January 25, igo2.
RECORD AND GUIDE.
165
a large tract in a park called Strathglass Park, the plan being
to provide suitable homes for the workingmen of the place.
Fifty-six 2-sty brick dwellings will be erected at once, and more
next year, A casino and club-house will also be erected,
Southampton, L. I.—Brun, Hauser & Lapolnte, architects, 1123
Broadway, have drawn plans for 2-sty brick building, on plot
49x95; estimated cost, $10,000; including electrical plant, $50,-
000; J. W. Kilbreth, president, Suffolk Light, Heat and Power
Co., 80 Broadway, Manhattan.
NEW JERSEY,
Jersey City.—Emil Guhl, No, 19 Charles st, is drawing plans for
two 3-sty brick dwellings, to be erected on the corner of Benson
av and Summit st; cost, $16,000; Mrs, Marie Gehrs, owner, corner
of Beaver av and Summit st, Jersey City, is ready for bids.
Twenty-Five-Foot Tenement.
Below is a reproduction of a plan for a 2-family tenement on
an ordinary lot of 23 ft. frontage, designed by Robt. M. Farring-
ton, in accordance with the existing Tenement House Law. Laat
week we gave Mr. Farrington's designs for a 3-family and a 4-
family tenement on a similar lot. The present design now given
shows one 5-room and bath, and one 0-room and bath apartment
on a floor. From all these deaigna enclosed shafts are omitted
and open courts substituted.
The Herdje Decision.
J. Charles Weschler, of Weschler & Burstein, counsel for
George Herdje in his case against the Building Department, de¬
cision in which by the Appellate Division, in Brooklyn, was given
in the editorial columns of the Record and Guide last week, was
asked how that decision could be taken to sustain the provisions
of the Tenement House Act applying to tenements existing at
the time of the passage of the act, when those provisions were
not directly called up In the case. Mr. Weschler said:
The decision of the case of City of New Tork against Herdje
passes upon the question whether the "tenement house act" was or
was not a reasonable e.'^ercise of tho policy power of the State.
And, although the question as to the eSect of the law upon "tene¬
ment houses existing at the time of the passage of the act was^not
directly at issue, yet the section of the Kelsey amendment under
consideration was attacked upon the ground that these provisions
were unreasonable; and that, since they interfered with vested
rights and impaired the obligations of contracts, these provisions
were unconstitutional.
The court decides that conceding that the obligation of a con¬
tract waa destroyed, yet nevertheless the act was constitutional
and valid, inasmuch as it was an exercise of the police power, and
that the Legislature had properly passed the act, since "tenement
houses as a known and distinct class are recognized and defined
by law, that they are apt to be Ill-ventilated, unclean and packed
full of inmates, and to become centres or radiating points of con¬
tagious diseases, and that as such they might be the proper subject
of sanitary regulation in the Interests of public health."
The court further says that the sanction for these apparent tres¬
passes upon private rights Is found in the principle that every man's
liberty and property is to some extent subject to the general wel¬
fare. And in conclusion on this point Judge Jenks says: "I think
that such legislation was in the exercise ot the police power, in the
Interest ot the public health, morals and safety, as involved In tho
use of property for which the owners exact compensation, and that,
therefore, neither the fact that the defendant had received the per¬
mit, not that he had made a contract for the construction of the
building relieved liira fr' m tliis exercise of an act of sovertig-ity,"
Jt is uncertain to what extent the court would go in upholding
the law as regards the "e.-cisling tenement house provisions," be¬
cause that would involve an expenditure, not in building, but la
changing the construction. The only olher case upon this point
decided under the new law was the Signell case, where Judge O'Gor¬
man held that the cost of bringing buildings to conform with the
new law was of such an amount that the court would hold the pro¬
visions invalid.
Of Interest to the Building Trades.
A, Miller, manufacturer of leaded and art stained glass, for¬
merly of No. 05 E. 59Lh st, has removed to No. Olil Olh av. near
54th St.
The Building Bureau of the Bronx, now located at Wendover
and 3d avs, will be removed to-day, Saturday, to the Borough
Hall, 177th st and 3d av.
