The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-21
HOME RULE.
President MARKS Of Manhattan Ex-
poses His Building Inspection Plan.

| To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: IL
Is we'll that public attention Ia again
being called to the need of building In.
spection reform. The present waste and
confusion are intole rable TO tenants al
we'll as landlords.
What Ia the practical way to end this
abuse7 Some may declaim excitedly and
dramatically against borough divisions
In our city government. This Ii reall!
q waste Of time and effort. h unit Of
the great city Of New York " too large
and Its physical conditions are too va.
ried to permit Of q single neighborhood
sentiment. Our city Of I'VE or ELK min.
ion people. destined to grow to eigh'
or ten millions. cannot. I believe. be sue
cessfully represented without c Dor
ough subdivision. The masses OF the
people OF the various borous1,s insls,
upon local autonomy In many physical
matters which come close to their daily
life, such a. control over public work.
and the construction and safety Of
buildings.
Building conditions in the various
boroughs vary 90 materially as to MAKE
zach a distinctly local problem. FOL
example. In Manhattan almost every
new building operation 10 preceded by
necessitates snoring and u~nderpinnins
on a scale not required In other Dor
oughs. wher new buildings are Usually
constructed on lots hitherto vacant
Also In Manhattan II Is almost the rule
to ~excavate two or more stories deep
underground. thus encountering unique
and interesting situations.
The borouehs will not permit tho DE-
struction OF their autonomy In tho Guild
ing bureau. II these were taken away
only the single Department Of Public
i lN4rka ~wpaslA Avvnatn ssVHSAE cha flYIAdiN-
ton Of the borough. II requires nc
prophet to foreses overwhelming defeat
in the Legislature Of any such attempt
The proper cry of Home Rule for CIT.
les In echoed in boroughs which them
selves are the size of the larger cities
I do not see how our representative
could he true to their trust without
recognizing the will Of their constituent
so clearly expressed.
Al a conference Of citizens which
called n few weeks ago l proposed a
practical plan for ending the present
deadlock between friends n oppo'
nents of GENERALIZATION Of building in
spections. Fire Commissioner Adamsor
has recently made a similar suggestion
to the Mayor.
My proposition IL to ~centralize in each
borough building bureau all inspection
and regulation Of buildings of every
kind during construction n alteration
and thereafter 70 centralize all inspec.
ton and regulation Of buildings Of every
kind over the use or the ''housekeep-
ing functions In one department under
the Mayor. During one period, that oi
construction, the borough will control
and thereafter by clean cut distinction
a city function will be performed.
| believe that after fair discussion
this plan will be found to meet the
present situation and absolutely elm.
mate duplication and conflict.
This plan preserves both proper neigh.
borhood sentiment and borough auton.
omy. and at the same time does no,
Interfere with the principle Of city con.
troll over license functions.
MARCUS NJ. MARKS,
President Borough of Manhattan.
| MANHATTAN. December 20.