Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 81, no. 2080: January 25, 1908

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i66 RECORD AND GUIDE January 25, 1908 The Mechanics Institute. {Continued from page 104.) clay modeling, made up of ornamental plasterers, silversmiths, sculptors' assistants, wood-carvers and journeymen in various plastic clay crafts. There exists a large demand for elementary mathematics, in which subjects instruction is given to 230 students. The work in science is now limited to physics and applied electricity, but it is proposed to introduce industrial chemistry in the near future, A visitor to the school is impressed by the high standard of intelligence of the students. They comprise, by a kind of se- CLASS IN ME'CHANICAL DRAWING, lective affinity, the cream of the young mechanic class. These are the boys who possess ambition, and who are willing to sacrifice the gratiflcation of their pleasure seeking instincts to the attainment of a larger intelligence and greater efficiency. In age they range from fifteen to forty years. They are all employed at their various trades during the day. Those who live in or near the city may find time to rush home for a hur¬ ried meal and then back to school promptly at 7.30. But the large number of students resident in the suburbs have not sufficient time after their day's labor to reach home and return to the city. These take their supper at a restaurant and crowd the reading-room and library of the Institute, awaiting the opening hour of seven. The reading-room is well supplied with trade journals, as well as magazines and other periodicals, so this hour of waiting has also an educationl result. The extent of the radius from which the school draws is surprising. There are students frora Perth Amboy, Elizabeth, Newark, the Oranges, Tarrytown, New Rochelle, Mt. Vernon, Jamaica, Far Rockaway and the more adjacent suburbs. W^hen one con¬ siders the late hour at which a student at one of the more dis¬ tant points reaches home at night, and the hour at which 'he must arise in the morning in order to report for duty at his work, the incident sacrifice is impressive. One is also impressed by the personnel of the teaching staff. Three of the instructors in arcliitectural drafting are members of firms of architects, the instructor in sheet-metal drafting is the author of the standard, authoritative book on this sub¬ ject, there are a number of chief draftsmen, and also three of the staff of Columbia University- At a recent exhibition of MODELING CLASS, the National Arts Society each one of the teachers in free-hand drawing had one or more paintings displayed. The Executive Committee is composed of the officers and the chairmen of the various committees, with the first vice-presi¬ dent as chairman. Each committee bas charge of one of the activities of the Society and meets monthly. The School Com¬ mittee has full charge of the entire work of the school. It appoints a school director, who is held responsible for the suc¬ cessful conduct of the school. He carries on the active admin¬ istration and submits to the committee all recommendations for the appointment of instructors,, the equipment of classes, the extension of the work, etc., for approval. Any one who has, at any time of his career, been a mechanic or tradesman is eligible for membership. There is an initation fee of one hundred dollars, and no dues. The present member¬ ship, about 450 in number, is composed largely of men prominent in the building trades of the city. The ofBcers for the year 1907 are: Hugh Getty, president; Frederick R. Usher, vice-president; "ft'illiam J. Hoe, second vice-president; Richard T. Davies, sec¬ retary-treasurer. The members of the executive committee are, in addition to the above officers, Charles T. Galloway, Robert Christie, William C. Smith, William S. Miller, Thomas J. Drummond, John H. MacDonald, Robert Christie, Jr., John H, McCullagh, John M. Mossman, William B. Hand. The revenue of the Society is quite definite and limited, and is fully utilized in conducting its various interests. An added endowment would permit of a considerable extension of its practical philanthropy, especially in the line of its school work, in which alone it could give instruction to from 2,000 to 2,500 students instead of 1,700, its present Ihnit. This limit is set by the present revenue and not by the size of the building, as there are still a number of vacant class rooms that cannot be used owing to lack of sufficient funds to pay the salaries of additional instructors. New Building Code Up Again. REFERRED BACK TO THE BUILDING COMMITTEE WITH AUTHORITY TO APPOINT A NEW COMMISSION. At the meeting of the Board of Aldermen, January 21, the following resolution (No. 08) was presented: By Alderman Kenneally-— Resolved, That in pursuance of section 407 of the Greater New York Charter, the Building Committee of this Board be. and hereby is, directed to prepare and report to this Board, a building code in amended and revised form, providing therein for ali matters con¬ cerning, affecting or relating to the construction, alteration and removal of buildings or structures erected or to be erected in the City of New York; and be it further Resolved, That, for the purpose 0! properly preparing the build¬ ing code, the said committee be and hereby is, authorized to appoint experts as follows: Four architects, four engineers, one of whom shall be recommended by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters; five builders, one mechanic, two plumbers and one legal expert, each of whom shall be a resident of the City of New Y'ork, and shall have been engaged not less than five years in his respective calling. Tbe said Commission to revise the building code shall consist further of the several Borough Presidents or their respective Super¬ intendents of Buildings, when so formally named, and tbe Chief of the Fire Department of the City o£ New York; and it is further Resolved. That the said committee be and it hereby is, authorized to appoint a clerical force necessary to the proper conduct of tbe business of said Commission; and it is further Resolved, That any and all resolutions or ordinances or parts thereof, inconsistent or confiicting witii the provisions of this reso¬ lution be, and they are hereby repealed. Tire Vice-Chairman moved that the third paragraph be stricken from the above resolution. W^hicb motion was adopted. The resolution was then adopted, as amended. Then by resolution (No. 103), offered by Alderman Brown, the building code reported to the Board of Aldermen at its meet¬ ing on DecembM- 2 was referred to the Committee on Buildings for its favorable consideration. It will be observed that a number of tbe members of the old commission are reappointed under the resolution. The other members are expected to be named in a report to the Board of Aldermen at its next meeting. Points on the Material Market. Soil pipe is from five to ten per cent higher. Staple lines in tinware have been reduced in prices to dealers from five to eight per cent. Sash weights are quoted at $25 to ^■28 per ton. which is con- :^idered a fair market at this time. The Seaboard Cement Company, of Catslvill, N. Y., is about Lo break,ground for a new cetnent mill near the village. Miiliken Bros, have obtained the sub-contract for the steel work for the reconstruction of the old Custom House for the National City Bank, some 3,100 tons. This present year resembles inC4 in its building conditions; and. 1904 began softiyj you remember, just after the great strikes of 1003—and ended in a roar. The Jersey shore will take excepttonal quantities of building material this season. At Bayonne a'one it is estimated that fully five hundred buildings will be erected. The twenty-second convention of the National Brick Manu¬ facturers' Association will be held at Columbus, O., Feb. 5 to 8, 1008, with headquarters at the Southern Hotel. This is remarkable weather for winter, so mild and bright. Outside mechanics have rarely seen better working weather at this season^and if they only had plenty to do. P. S.: This was true when it was written. Manufacturers' prices on building hardware are in for a general reduction of about ten per cent., with but few lines excepted. It is understood that the associated factories have so decided. . Bankers say that money for real estate loans will be more plentiful in the spring, on a basis of fifty per cent, of assessed valuation;'and then gradually easier. Savings banks will give- small borrowers the preference.