New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-20
BUILDING CODE FIGHT
Plans Under Way Which May
Renew Conflict.
Tn CALL PUBLIC MEETING
Aldermanic Committee Hopes
to Improve Measure Pro
posed Last Year.

Plans are under way at the city Hall
Tor rho annual building code fight. The
aIdermauic Committee on BUILDINGS. which
declined 10 report on the code of April
1872. having obtained an appropriation oil
,l5 ooo from the Board Of Estimate Tor
cxpert advice. announces that the Keel OF
another code will be laid AZ "A public meet
ing 10 be held in about week OF ten
DAYS at NO. - chambers street
Last wears code was too severe ''-
cordlue to Alderman iIcrbst. chairman OF
the committee. opposition 10 II I"oin'n 80
large al the hearings that the majority
o.spairod OF the codes adoption. me
Joint committee Of architects and build
.rs necessarily regarded II IS imperfect
Tho members held that the standard was
high nevertheless.
one Of the provisions Of the code that
met opposition prohibited wooden shingles
Members Of the aldermanic committee
said Yesterday this was too severe on the
builders who arc interested in Development
along tho lines Of tho new subway eA-
tensions in The Bronx and I'm Queens.
Tho nroposod code they declared. would
no less severe. II will be based on the
sections 81 last Years code that were APP
proved and will he brought up 10 date
with the help Of the joint committee "hlch
has offered 10 lend its assistance. one oil
tho radical changes will be curtalllne
- the unlimited discretionary powers oil
tho cupcrintenderlts Of Buildings.
The exports who will be called in this
.prlng will include Ernest Flagg. Law
renee WELLER. Robert II. kohn. john Shee-
han Audley Clarke. George u. ford
Michael J. Koran. James T. Whiskeman
r. Livingston Pcll. Dudley McGrath. lie" is
Harding Eugene W. Stern. Henry w
Hodge. +. T.. T Stewart. Professor Ira II
Woolson. John !. Murphy. Rudolph +
Miller. Buildings Superintendent for Man
haitian. and the other Buildings super
intendents ~ the four boroughs William
Guorin. chief Of the Fire Prevention Bu-
reau. John =. O'Brien. Assistant Corpo-
ration Counsel and many others. The FOL
loving societies are represented
The New York Chapter Of the American
Institute Of Architects. the Ruildinf
Trades EMPLOYERS Association. the Amer
ican Institute ~ Consulting Engineers the
Erooklyn Chapter OF American Institute
Architects. the New York and National
BOARD Of Fire Underwriters. the New
York Society OF Architects. the Mason
Dealers Exchange OF New York. the
Manufacturers Association and the Tene-
mcnt House Commission Of the charity
Organization Society.
The building code war has been goinG on
In New York city since 1909. when Mayor
Mcclellan vetoed the unsatisfactory Tam
many code Tn" battle between the con
crete and hollow tile interests was con
tinucd in q desultory Fashion thereafter
In Nav. 1911. Alderman Kenneally, from
Charles +. Murphys district. announced
ne had drawn a CODE and I'm December OF
that year. following the Triangle fire dis
aster. the Tammany members made an
unsuccessful attempt 10 put II through
after II had been amended so as TO con-
ciliate the opponents Of the code.
The code Of 1912 WAS drawn w after
a long and scientific effort had been made
10 raise the standard as high as possible
The fusion members Of the Board OF Al
dormen said they would pass H. TIL,
hearings developed considerable opposi-
ton from small builders I'm outlying dis
tricts and the code has lain in commit
tee with no report since April %, 1912.