The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-06-25
Opinion of L. E. Holden AS
to Proposed Village
Building Code
SHINGLE ROOFS
NOT FIRE HAZARD
No Reason Why They Should be Pro
hibited in Residential Districts
Other Requirements too Strict.

SbAASA ACCOMPLISHMENTS 100
Editor Reformer:-
] wish to point out to the voters of the
village Of Brattleboro a few facts in rela-
ton to the building code which has been
printed in your paper for their adoption
The laboring class in Brattleboro and all
New England are complaining of the high
cost OF rents at the present time, and
cannot think of anything which would in
crease the cost Of rents more than the ar
bitrary requirements of this new building
code.
! doubt very much if there is town or
even Il city in the country which makes
such ruling as are in this code | will take
up first the item of shingles. If you 90 to
Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton or
other New England towns. you will find
that a large majority of the most beautiful
residences are covered with shingles and
there IS no complaint made about it. Such
buildings are much cooler in the. summer
and warmer in the winter.
Brattleboro today has more slated roofs
than any other town Of its size and this is
one Of the reasons for the high cost of
rents, as its costs more to slate roof
than 1T does to shingle it. The laboring
man is the one to consider if we wish our
town to grow and prosper and something
must be done to furnish lower rents or lie
cannot live and support family In order
to take care OF this class Of help. which is
the life of the town, we must be able to
furnish tenements which we can afford to
rent for 50 and $50 per week; and as
Brattleboro increases in population. which
1t most assuredly will as the new industries
GENE IN, there will be great demand for
this class of tenements.
nder this new code, a man who CON
templates building must first employ an
architect to get out complete set of
plans; he must then employ stenographcr
to draw UP It set of specifications which
must then be submitted to the building
inspector, and if not approved by him. the
prospective builder must have the plans
and specifications remodclled
In order to furnish tenements which will
meet with the requirements of this code
and still not cost more than the above
mentioned price, houses will have to be
covered with metal and prepared roofing,
and these roofs certainly do not add much
70 the beauty Of the town. Furthermore.
slate and metal roohngs draw the heat SO
that it Is almost unbearable to live in the
upper rooms during hot weather. and Ger
tainlv no one could sleep in such rooms in
comfort
In the congested section. or what is
known as the inner district of the town
do think It very essential to take every
precaution to prevent fire. hazard but in
the residential section of the town, where
there Is plenty of room between each
house, | do not consider that shingles are
fire hazard, but rather a con fort aud a
necessity; and much better looking than
practically anything else one could urt on a
building. Some Of the most artistic houses
IN Brattlcboro and new once at that not
only have shingled roofs lint Shin.dr9
Sides and when you speak Of fire hazard.
1t IS not one-half SO great on - shing5cd
root house as the danger to children MAY
ing around a house with slated roof. c.
pecially in the winter time when tie snow
slides of and there Is always danger %
SOMEONE being injured or pcghaps killed
Another section says that any build ny
bullt or used for garage purposes must I've
lire proof and equipped in a manner ap-
proved by the inspector. | do not know
OF single instance Of a garage fire in this
town or locality where the building took
fire from an auto and coald have Eecg
saved had 1t been fire proof inside
here are large number of houses and
out-houses in this town which arc owned
by poorer class Of people WHO VIII tud
1t necessary to make repairs from time T.
time during the future ard il TINS code j.
adopted they will be Obliged to put slate
ON tho roofs CT use metal, and whore thc
ceilings are low this woald practically ruin
the upper floors for living pnrro7es
Section II makes ii impossible for hnld
ers to use anything in concrete work which
Will not go through 3-inch mcsh Thero
are buildings which are built aud ar, he
ing built from day to day, aud ALEC hlilg,=
which have been built and arc guarantee
to be absolutely safe IN which there Ia5
been a large amount Of G-iuch and S nah
stone and IN some cases as large as >
inch stone has been used iIr the coucrct"
work. These requirements alone would
make the cost Of building 4 foundation IA
great deal more than Is necessary
Section - states that all buildings, OK
ceptmg buildings erected upon solid rock.
shall have foundations Of stone. brick.
IRON, steel or concrete, laid not less than
Tour feet below the surface Of the ground
on solid ground or level rock. or upon
piles OF ranging timhers when solid earth
on rock is not found This article states
every building and would therefore
mean that if man wanted to build little
shed garage or clubhouse. he would 10
obliged to build foundation under the
same at least four feet below the surface
Of the ground
Section 40 states that all cellars to
apartment houses, tenement houses or
other buildings must have concrete floor
not less than 4 inches thick The ordinary
concrete work in the best of houses is not
over , inches or 215 inches thick, and a
great many of these houses have part of
the cellar bottom which is left without the
concrete for cold storage purposes, while
under the requirements Of this section
they must be all concrete.
Attpud bp r4affiper rTb,tre,I.,,-
express your views Ii is up to the labor
ing man to say whether he wants to in
crease his rent OF not
Very truly yours
June "a 1913 r. r Holden
Use March's White Satin bread.