Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-19
ENGLISH ABANDONS FIGHT
AGAINST GAS DEPARTMENT
Moves to Table Measure Directing
Inquiry Into Alleged Advance
Deposit Abuses.
HELPS SUBURBAN BUILDERS
Ordinance Committee Approves
Amendment to Building Code, Fix
ing Limit of Frame Houses at For
~ Feet Above Grade.

Upon the motion Of Councilman Eng
fish. patron of tho measure. tho Council
committee on Ordinances. last night.
voted to lay on the table the rcsolu-
ton directing the Administrative Board
TO institute an inquiry into the manner
In which the Gas Department has been
enforcing the rule empowering IL to
require advance deposits from gas con
suiners. with the view Of establishing
whether or not there have been abuses
in it's enforcement
The tablinG of the resolution at the
instance 81 1hc patron himself pats an
"nd 10 what promised at one time to
cnEcndcr considerable feeling in official
circles. Mr. English introduced the
resolution at the February meeting %
the Common Council by which body il
Was approved under suspension OF the
rules after the patron had made AN i'm
passioned appeal for it's passage
CHARGED THAT POWER
HAD BEEN hniSED
According To AIr. English he had
been charged with being responsible
Tor the advance deposit requirements
u Was his belief. he told tho Council.
that the discretionary power with ref
cr"ncc 10 the requirement of advance
deposits had beer gravcly abused by
tn" Gas Department. and he asked for
an investigation In justice TO himself
ana 20 the users OF gas throughout the
city.
When tho measure camc to tho Board
ri Aldermen II was opposed by Alder
man Powers. who saw no reason for an
investigation Of the practices OF the
chief Gas Inspector. who. he said. was
one OF the city's most faithful scr
"ants. The resolution was sent 20 the
Ordinance Committee. where IL WAS
given decent burial last night. with Mr.
english figuring with apparent willing
ness the officiating minister
The committee voted una ninously
for AN ordinance amending the Build
ing Code III so far as it relates 20 the
erection Of frame houses so as to ax
III" maximum height of such houses at
'orty feet from grade. AT prescn, the
limit is Axed At thirty feet
WORRIED HARDSHIpS on
SUBURBAN BUILDERS
The limitation was found to work a
hardship in Giutcr PARK and other
suburbs where most OF the houses are
large and Of frame construction Under
the city code. which was extended to
thcsc suburbs with annexation, IL would
have been unlawful TO erect a frame
dwelling more than thirtT feet high.
such limit would nave left no room
Tor attic stories or gable roofs and
would practically have limited all
frame dwellings 10 two stories
In tho amendment to the building
code The committee Included the pro
vision. however. that in every cesa
where the house is occupied the attic
shall be completely finished II APP
pears that II has been a common prac-
ticc 10 leave the attic story as single
large unfinished room wherever the
owner had no immediate use for the
upper story. According TO Chic:
Joynes. OF the Fire Department. an um-
finished attic adds considerable TO the
fire risk since IL is unplastercd. not III
vided into rooms. and frequently the
storehouse for the odds and ends Of the
household much of which il irtinm-
mablc.