The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-24
SUPPORT PROMISED
INSPECTIONS BILL
Many Interested Persons
Speak FavOrably Of Con-
SOlidatiOn Plan.

Indications are that New York is to
hc spared - repetition OF the bitter fight
wagcd last year over tho Lockw ood-f.l-
%lcubogcu hill which aimed to unite all
departments which inspect building
construction. alteration and structural
changes. since the Mayor. the members
Of the Board Of Estimate. the Fire Com
missioner aud representatives Of real
estate and business organizations agreed
Oh a form Of bill for consolidation. which
will he sent to Albany this week. many
persons who opposed last years bill have
c,snc out actively for the present meas
ure. some of them representing power
full interests.
Paul C~ravstn, chairman of the tene-
mcnt house committee OF the Charity
organization Society, has strongly In
dorsed the plan Of the bill. III the bill
which has been drafted conforms In the
plan which was outlined in the state
ment given out as the result OF the de-
lihcrations of the Mayors conference
committee on building inspection" Mr..
Cravath said, 1T will he strongly sup
ported by the tenement house committee
OF inc ' naTtN EXPERIMENTATION SOfletN, W.
cause while accomplishing the rpo
OF consolidating and simplifying inspec-
tions IT does not interfere with the In
dependence OF the Tenement House De-
partment, which is the one thing in
which We are directly and vitality inter-
estcd. II has been very gratifying to
find how generally all of the important
interests in the real estate situation have
been willing 20 cooperate in the preser-
walton Of the 7 enemcnt House DEPART
ncnt."
Alfred T. White, representing the
BROOKLYN branch OF the committee with
which Mr.. Cravath is associated. spoke
of his Willingness TO support the pro-
posed measure. 81 feel that the Mayors
conference committee on building inspec-
ton has prepared a bill for the con-
solidation or stmplliication OF inspec-
tons which when enacted into law is
certain to give very large relief to prop
erty owners. II has been a peasure this
winter to find those OF US who are espc-
cialy committed 10 tenement house re-
form working in harmony with repre-
sentatives Of large real estate interests
and viii the city administration for a
oinino end. which | feel has been sue
ce~sfully attained.
President bowling Of the Board Of
Aldermen. who, as "A member of the
Board Of Estimate. attended the various
conferences on the measure. has ap-
proved of every feature OF the bill except
that which makes II necessary for the
Mayor to appoint TO the Board OF STAN
dards n Appeals an architect. a
builder. an insurance expert and al EN-
gineer who shall be nominated by local
organizations. MIR. Downing believes that
the Mayor should be left free to pick
the man he wants on so important q
board without thu. necessity OF having
to select a man chosen by others. The
act as agreed upon" MIR. bowling said
Yesterday. protects in every way The
powers Of the Tenement House Depart
ment and substitutes for the inspection
formerly rendered by the state ndus-
tria, Commission and the Department of
Labor a certificate Of occupancy by the
Superintendent OF the Bureau OF Build
ings. thus afording the relief from in
spcction so strongly complained OF by
persons contemplating alterations or con-
struction.
THE one feature OF the bill to which
! do not give my unqualified approval
is the necessity for nominations by go
cieties to secure appointment TO the
Board CT Standards and Appeals. In my
opinion the Mayor should have the right
to make his own selection of membership
In such board. In all other respects the
bill seems to me To be one which will
simplify all future work Of this charac-
ter and do away with the multiplicity
Of inspection which has so frequently
annoyed tie building interests IN this
city
Lewis ~ Pounds Borough President
Of Brooklyn. looks To the hill. when /,
becomes "A law, To do away with al
disputes and irregularities that result
from divided jurisdiction. The proposed
bill" Mr.. Pounds said yesterday. 'is the
result Of most careful consideration ex.
tending over tho past year. II repre-
sents the extreme to which those who
believed in greater Capitalization are
willing to go on the other hand II repre-.
SCENTS the best Judgment OF what could
now be obtained on the part OF those
who believed all inspection OF construc.
ton and alterations should he placed ir
the building bureau of the various Dor.
oughs. There * no question but VIVA
the proposed bill is a tremendous i'm
provement over present methods. II will
give the building bureaus Of the various
| borough administrations complete contro
over all construction work and all az
terations and repairs, except certain
supervision 10 he st,il exercised by thu
Tenement House department. Certain
W"rN'hf agreements now uhder coilslu
! Grafton will undoubtedly lessen even thi.
partial duplication.
The proposed bin affords 40 large 9
measure 81 relief at this time and will
meet with tho cooperation 81 depart,
ments and property owners to such ar
extent hat ] believe II should be sup
ported by all who are affected by hi.
legislation. am confident that 1t vii
work out to the great benefit ~ builder,
and property owners without exception.