The Board of Health have denied the application of Swift &
Co., for permission to establish an abattoir on 1st av. between
44th and 43th sts, an act which owners and residents of that sec¬
tion will doubtless fully approve.
The contract for the installation of two of their "New Stand¬
ard" electric elevators in the Knox building, at Fifth av and 40th
st, this city, has been awarded to the Marine Engine and Ma¬
chine Company, of No, 1123 Broadway,
A. V. Collins, recently connected with Richard Deeves & Son,
now represents the Sherwin-Williams Co., makers of fine paints
and varnishes, at Newark, N. J., with New Tork offices at No. CO
Broadway. Mr. Collins has an extensive acquaintance among
architects, engineers and builders.
Flint & Co., organized with a capital of $50,000,000. hy Charlea
B. Flint & Co., announce that the first organization they will
doubtless undertake will be the consolidation of the North Caro¬
lina lumber industry, in which industry more than six hundred
million feet of lumber are manufactured annually.
At the annual meeting of the American Society of Heating and
Ventilating Engineers this week the following officers were
elected: A. E. Kenrick, Brookline, Mass., President; A. Harvey,
Detroit, Mich,, First Vice-President; R. C. Clarkson, Philadel¬
phia, Second Vice-President; W. M. Mackay, New Tork, Secre¬
tary, and J. A. Goodrich, New York, Treasurer,
Norcross Brothers, building contractors, have been incorpo¬
rated with a capital stock of $1,500,000. O, W, Norcross Is presi¬
dent; William E. Denholm, vice-president; Albert J. Park, treas¬
urer. The company succeeds Norcross Brothers, assuming Its
liabilities, and taking practically all of its assets, including Its
contracts, quarries, receivables, etc.
Superintendent Stewart of the Bureau of Buildings has writ¬
ten to President Cantor pointing out the dangers of the signa on
the tops of high buildings, and saying that the Board of Alder¬
men should pass an ordinance doing away with the "monstrosi¬
ties" which have been placed on such buildings. He also suggested
that the responsibility for inspection of the signs be transferrefl
from the Building Bureau to the Bureau of Incumbrances.
The virtues of Sand-cement, manufactured by the Standard Sil¬
ica Cement Company, of 66 Maiden lane, are the subject of a
very handsome brochure, issued by that company. An interest¬
ing description of the process of manufacture and manner of Ita
use are given, and these are illustrated by a number of fine pho¬
tographic prints which show a number of forms of construc¬
tion in which it has been used that prove the economy and effi¬
ciency of the article. Among these are docks for New York city,
the retaining walls and subway of the Speedway and prominent
buildings in which Sandcement forms the foundations carrying
their immense loads.
The Leonard Sheet Metal Works, manufacturers of copper and
galvanized iron cornices, etc., now at Nos. 330 to 336 West 13th
street, and Nos. 1 to 7 Gansevoort street, are experienced and
practical workers in their line, and have established a reputation
for excellent work, combined with prompt delivery of their or¬
ders. Moving to the nddre.^s given some few months ago, and in¬
stalling the latest power, machinery and appliances, they are
prepared to increase their output, and will be pleased to submit
designs and estinuies to architects, builders and others. Among:
the many contracts taken last year may be mentioned work on
the following buildings: Dorilton apartment, 71st st and Broad¬
way, Janea & Leo, architects; H. M. Weed & Co., builders; Boys'
Club, 10th st and Av A, P, H. Ohm, architect, Sturgis & Hill Co.,
builders; Senator Walsh's residence at Washington, D.C. Henry
Anderson, architect, Newman & Smith, builders; Davis Building,
19th st, De Lemos & Cordes, architects; Henry Corn Building,
18th st, Robert Maynicke architect, Charles A. Cowan & Co.,
builders; also the new addition to Casino In Central Park, Sand-
berg & Feek, contractors,
THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS,
The flrst business meeting of the new Board of Examiners took
place in the office of Superintendent Stewart, kindly loaned for
the purpose. The board decided to meet each Tuesday as for-