The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-11-04
House Building in Paris.

This branch OF industry Is under the
supervision Of q special bureau nj the pre-.
lecture. Before proprietor can build, he
must hand in detailed plan Of the struc'
ture, setting forth not only the relative
position of the apartments but The thick
ness Of the walls, the nature Of the mate.
rial 10 be used, the number of stories, the
slope of the roof, and in short, all the par.
ticulars about it.
When the plan is approved, he is per-
mitted to commence. As the work pro.
crosses, it is frequently visited by officers
attached 10 the bureau, who see that the
/ plan is strictly adhered 10, that the pro-
prietor does not encroach on the street OF
his neighbor, and that the materials are
good. The two great objects ofthe police
requirements seem 10 be 10 secure The put.
ting up of houses solidly built, and not lia-
bic to take fire. For instance, every
foundation wall must be Of stone, and al
least sixty centimetreS-on foot and eIev.
en- inches--lhick. The thickness is pre-.
served in all the outer walls, but, in some
partition ones, may be diminished for sto.
ries above the second. Frame houses arc
unknown.
A common material for walls is cement
mixed with stones and pebbles; the ce.
ment, if well made becomes as hard as
rock, and is very durable. But to make
assurance doubIy sure, solid frame work
of seasoned timber, the joints well secured
by iron bands, is first put up, and the ce.
ment is built upon this skeleton. One re.
suit Of these judicious precautions is, TIM,
the Paris houses are remarkable for their
solidity. One hears of no workmen
crushed by the falling in of nine inch
wall one sees no houses with sides bulg
ing out, like those Of an oyerstuffed band.
box. or cracked from top 10 bottom, nnd
the halves ready TO fall in opposite direc.
tons.
Great pains are also taken to guart
against fire. The joisls near the fire.
places must be well sheeted with iron, unc
the houses rooted with some fire-proo
material, suchas metal, earthenware titles
or composition of usphaltum. Shingle
roofs, which on hot summers day, lighl
up at spark, as easily as SO many sui
phur matches, are moi in use among the
Paris architects, who prefer humdrun
state Of safety to the romantic uncertain
ty Of the shingle system, Their precau
tions are so well taken, TINT fires are very
rare in Puris; and as to confugrations, th'
Oldest inhubitant does not remember sucl
q thing.
The streets are never filed with crowd
shouting "6rel" at the top Of their lungs
Jealous firemen rushing like madmen I,
scene Of notion, to the great danger 0
quiet, elderly gentlemen with furnitur,
tumbling out Of the windows of burnin,
houses; or with families weeping ovel
the loss Of their property. The Frencl
seem TO be quite satisfied with the work
ing Of their system, in spite of occasiona
onnoyances caused by the punctiliousnes
OF the police, They did moi think of mod
flying i, even in the days Of the revolu
ton; when reformers were in search 0
subjects, The most ultra multiplier o
! the natural rights Of man, never though
of putting into bis enumeration the right o
building, in the midst Of q populous city,
house with n roof rs InAammnble as linder
and with walls 50 thin, that to demolisl
them, one would ask no heavier batlerin,
rum than apair ofjack boots