New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-10
BUILDING CODES FAULTS
,.;ot Civic Committee Would
'V uove Better Fire Protection.
MEASURE AS WHOLE &C KID
..ort Relating to Safety OF
nv vsctory Workers To Be Taken
Up Again Soon.

o,ious civic ORGANIZATION NHI'I al
1ne - tho new building code with
eon''' making it an effective and com
view - Instrument when adopted, par
Wen,r,.. IN regard TO fire hazards and the
u'ua ~ factory workers, held second
S''s'' ,o,fercnce yesterday at the rooms of
lo'"' committee on Safety, at No l65 Broad
NV special committee Of nine, appoint
way 81. previous conference. submitted a
60 a. con,ainiug various criticisms on the
iev s ~ the new code relating to fire
-..,,iop and the safety OF factory work
ers
Tod 10 an smicable discussion OF those
,-,,.isros Robert u. Kohn, Oscar Levi
Ian and William Emerson, OF the Joint
c.-,r,ittee on city Departments, which
,.au, I'M the new code. We're present. and
liza 20 the various criticisms of the civic
,.ganizstions Rudolph Y. Miller, Superin-
..rdsnt Of the Bureau of Buildings. also
anticipated in the discussion and upheld
..-,ain provisions of the new code which
a.. under fire by the civic organizations.
The conference voted to send to the Joint
committee on city Departments a corrected
c0ug
ccations and corrections outlined in the re-
ccrt submitted at the meeting. In the main
tho new code was Endorsed ny the orgauiza-
ttons as an honest attempt to deal fairly
among the various methods OF construction
Former codes have been bitterly opposed bN
the concrete construction interests on the
ground that certain provisions plainly dis
eliminated AGAINST such material in build
in. construction in favor Of the use Of hol-
low tile.
Competition Now Permitted.
The concrete manufacturers contended
that under the circumstances il would he
impossible for them to compete with the
hollow tile manufactures. II was said
that he new code had been radically
changed in this respect. 50 as to permit OF
open and fair competition between tho
manufacturers Of these two kinds Of build
ing material
The principal objections of the Committee
on Safety and other organizations. how
ever. concerned the provisions relating 10
fire hazards in buildings. which were
deemed 10 allow too large latitude I'm
building construction, without proper con
siaeration for the safety Of the workers by
the installation of various fire fighting APP
planes ana the adoption Of certain meth
DDS OF construction in detail which. il is
commended. would eliminate practically all
the hazardous conditions which have OK
sted, particularly in loft buildings IN the
past These matters will be a subject OF
further discussion. and another joint CON
H..
held IN the near future.
The following organizations were repre-
sented 1T yesterdays conference: The
Committee on Safety. the West side Inde.
Dendent Club the Citizens Union, the Blu.
-esu Of Municipal Research. the Con-
,umers' League or New York City, the
Woman's Trade Union League. the New
York Association for Labor Legislation. the
Merchants Association, the Allied Real
Estate Interests the Joint Board OF Sam
ary Control the Brooklyn League, the
lily Club and the Chamber OF Commerce
# the Borough OF Queens.
II vas announced yesterday that Miss
frances Perkins, executive secretary Of the
League, had been appointed as
executive secretary Of the Committee on
Safety Of the City OF New York. Miss
Perkins VIII take up the duties OF her new
)Aice on June I.
Allan Robinson, president Of the Allied
Real Estate Interests. gave out a letter
yesterday which he had written 20 former
ssemblyman James J. Hoey, taking the
after to task for stating in letter to Nj
Robinson on May 1 that the Allied Real
Estate Interests were never in favor OF
The ests blishment of bureau Of fire pre-
yention in any form" and that the same
organization WAS not on record 'as favor
Ing any measure which nqccssitates the
pending of money IN the Improvement OF
property for the protection Of the lives OF
tenants Mr.. Robinson went into detail in
Dis letter in regard 70 the efforts made by
OF mis- organization In fur
thering the legislation which provided for a
bureau of ere prevention. and declared en-
that the former Assemblyman
statements were wholly unwarrantcd.