, 1870-09-18
THE WABASH AVENUE FIRE,
Faulty Building in Chicago.
The Danger and the Remedy.

Iu the fat,,tr Of TAr Chicago Tribune:
Now that the investigation iutu the causes
of the late great ire on Wabash avenue mas
closed, and the Coroner has held his iEquest,
and tl,e jury rendered iss versjict On the ra-
mains OF the killed AZ far az found, lake tht.
liberty of addressing you On tho subject of
the construction of our business hull iings,
the poor economy OF building bad anI danger
Cur structures, aud to suggest low, perhaps,
CONGREGATIONS eau be eoon arrested, copfneJ
to the building where they originate, aud be
attended Nth less disastrous and shocking re-
suits.
We're It not for my long residence in Chica-
80. ara experience, during all that pefiod, ~ 3
Fire Underwater, the nature Of my profession
constantly directing my attention to this sub
iers At 4 study, would not presume, after
the numerous opinions and theories ADVANCED,
frn,u time to time, upon this eubjcct, by ar
chi:ects, and builders, f1emeu, and other eisi-
gems. to write one line on this subject; but 1t
ha. occurred TO me, that il to all the valuable
suggestions already presented, my mite would
Aeip III auy degree to hfing about rofor1n.
admitted BY all to he necessary. and demon
rtrate. at the same time, that ii costs le5s to
build sately-l would write wliat thins, be-
i,s imrellel for huuAnily's sake TO do all I
cau.
space does not permit an exhaustive article,
shall contine msself s.mply. and a. briefly
H. l'os-lI 1e, to tie principal points.
bel!cSe all adult that tho walls OF BULL.
Jugs, slxty to seventy feet high, and rpwa1u.
lave not stood the test Of tire, u constructed
N th.esgu' It l. enough to establish Til.
fact. to aIso establish the necessity that the,
should be constructed differently,
FarHell nall-the lsurch Nock-tLs block
OF h!bL hullul:gs un the notih side Vt Lake
street. beeaeen Waoa-h avcuue aud State
street.-The buildings OH Lake anh Water
si1eete. ut the fire known ~ the tireat Gu.
:a:l''y. totne ilsitscel, Tears ago, with uu,u.r-
ot1s Other INSTANCES, anl now luis block on
"ehssh avenue. rroyc c1nclusiyelr That such
a'Fuctutes are n It 0nly not safe bul will surely
sninllc down. like ) p1>y house Of cards
when tire gets little hra'lw.r in them
\ jury may ti1il no catl-e no ! for censusipc
tue owner, architect, builder, or wokku.-,i, but
If any more buildings asc erected Ill this ..,lo
atld It tie streueih OF those mentiupe ]. sn,l
huEdtecs nut get burned, iu the face OF such
estttr, aA unable to see how they eau avoid
hE:ins st9ne ont guilty Of man=laushter.
We can iancs. when an owner wants build
ing erected at certain price, hor tile ar,hi-
1eet may propose and submit plan to please
the eye and TASTE, obliged, perEape, to cut
down tricks and mortar, Gre-walls, coping.
iron thntttts. good chimnevs, and al. Tie ,le-
tails OF safety III order that the snowy ex,e.i-
liz.
lre naate Ahprutessioual aud officially guilty
set than this sham construction IN the nc.rt
| Of great city.
1sympathisc vita the architects to tia ex.
tei:t OF ils tli!llculties ihsy have to contend
With. They have to show pretty Picture,
aud inc man wh9 s'sscess1s the best in r1ea..
III: the oye for the least money will pr1!,at,l,
| have hls plans sppFoscsl, aud IS the .sch,,ec,
| fur ,he million. particularly in = city Vlets 4
Mo;e. ie cons salltly III demand at tsu ne,
ceLf, asd business in tnost cases ahead nt
| eapilai- There Il l1u reaapn Why the designer
eEeuld have all tbe blame. ,,!idrr tho existing
state Of adsi1E. aud when there il no violation
| ot law.
have long been convinced that al walls OF
buildings uiust be tuit of iiieklts. il pro-
rofiicn to tue elevation. or they canut. Le
;aic: In tho Drake, FAtweli Il Tha:cae.
should have been to grade floor 8 feet. and
resting On plo}ez foundation; from Gsaie
to stcuIh Eoor . inches from seccuu ia
fonr,h floor u incles aud from fourth tic,
10 feet aboye tue fouf 20 Ut pcrlia.s Il; ;inches
| a:.I cofteu With etolle above. This wall wo,1lJ
| have stood, think, e,e,. a: tbs great c1tya.
