Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1919-02-20
OBJECT TO RAzING /
M'MAHON BUILDING
Counsel for Owner: Says
Such an Order Would
be Hardship
COUNCIL WILL.
MAKE INSPECTION

Members Of City Council sitting as
a committee OF the whole last night
heard an appeal by former Judge Daniel
o. Hastings. attorney for Mcmahon
Brothers. to have the order Of Building
Inspector Preston modified insofar as
1t related 70 the storage warehouse Of
his clients at Third and Orange streets.
Following the IRE at the warehouse
some time ago. Mr.. Preston ordered the
building razed believing II 10 be a men
ace TO the travelling public. Mr.. Hast
ings stated he did not question the hon
esty Of purpose or the ability Of the
building inspector, but he pleaded that,
inasmuch as the building had not been
considered a menace to life or limb for
such long time, the owners should be
given the benelt OF any reasonable
doubt as 10 It's unsafeness that might
exist. He stated that II would work
serious hardship on the owners to
have 10 tear down the building at this
time. They would be unable to rent
another storage place just now, he said,
and the cost al present precluded erect
Ing another building.
He declared that the newer part OF
the structure. at the Third and Orange
streets end, had been put In as good
q condition as ever after the fire some
time ago. He said that the owners would
take OF from 8 to 10 feet on the Tatnall
street end and rebuild the end wall on
the south. He said they were also will
Ing TO take or the fourth and nth
stories from the old structure.
John NJ Stannard told the committee
that he had made repairs on the build
ing 1--WE years ago. He said that except
at the Tatnall street end the walls OF
the building were as straight as a die.
The Tatnall street end should be torn
down. he said.
Mr.. Preston then said that the wall on
he south end. next 10 Second street, /
vas decidedly out Of plumb. and wanted 4
o know II Mr.. Stannard did not know
hat to be a fact. Mr.. Stannard de-
Jared that II one looked down the
vail from the top OF the building IL
ppeared straight. Mr.. Joyce also de-
Jared that the side mentioned had q
Ieclded bulge In Il.
In an Informal discussion OF the mat.
er later, President Lyon held the opin-
on that the Public Buildings Commit
ee. to whom the appeal had been sd-
lressed had no jurisdiction In the mat
er; that the law provided that an ap-
zeal from the decision OF the building
Inspector must be made within three
lays after an order condemning prop
lrty had been made. and that IL would
low be q matter for the courts 10 set
lie.
Il was decided that the entire COM
nittee OF the whole should visit the |
next Saturday, afternoon 10 see
Tor themselves Just what Its condition /
Is
A petition signed by many residents |
1f the section. protesting against the |
Use OF the Hammond Laundry building. |
m Eleventh street. owned by the du-
'ont COMPANY, as a garage, was placed
efore the committee, and II was de-
ided 10 withhold permission for the
arage until further notice.
A communication from Central Labor
nion stated that a committee from
lie union would confer with Councils
,n.mlttse Thursday night on the mat
r Of public comfort stations.