TALL BUILDINGS AND THE WIND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7721, 2 June 1903, Page 2

TALL BUILDINGS AND THE WIND.

A PROTEST* Chicago, which is known the world over as "The Windy City," has one corner where the wind is particularly severe.. The " Chicago Jounlal " assorts that the wind blows harder at the Masonic Temple corner than at any other corner in Chicago, and intimates that tho tall pile Of steel and stone -which constitutes the Masonic Templa is responsible for the phenomenon. A similar complaint has been raised against tha new " Flatiron " building, at the junction of Broadway, Fifth Avenue and Twenty -third Street, in New York. Twice since the erecting of the " FlafciroU " have tho plate^glass windows of a clothing merchant ill the vicinity been blown in during storms, to the damage of his stock. He asserts that the fierce gusts are due to the presence of his tall neighbour,- and has brought. & «ttit to recover £1000 from the owners of the "Flatiron " for the loss which he claims to have sustained. Even if toll buildings do deflect the wind, ib is ft question whether their owners can be held pecuniarily responsible for damage which may result (says an American paper). The teiMG of the suit will tend to answer tho question. But, if the answer is affirmative, it will give rise to another question — that of how far a main may go in the use of his own property. If a, building must be erected so that it will not deflect the wind, is it right thai buildings shall be erected which intercept the light, or which cut off the view? The probability is that the man With the bill for broken plate-glass will not be able to collect. If he is, will the people for whom the tali structure acts as a windbreak make up a purse to pay its owners for their shelter?