Pennsylvania Act 1895-110 — SUPPLEMENTARY ACT, FIRST CLASS CITIES

Act text

SUPPLEMENTARY ACT, FIRST CLASS CITIES
                  Act of Jun. 7, 1895, P.L. 178, No. 110              Cl. 11
                               A SUPPLEMENT

     To an act, entitled "An act amending section one of article
        three of an act, entitled 'An act for the better government
        of cities of the first class in this Commonwealth,' approved
        the first day of June, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred
        and eighty-five, regulating the construction, maintenance and
        inspection of buildings," approved the eighth day of June,
        Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three,
        regulating the construction, alteration and ventilation of
        tenement houses, and providing for the safety of the
        inhabitants thereof, and providing penalties for the
        violation of the same.

        Section 1.  Erection of tenement houses regulated
        No tenement house shall hereafter be erected, altered, or
     constructed in any city of the first class, unless such
     erection, alteration or construction shall be in conformity with
     the provisions of this act.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec. 1.
        Section 2.  Court or shaft for furnishing light or air
        Every court or shaft which shall be built for the purpose of
     furnishing light or air to any such tenement house shall open
     upon one side into a street or into the yard or open space,
     except such shafts as may be necessary for the ventilation of
     water-closets or bath rooms. 1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec. 2.
        Section 3.  Windows; corridors
        Every room in every such tenement house shall have at least
     one window opening upon a street, or upon the open space
     provided for in the second section of this act. And the distance
     from every window in every such tenement house to the wall or
     party line opposite to it shall be at least eight feet. The
     halls on each floor of every such tenement house shall have a
     window or windows opening either upon a street or upon the open
     space provided for in the second section of this act, and shall
     have no room or other obstruction at the end, unless sufficient
     light and ventilation is otherwise provided for said halls in a
     manner approved by the Chief of the Bureau of Building
     Inspection. But whenever in the judgment of the Chief of the
     Bureau of Building Inspection it shall be possible to construct
     such tenement house without corridors connecting the entrance of
     several tenements or suites of rooms, the Chief of the Bureau of
     Building Inspection may require that such tenement house be so
     constructed that it shall contain no such corridors.  1895, June
     7, P.L. 178, Sec. 3.
        Section 4.  Size of rooms; height of ceilings; area of
     windows
        Every habitable room in every such tenement house shall be of
     such dimensions as to contain at least seven hundred cubic feet
     of air. Every habitable room in every such tenement house shall
     in every part not less than eight feet in height from floor to
     ceiling, and every window shall have an opening of not less than
     twelve square feet in superficial area; but the Bureau of
     Building Inspection may permit windows of less size than twelve
     square feet, if more than one window is provided for a room, so
     that however the total window space for any one room shall not
     be less than twelve square feet.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec.
     4.
        Section 5.  Stairways
        All stairways in such tenement houses shall lead directly to
     the ground floor. The location and construction of all stairways
     shall be determined by the chief of the Bureau of Building
     Inspection so as to provide for the safety of the occupants of
     such tenement house.
        All such tenement houses shall be provided with a tower fire
     escape or tower fire escapes, enclosed in incombustible
     material, the number and location of which shall be determined
     by the chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection.
        All stairways shall have a rise of not over eight inches to a
     step, and not less than nine inches tread, exclusive of the
     nosing. All stairways and all hallways must be not less than
     three feet in width in houses containing less than fifteen
     rooms; not less than three feet six inches in width in houses
     containing not less than fifteen rooms and not more than twenty-
     five rooms; and not less than four feet in width in houses
     containing twenty-five or more rooms.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178,
     Sec. 5.
        Section 6.  Water closets; sinks; hydrants
        In every such tenement house there shall be one water closet
     for every tenement or suite of rooms which has its own
     independent hallway, so separated that its rooms do not open
     into or connect with any other rooms; and in tenement houses so
     constructed that a tenement may consist of a single room, or of
     two rooms, there shall be at least one water closet for every
     three rooms: Provided, That in the case of buildings existing at
     the date of this act which shall hereafter be altered into
     tenement houses there shall be one water closet for six rooms,
     but not less than one for each floor. Every water closet shall
     be separated from every other water closet and shall have an
     entrance entirely independent of the entrance to every other
     water closet. There shall also be an independent water supply,
     and at least one sink for every tenement or suite of rooms.  No
     hydrant shall be permitted in the yard or open space provided
     for in the second section of this act.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178,
     Sec. 6.
        Section 7.  Receptacle for ashes
        In every such tenement house there shall be a suitable
     receptacle for ashes, constructed of incombustible material, and
     interior chutes or shafts leading to the same shall not be
     permitted.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec. 7.
        Section 8.  Certain tenement houses to be fireproof
        All such tenement houses, more than four stories in height,
     which shall hereafter be erected, altered or constructed, shall
     be made fireproof throughout: Provided, however, That this
     section shall not preclude the use of wooden floor boards and
     sleepers or beams to which to fasten the same, which, however,
     shall be imbedded to their top surface in incombustible
     material.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec. 8.
        Section 9.  Plans and specifications to be filed with Chief
     of Bureau of Building Inspection
        The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection shall require
     such plans and specifications of any proposed erections,
     alterations or constructions of tenement houses as sufficiently
     set forth and record the intent of the builder to comply with
     the requirements of this act, to be filed with him. And no
     permit for the erection or construction of any such tenement
     house shall be granted unless the same shall be in conformity
     with the provisions of this act.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec.
     9.
        Section 10.  Penalty for violation of act
        Any person who shall erect, alter or construct such a
     tenement house, except in conformity with the provisions of this
     act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction
     thereof, be sentenced to an imprisonment not exceeding three
     months, or to pay a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or
     both, at the discretion of the court.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178,
     Sec. 10.
        Section 12.  Definition of "tenement house"
        The term tenement house in this act shall be taken to mean
     every building which, or a portion of which, is occupied, or is
     to be occupied, as a residence of three or more families, living
     independently of each other, and doing their cooking upon the
     premises.  1895, June 7, P.L. 178, Sec. 12.