The Detroit times., 1912-07-23

down u0on the pedestrians who might
be In their way. The rrlice depart
ment OF buildings has been organized
for little over year, but only
those who come in direct contact
With II have known what II Is doing.
1T Is our business" said officer
Bsker, Ito see that the provisions OF
the building code are enforced In
every detail especially those pro-
visions which relate to the protection
of the public. This 10 exceedingly i'm
portant in the downtown districts
where heavy steel beams are being
raised Some OF these beams, such
as those used in the Dime bank build
Ing, weigh several tons each, and II
is awful 10 think what would happen
II one OF them should fall into a
street car full OF people.
THE building Of proper covers over
the sidewalks to protect pedestrians
from material that might fall Is un-
der the inspection OF the department,
and In the case OF large building
like the Dime bank all the plans are
laid out before the work is allowed
to start
The police do not stop at protect
buildings In the course of construc-
ticn. Their inspection goes into every
. detail OF the building. Rubbish which
was formerly allowed to accumulate
and cause fires or obstruct tafflc on
the street is ordered cleaned up.
Especial care Is taken 10 prevent ac-
cidents TO workmen. II the officer
notices a cable that has a strand
broken he cuts the cable through so
that 1t cannot be used again until 1t
has been made sound. Excavations
are carefully watched and retaining
walls ordered wherever one seems
necessary
Another thing that Is looked after
Is the way the streets are torn up.
Formerly builder or public service
corporation or even city department.
did about as 1t pleased in tearing up
the streets, forcing traffic TO go some
other way. Now, whenever 1t is
feasible, we order a bridge to be
built or planking to be put down so
that traffic can go on as usual.
whenever there Is any serious
violation of the building code We
send in a report to the department Of
buildings, and whenever that depart
ment or the department OF public
works issues an order we see that 1t
is obeyed. The police department OF
buildings enables the city depart
ments to work together to the highest
efficiency. other things that are
looked after are nuisances of one sort
and another, such as dust nuisances,
smoke from hoists and boilers used
In construction, distractions OF the
fire hydrants and countless little
things mat protect the public
4 "The builders and contractors are
glad to cooperate with the police in
enforcing the building code to the
letter because they realize that 1t
protects them as well as the public.
There has not been a serious &C
cident 70 a passer-by during the con-
struction of any building In the down
town district, since the department
started it's work"
The work OF the department of
buildings Is only one of the many
branches OF work which have been
brought under the regulations of the
police by Commissioner Croul. and
every one OF them adds TO the safety
of Detroiters.
Detroit has been pioneer In this
work and il is probably developed to
a greater degree of efficiency here
than in any other city with the ex-
ceptlon OF New York. The work is
still under the direction OF the traffic
squad, Captain O'Grady being in
charge of II.