! tinr. It constructed With good brick. AMI We;
When lalti IN properly prepared mortar. and
by careful! aud s6ifu1 werkmeu. This add.
t,olal hrlck, m.tt1t, Aid labor @, Iayiu. it. il
the Item III additional expense in co..stiue.
| tlun 10 have rehicred these buildings tolrr.
| aply we'll secutc, With this addition, ih,, ,Le
hte-walls should also extend three iect abuse
the slopes nf tue Mansard roofs, and be ro1,t,
WITH stone. This could ha made ornamental
aaa would break uu long anl n,u,o, VI, IN,
slope on block. II the buildings tla.l b.st
~ constructed. tho fire could pIocaLlv I,.y,
ipftc o
The Mansarl or French roof originated i,
Paris, and there tho fire wall, tkat II. thu wal
e1tendlng above the horizontal aud slope O
the roef, Is never omitted in blocks. am in
formed that TIL. rocf Was invented when :
| tax existed for each door, but none for tl,t
garre. aud thus it became . faahion. B.,iit,
ar i If IL Chicago, Of Noud, and without ,ito
salf.. amt at AL elevation out VI the tcsch ol
our s'ett iile eugincs. it ought to be czimina
! u erect aLY Mure Eucl.
l" mary Of our very hiyl, buildings i, HI.
been tho Practice to :eat the fifth aud aix..
floors for exits or specially hazardous nur
7a'see not i'ein6 adapted for general m.rcau
| tile t.l>illees- This is a ctlletant danger o1
el4rtali,s; coatla: :rations, aud iucles sen !arc
ls tl,' rate OF is'rur sure. not on1r OF the owne
Of tl!a Lnll.lis:e;. but III its lnwcr occupant,
and the Warehouses; and etuckA pf uouIs I'd
j'':ning and in the rcishaorhood.
There are numerous "details Of co.lstr,lctio:
w'th reference 10 safety sgainst tire that
perhaps. your Fcalicfs, oaue1s OF buildings
and me meEehans-, do mot apprc, late from tLs
Tact that their attculton il not firectea |,
them. l Know Of no letter way 10 lar thi
matter hcfors our people than to publish
paper Written ly me thirteen ;ears ago. siyin
standard bailtinS a1l rate ftr the saut
aud showing What should h. tbs additions
charge fct all Ce!cc:4, a. we'll n deduction
for all in ita favor
1t was intended that this papcr or MA
should bo justly discriminating, aud, thong
uow comparatively Old, it has stool tic test q
tlrne saiunE u'.lIN riters. not only in til
c',istTy, Int in Europe. and, thousl, some q
my views hare chart gtd since then, it IL oul
to lecatno moro uatEa and exacting in refeI
cEce TO high buildings With thin walls, WOO,
en- eoEnlcs:. and Ferhan. no fire walls. 4
| tue tlnle this paper was written did not ca,
silcr tic matter Of 3fans&ri roofs at all.
cannot demonstrate the economy Of safe cor
rtsucston htfct than hy giTiny this pape
entire fsnr. ms original Ms, ASKING for it a
iu,1attisf examination from, ali thinkers on th
snbjcct CT which it treats. 1t IL .. follows:
SURVEY,
.tn! S:uMias.f Titri9 Of Eat<s on Stores aud H,,f
hrs>f~. n H''es. >f"nr, or Iron. in 1lo,k, .e,
! -tLfy IN Fh1r, fF(nfy .fff' Eidf, to siMihlr.
CLASS 4.
The rates af1lxe! to the several cllsses of bu;9
ihr> are the premiums when 0cc1rl.-H Ds ohr }e
1 7f ch1turttn1 unSInesa nnfl-haZAFaiut1a, and co
. failing Ut eco.l* laza'GUus, extra hazardous.
\ <:cHd,1tinr Hf..-el.1*s hni1iug Is as follow!
tfaf. rffa -BHrS, -fone. nr Irun.
Ss:.-si itrt high II l"es. ~ feet deep, Or e:
E1Q.-S!lre Ut fzltt1l.
t;nt,tr. and erart.-i,H L. Stone. or metal.
HaH..-lG lrchr. In thlc' n'st. or 1e inch
hiEed: II of .toNt. 81 inches in thickness; VA
IL s1se R1a,re She srf Eet less rhan !. Inches o.
i wrie ~ ''~4 ''''@1 49," - 'o'u
So7E 1.-For lodged walls. scc definition.
! skrs M. ami rel hat. or hlttht~ zas-Ebac.
SrKo.-Iatraways Tor ettyutin- ,ucFcaan.
aye nut considered w+'l-huIes tvte;a lhrr Y
s!ese', IT t!sht, to Prevent ds.ts, aid rroI
g q. o'hfrs. Nhen ike.c p:ccaueiuns asr nos taHt
!. they sho4sn t,c CHARGED a. we'l.'o!es.-lSte u