceed First story, 16 feet in
the clear; second story, IA feet in the
clear; third story, 12 feet in the clear;
fourth and upper stories. II feet in the
clear. .z..
And if any story exceeds the forego-
ing heights, the walls of any such story
and all walls below that story shall be
increased four inches in thickness
~ PARAPnT WALLS.
Sec 8. tPsrapet walls). All exter-
ior and division or party walls over fif-
teen feet high, exceptinr whera a,1ch