New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-07
After Six Years Pass Sec
ton of Code Reconciling
Opposing Interests.
OLD CROKER MURPHY
WRANGLE RECALLED
New Electrical Rules Require
Examinations and Licenses
for Workmen

tho hollow tile and the cinder concrete
interests TO secure virtual monopoly
for their respective products in a new
building code, the Board of Aldermen
passed yesterday sections Of code
covering these matters. It was done
by unanimous vote, the conflicting
sides having been harmonized after
months of work by the building code
committee. An electrical code was
also adopted. Mayor Mitchell will give
his approval.
Three times the Board Of Aldermen
has tried to put through a new building
code, which has been sadly needed, but
each time the project has been I'M
possible because OF the hollow tile
clnder concrete fight.
Beginning in 1906, the tight came 70
a head in 1909, when Mayor Mcclellan
was in the City Hall. The cinder con-
crete interests were favored by the
friends of Richard Croker. whose son
Richard was an officer in the Roeollng
company. Charges were made that
code passed after a bitter fight in the
Board of Aldermen gave practical
monopoly to the hollow tile interests
represented by the National .Fireproof..
ing Company, and that friends OF
Charles T. Murphy had heavy fnan-
cial interest in this business. =.
President MCGOWAN Of the Board OF
Aldermen, who was Acting Mayor at
the time, was pressed on both SIDES.
Because of his close relation with lam
man, Hall il was feared that President
eio
ready to take action Mayor Mcclellan
was found in the Adirondacks and per-
suaded TO return. He vetoed the code.
Sixteen Code Sections Passed.
Two wears later there was a similar
fpbt but the code did not pass the
BoarG of Aldermen. In 1913 the fusion
Board of Aldermen had special COM
mittoe prepare a new code, but 1t never
came to a vote.
The present board has been getting
out new code by passing 1t section oy
section. The three sections passed yes
terday referred to freproof construc-
ton, reinforced concrete construction
and masonry construction. Ihese'
forming as they did the basis for the
former disputes, are the most impor-
tant of the entire thirty-two sections
of which the code will be composed
Now sixteen in all have been passed,
but it is figured that at least 10 per
cent Of the work has been done.
The sections passed yesterday are
said TO give both cinder concrete ana
hollow tile equal consideration. Clnder
concrete may now be used IN noors ana
hollow tile may be used for the walls
OF dwellings not more than forty Ieet
= - -. -
use of this material instead OF wood IN
the suburbs. Heretofore reinforced
concrete has been used in tall build
ings in Brooklyn, but it has been en-
tirely through the special regulations
Of the Building Superintendent there
New il will be permitted under the
code and will not be subject to the
whim Of different uperlntendents.
An agreement has been reached on
tho proper formula TO be used for GIN
der concrete. The metal trim interests
tried 10 make that necessary in high
buildings, but the code provides that
wood treated under a freproohng proc
esq will be satisfactory
The new code permits eight inches
of hollow tile faced with four inches
of brick where twelve-inch wall IS
REQUIRED and the same proportion for
walls of other thicknesses.
Although it is believed that the wall
requirements for skyscrapers Will pro-
vide better construction, it is said that
thev will decrease the cost about per
cent. For all business buildings more
than seventy-fve feet high the wall
must be twelve inches thick for the up
pcrmost twenty-five feet, sixteen inches
for the next lower thirty-tive feet,
twenty inches for the next lower forty
feet. with a four-inch increase for each
additional lower section of forty feet.
Under the freproofng section the
following are classed as acceptable;
fn Ropd.d brckvork laid In cement mortar.
tbl Concrete consisting oi one part Portland
cement and no, more than two parts " sand ana
four parts Of gravsl. stone or other approved az
g-ee,te that will pass through three quarter men
rns suitably reinforced with wire or metal fabric
Co. Cnde Concrete rd noon Sas Two O pS OF sand
and I've parts Of clean. we'll burned steam bollet
cnders. suitably reinforced with wire or metal
(d Porous or semi-porous terra Gotta blocks. With
shells and webs al least one men NICK LAl1 pa
cement mortar. thoroughly bonded or secured oy
-I CcI solid gypsum blocks. containing not more
han % pcr cent by weight Of cnders asbestos nbre.
wood chips or vegetable FIBRE laid IN gypsum pas-
ter or cement mortar thoroughly bonded or secured
by suitable galvanized metal ties or fabric 49,,
~ ANY material or form Of construction ina
will resist the action Of fame and heat OF t.iyo
degrees Fahrenheit for at least two hours. without
Taising tbs temperature Of the material 70 be PRO
tec,ed above $50 degrees Fahrenheit by Transmission
through 4 thickness OF two Inches as deIstinlgsd
by test prescribed In the rules adopted BY the su-
perintendnt OF Buildings.
New Electrical Code.
Under the new electrical code no
more iourneymen tailors will be able to
nut in electrical construction. Up to
the present time it has not been neces-
sarv for a man doing such work to have
a license. The code provides that an
examination given by a special board
of examiners must be passed and a
license fee of $40 paid. There have
been more than 1000 fires due to de-
fective electrical work in the last year.
Now the workmen must do their
NTH ua1 defined