The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1916-09-28
Keene Challenges Plea
That Soil Condition Bars
Erection Of High Blocks
Building Inspector Advances Argument Favoring Six
Story Limit, Which A. G. Engineering De-
partment Head Says Cannot Hold.

despite that fact, great buildings have
been constructed.
IL remember watching the excava-
ton for the Masonic temple in chi
cago. The basement was made ~ feet
deep, and 35 foot piles were driven
down to form the footing. A bed OF
concrete covered the wNole thing
while the basement had to be enclosed
in concrete at the time, to prevent
water from seeping in-being below
the water line.
To-day, they are going down three
and four floors below the street levels
through the loose soil, filled with
water. If Chicago can do so in safety,
certainly Fargo, with its subsoil, can
not object to heavy buildings on that
score.
ut is true that the district between
the N. P. depot and north towards the
Great Northern tracks, was formerly a
slough-filled in very largely with
manure. The surface covering there,
of course, is poor-but in constructing
massive buildings, proper footings
would have to be established below the
level of the old slough-and this could
easily be done.
"As to limiting the construction OF
buildings to six stories, / see no valid
TedSOH lOL OO eAiA AiSSbA hAAJ ANs
accord with the position taken by Mr..
Feckler, as set forth In the interview
in last evenings Forum"
Cites Own Experience.
George Tibert in explanation Of his
position as to footings, cites his own
experience in elevator construction in
this state-pointing to the fact that
heavily loaded elevators often sink into
the soil.
"The soil acts like a bog" said Mr..
Tibert. "As the load is removed, 1T
goes back into place.
Take, for instance, the Stockwood
fill on the Northern Pacific line, where
the weight of the grade forced the soil
upwards on both sides.
Il experience in my own home, con-
slant vibrations when heavy trains are
passing on the Great Northern tracks,
five blocks distant"
Justifies Position.
Commissioner Blakemore, who om-
ces in one of the five-story buildings
of the city, declares vibration Is very
marked when heavy trains are pass
ing.
"The creation of a building limit,
/ believe, is thoroughly justified by the
experience of other cities" said Mr.
Blakemore.
! owners OIL dQJdCSHI piOpci'y hdNS
rights; the creation of deep canyons
as it were, is Objectionable, and high
| buildings likewise create bad sanitary
onditions-barring the sunlight fol
most of the day, from surrounding
| property.
"As to congestion, there also is q
feature worthy of consideration. be.
lieve the city has some right to pro-
tect itself against the creation OF con-
gested districts such as would be
created IL a group of ten or fifteer
story buildings were erected In one
section.
| People forced to work in the upper
stories of such buildings are subject
| to extra hazards, the city would bs
compelled to furnish elaborate fire pro.
| tection-or neglect Its duty.
"Other cities have found building
| restrictions necessary. Perhaps si1
stories is too low--but that is a ques.
ton of detail"
C. J. Lee of Valley City, prominent
lin the Society of Equity movement
declared today that the movement fol
the construction of an eight story
office building In this city. under way
within the Equity movement, will bt
Icontinued despite the proposed legisla,
stion--which he terms as childish"