New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-04
RUILDINGs-IRON.

RUILDINGs-IRON.
Man is an initiative before he becomes rational
being His first roads are made over the hills and
along the ridges because mire is the great original
impeachment to ocomOtiOn, and low, wet, bOggy
grounds are of all things to be avoided. In time,
the woods are cleared of, the boys are bridged by
causeways; and now the roads should carefully
skirt the streams and shun the hills; but habits and
habitatons have become fixed, and the roads 60
zig Tagging across ridge after ridge, where stout
team can hardly draw a tun, when they should
manifesty follow the valleys where the same team
would more easily and rapidly draw twice as much.
And thus. since most settlements are commenced
amid primitive and stately forests, which the plo-
neer must clear away and dispose of in order to fit
the soil for cultivation he builds his rude habta
ton mainly if not wholly of timber. which he
possesses in abundance, and must labor to get rid
of, while other materials are distant, expensive, aud
require transportation over paths all but mpassa-
bic. Having thus accustomed himself to building
mainly of wood he stolidy persists in so doing,
hing after tie primitive forest has disappeared, and
timber, from being the readest and cheapest build
Probably two.thrds of the rural dwellings erected
within ffty miles of New-lOrk since $40 have
been built principally of wood though the reasons
which once dictated the use of that substance in
this region have wholly ceased to exist Wood is
perishable; it is exceedingly pervious to the inlu-
ences of external moisture, heat and cold; 1t har-
bOrs and is readily perforated by all manner of de-
structiye and annoy ing animals and insects. But
for the force of habit probably not one farmhouse
or laborer's cottage in twenty hereabOut would be
built of this materials yet our people use little
else and will but slowly and reluctantly be weaned
from the use of this. They understand it-they
are accustomed to it-they know about what sort
Of d wooden habitatiOn many hundreds or thou
sands of dollars will pay for, and they can judge
how soon it may be built. SO they follow in the
beaten track in defiance of abundant evidence that
il has ceased 10 be the right one.
OF late, some attention has been drawn TO the
alleged excellence and cheapness of walls built OF
common rough stone from the size of water
melon down to that of pigeons egg and gravel,
laid In thin mortar containing moderate proper
ton of lime. The work published by Fowers and
" els on tDls SUBJECT, Udstu oh anu ioitihcu w
their own experience, has attracted and still at
tracts deserved attention, and we hear Of instances
in which IFS nculcatons being practically fol-
lowed Houses of this material, but especially
those of modest proportions, undoubtedly will be,
aud probably have already been, rendered cheap,
commodieus and enduring. Several notifications
of the same general idea-that of using the durable
and inexpensive materials which everywhere
abound, instead of sending hundreds of miles for
Others more costly yet perishable, have been sug
gested, and are slowly making way.
more concerted and pretentiOus effort has
lately been set on foot in Pennsy lania, having for
its object the adoption and extensive use OF Iron as
a building material, especially in the magnificent
and costly structures which the Federal Govern
ment is constantly erecting. Almost the only
expenditure of the Federal Revenue now cur
rent which ensures to pOsterity reversion OF
benefit from the scores OF millions we are an
nually sowing broadcast from the Treasury, is
that on Public Buildings. OF these, several which
promise to do honor TO the country are in progress,
but their cost is frightful. Over Half Million
Dollars, if We are not misinformed, has already
been spent on the Custom House at San Francisco,
and it is still far from completion The Custom
House in w-Orleans, however, is still more
spacious and costly structure; has already cost Eff
teen Hundred Thousand Dollars, and still re-
echoes the cry of the daughters OF the horse-leech
Considering that the statesmen who commenced,
and those who still prosecuting these structures,
profess to hold the doctrines of modern Free Trade,
which make Imposts a laundering, unequal and
oppressive mode OF raising revenue, and demon
sirate, after their fashion, that Direct Taxation
would be far juster and less burdensOme, we are
puzzled to discover the rationale of these "pala-
tial" edifces five are rapidly advancing toward
tie Canaan Of Hard Money, Direct Taxes and No
Customs, why are we building such vast and ex-
peusiye Custom -Houses But this is DEPRESSION.
The Iron interest in this country is now generally
prosperous, thanks to war prices and dear food in
Europe. Our Iron finds quick market at fair
rates. and the production is increasing. Yet the