The Washington herald., 1922-03-26
MALL CITY PROBE
|HOWS DISREGARD
OR BUILDING CODE
lumber Association Con-
|ucts Investigation Into
1,47S Cities.
.DyOCATE REFORM
rye Engineering Bodies to
Inaugurate Big Code
Campaign.


Eating construction in the major
n Of the cities Of this country is
eonishing. Most communities
We the. feeling that IT Is folly to
fdertake work of this or any
her kind without first knowing
at they will be able to finish it
half-hnished work generally
foves to be labor lost. There can
Pt justly be any objection to hav-
g up-to-date. workable building
Rdes any more than to other good
pings. provided they cost nothing.
ne principal objection apparently
their expense, and the objection
paying arises largely from the
ant OF ability to pay.
A real or imagined lack of abil-
y to pay for a code and the sub
fquent expense Of its enforcement
fcounts chiefly for the situation
sclosed by an investigation of
bnditions recently conducted by
pc National Lumber Manufacture
rs Association.
This association made a canvass
Pth by letter and personal repre-
fntation of all of the cities con-
ning more than 5000 population
the United States. According to
Pc 1920 census, there are 1,47S
|lch cities.
As far as information was OBJ
fined. only 40 cities CIT per cent Of
pc entire number of cities) have a
|hilding law. and in all probability
|Eenty or more of these are includ-
4 as a psrt of the original city
harter. Other cities claiming codes
Rd what were merely a set OF re-
Frictions specifying the area
|nown as the Fire Limits" In
be majority OF cases where the re-
frictions as to fire limits only pre-
bil, the ordinance merely specifies
be area included within such lin
Is and requires that the buildings
fected therein shall have incom-
fustible walls and roofs, without
by restrictions as to the allowable
plight OF buildings. the maximum
Pea between fire walls or the char
|cter OF the interior construction.
p long as the exterior walls are Of
|asonry and the roof supposedly
eeombustible. any kind and variety
fTetrap and hazard may be con-
frutted within the building and
over any area. In all probability.
bose laws are the only ones in er-
|ef as relating to buildings sin IS
pr cent of the cities of over 5000
|bpulation in this country where
re construction industry Is one of
pc mainstays Of our national well
re and progress.
5There are 279 cities with a popu-
ton OF over $4,000 and only 223.
go per cent, Of these gave evil
ence of having a building code.
'hfrteen OF those cities having
hdes have no enforcing officer.
'wenty-three cities having no code
ave Information to the effect that
hey do have a building inspector.
lis duties seem to be indefinite.
OF the $50 cities with a popula-
len Of from 10000 to $4,000 only
1s, or IS per cent, have a building
Rw. and twenty-six Of these have
10 officer to enforce IL. Seventy
hree apparently had a building in
peetor but he Is, presumably, the
. chief who acts in enforcing
orne Of the fire prevention require
rants.
Out OF the total of 73s cities Of
rom 5000 to 10000 population, the
nall number OF 81, or per cent,
ave building laws, and twenty-five
e these have no means OF enforce
psnt.
A number of cities which have
Ugh laws have no copies available
or the use of the public. the build
- and architects. Some Of them
away in the minutes OF
his council meetings. The man
Tho erects a building or has the
upervision OF the construction of a
'uilding must, necessarily. delve
1fcngh musty records to determine
vhat regulations he must comply
nth when building.
One large city Of over $4,000
population has gone so long with
tut any constructive revision to its
building code that a reprint has
Iot been made since 1919 and the
building department of that city
Ias in its possession only one
'rinted copy of the code. Another
ity has its building code included
s a part Of its general ordinances
nd a charge of IS per copy is made
Vhen those who wish to build de-
ire to have the necessary informa-
Jon available In their offices.
The facts presented here warrant
bought by engineering architect
oral and civic bodies and by all
'thers who are in any way inter-
sted in the welfare, growth and
OF cities.