Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-14
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.

The Crystal Palace essentially an american IN
Uenti0n-Ihe Cast-iron House, its uses and
aduantages.-Hs inUenfion, and an account of
the present condition of the business of build
ing casf-iron houses in this country.
New YoaK, JUNE z, 1851.
The reports from the Worlds Fair of the comparative pau
city meageness Of Americas share of the show are really
Notifying New Yos enterprsng artisans and manufac-
They seem understand that there is no little
Of national jealousy in those disparagng accounts and 90
remember that there very many excellent reasons
why we may not be expected compete successfully SO far
from home an exhibition in which the nearer artisans Of
the older civil zed nations contestants for the award Of
superiority So long mechanics receive from ST. 50 to
per dem present. for their labor instead Of from
40 ST. abroad and enjoy the advantage OF living
under Government designed might almost write wholly,
protect and foster the interest, Of labor they need not lear
comparison Of the results Of their work with those OF work
any where under the II is INCIDENTALLY true that the
mechanic have improved among in fair ratio with the
development Of national and the hitherto unex
amped peopling of unoccupied territory There can Dc
question but that in the application of the principles OF
science wants, have progressed faster than any
other nation and if we may be behind England Austria,
France, and Germany each in more branches o.
mechanical industry they in almost all those for
have preferred in to decline them, devoing their
genius and energy the production Of better paying articles
may well compare undputed excellence in the con-
sucon Of steamers for inland waters which cannot ex
hibt there with that Of France in the manufacture of highly
embroidered tapestry, with Austrias remarkable skill in
setting diamonds Our superiority is in the construction Of
convenences and accommodations for nation Of busy, equal
eemen theirs in the elaboration Of works akin to the fine
arts, beguile the idle hours Of the wealthy titled
few. For the very covering the nnumerabe beautiful
useful and wonderful things there collected is Europe in
great indebted TO the mechanical genius of America,
strange may appear The principles upon which this
greatest wonder Of the show is constructed undoubtedly
first conceived and promulged BY New York mechanic,
Mr. JAMES BoeARDus of the firm Of Bogardus & Hop
pin who have the most extensive if the only establish
ment in the world for the construction Of large cason build
ings The Crystal Palace is present the only complete
building in England of this material. We have bet
ter illustration Of the remarkable readiness with which the
genius and skill Of artisans adapt themselves to the
ceses Of our counymen by the by, than is to be drawn
from glance the past and present Of this business which
has suddenly to command public attention.
In 1885, after seeking for time in vain for capital to
aid him carrying his conception of the superior adpa
ton of cason for the construction Of houses Mr. Bogadus
(who then known here only for the peinacy with
which he pursued mechanical expermens went to England
in the hope of being able interest capitalists Of that
try in his scheme. The subject urged by him there in
vain for year two upon the attention Of that timber lack
ing public the British writer's mechanics generally
curing in the belief that he had mistaken the capacities Of
his metal While there Mr. B. invented the postage stamps
at present used by the British Government for which be took
the premium there being nearly thousand contestants for
the prize. From England Mr.. Bogardus wended his way
A. r.
1910 he returned home and shortly afterwards found
neyed gentlemen ready to back his experiments Having
filed his application for the patent which he subsequently OBJ
tanned, he work first to construct the complete and
beautiful building the Of Duane and Centre Streets
in this city, which occupied by his firm their finish
ing shop.
His invention though pregnant with important changes in
the construction of houses the world over be
the simplest things to be conceived Il embraces apparently
but three distinct ideas First the application Of csstiron
for the purpose next the boiling together Of the huge pieces
composing the frame Of the building, that they will not
only Withstand any probable strain in any drecton but
ALSO il perchance any piece should fail the stability Of
the will be disturbed and, lastly the construction
Of all the joints much after the fashion of the joints of the
ordinary castron template stone that while allowing for
the expansion and contraction of his metal under all pos
sbe changes Of temperature, whether from the cold Of winter
from accidental fire, his buildings shall not be obec
onal account Of exposing their interior to the elements
The scientific principles upon which this boiling and joining
based easily understood by the mechanic and
science, though should respass your space too much
were upon description of them in this paper
They have been applied to Lousebudng for the first time in
England before remarked, in the construction Of the
Crystal Palace The iron houses which had previously been
built there all Of all the iron build
ings far put up the Continent well those which
have been sent from Europe California The latter
Joined and stayed the principles applied in the construction
of the seamboe and Of course cannot Withstand the action
of fire. made Of cast metal while they cannot be put
gether in day, be taken apart without destroying them
well nigh as completely as though Of brick or wood.
In February last the London Illustrated News contained
beautiful engraving Of the Centre and Duane street en- W
building that journal claiming at the time that iron
first applied in England to but
gecing mention that this the first application Of
iron in the construction of complete and permanent house.
The discovery Of gold in Cslifoia was literally, the cir
cumstance which crowned the invention Of Mr. Bogardus
with lis present The sudden demand for large
houses there, the want Of ordinary building Materials and
the high prices Of labor forced the people Of that State and
those from the Atlantic States specializing in California pro-
party look avoraby the plan for the substitution Of
cast iron for brick and wood in house building New York
merchants first such houses hhe which being put up
in day for each month required for the erection of English
wrouehtiron building and answering better in many other
RESPECTS caused many orders be returned for similar