The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-06
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.

AHE EAhAD EAfODLIIONs
PARIS, June 2l.-Thackeray speaks of place
b Ireland where the sense of elegance was 80
keen that the servant brought up the Goals for
Die parlor CRATE on a clean plate. am-to
change the subject constantly reminded OF
ihis experience of the author Of the "Irish
Sketch Book" when looking at the safes In
the Exposition. In America we know tolerably
well what safe should be. With our pleasant
practice of burning up everything once year,
ID has been forced upon us to study the matter
of security. We have done so practically
having the fire at hand-and successfully, mas
much as safes are In universal use in every
part of the United States. As rule they
are solid angular objects, plainly painted green,
and indicating strength rather than beauty. A
few TO be sure, have been made for parlor use,
and these are gay and brilliant in decoration,
bat they do not alter materially the broad dedni-
tion. broker, merchant, OF storekeeper pro-
cures one of our green friends, and 1t stands
quietly and faithfully in the corner, silent SEN
tinel Ieady to perform its duties on the shortest
notice. This simplicity of outward show does
not seem to be acceptable to the taste OF Europe.
Some of the most extraordinary objects in the
Exhibition are called safes. They are con-
structed in the most fancitul way, and are filed
with singular contrivances for doing nothing.
Externally they glisten and glitter in the sun
like gems, being polished and Furnished with
all the care that 10 usually bestowed on the lat
ter. The effect is pretty enough, but it seems
superfuous in an object of absolute utility.
There is a safe In the French Department which
has sheet of looking-glass in tront-a matter
of vast convenience to the clerks, but of very
little practical utility IN case of fire. The inte-
rior Is subdivided into an infinite number of
boxes, piReon-hOles, drawers, trays, secret re-
cesses, etc. / can easily imagine poor dscon-
solate $1,000 bill being lost in such maddening
labyrinth.
The history of safes extends only over period
of forty years. There are many who still re-
member the old-tashioned "knob-chests,n as
they were called. They were simple wooden
boxes, covered first with thin sheet-iron, thea
banded and strapped, and the whole made fast
with large knobby nails, In imitation of the
rivet-heads of boiler. The wood with which
these chests were constructed was submitted to
q chemical process. It was saturated or soaked
in salt water or brine, and 80 long as the moiS
ture was retained served as good non-con-
ductor. The fibre charred instead of igniting,
and combustion proceeded slowly. IL was found,
however, in the course OF time, that saturation
produced decay, and in the lapse of few years
the wood became mass Of dry rot exceedingly
liable TO take fire of its own accord, or from the
slightest external circumstances. Something
different had therefore to be discovered. 1t was
speedily but accidentally found in the material
called plaster Of Paris. The accident was in
this wise:-A young mechanic who had been
engaged in making moulds or casts with plaster
of Paris, having finished his labors, was pre-
pairing to wash up" and go home. For this
purpose he attempted to heat some water in a
plaster. After stirring the fire impatientlv on
several occasions he was surprised to find that
the wafer did not get warm with its accustomed
rapidity, and further inspection showed tnat
the kettle contained the debris OF his plaster
castings Upon throwing them out the difficulty
was Immediately obviated, and the idea of the
non-conductlng power of plaster of Paris was
conceived. Its application as filling for safes
followed almost Immediately, but several years
elapsed before anything like success was
attained. The calcined plaster was of no use
as q fre.proof cement unless mixed with water,
and the water made the interior OF the safe
moist, and so mildewed and destroyed the
books and papers, oxidized the iron, and laid
the foundation for an early and certain decay.
Premiums were offered for dry 6re-proof filings,
and the result has been steady and constant
improvement in hreproof protectors when pro-
perly made. Water is still an element used in
flings even when called dry filings; but it
does not evaporate or lose any OF its qualities
until attacked by the fire. 1t is unaffected by
the heat of the atmosphere, or the temperature
of the room in which it is kept.
There is but one American safe in the Expo
sition, but it is creating more discussion than
all the others put together. I am under the inn
preston that it will take the prize at all events
And, indeed Mr.. Silas G. Herring, whose houses
are situate at New York, Philadelphia, New
Orleans, and Chicago, is determined that it
shall have the most marked consideration.
Mr. Herring, need scarcely add, is the manu-
facturer. His name Is well known In this
branch of industry. So long ago as l840 it
came prominently before the public. In that
year great trial of safes took place at Coffee
House slip, foot of Wall street, New York, in
which all the leading fre'proof safes then
climbing into popularity were destroyed, save
the Salamander Safe, with which Mr.. Herring
was associated. Since then Mr.. Herring has
devoted himself exclusively to the business.
The manufacture, which in the year 1 have
named occupied dozen men, now gives en-
ployment to more than 300. Mr.. Herring does
not think that the jury had made a sufficient
examination of the various safes in the building,
and ne is, perhaps, little irrltaed at the effect
which mere external work seems to have on the
public mind. AT all events he desires further
test, and has affably proposed to make an inter
national bonfire of their safes in competition
with his own. He is willing to stake from one
TO $4,000 francs on the result. This is ''toeine
the mark" in true Yankee fashion, but 1t is no
all. A safe in these days is protection, no
only against fire, but against burglars. Mr.
Herring, therefore, proposes, for like sum, Il
subject his burglar-proof safe to test by ex
perts, in comparison with any safe now ex
hibited at the Exposition.