New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-21

pyramid of Howara ten leagues from Cairo do not
underyalue me BY comparing me Win pyranus VI ou'
For am better than they Jove exceeds the other
deities am made Of bricks from clay brought UP Ho"
the bottom Of the lake adhering to poles
Numerous experiments have been made az 10 inc
nvo,obt spnnortne mower Of building Materials Dut
thore ia M record OF any experiments as 10 the power
OF resisting moisture and the chemical influences oi 'o
atmosphere. with the exception OF granite 70 ~
saw with the stones OF this country Proi. Henry MAUI
some experiments with samples OF marble LOT 'he oAon
sion OF the United States Capitol In Washington pu. Nc
admitted them to no chemical tests me 'aiue Vi MS
anor,non,s wos consequently comparatively small,
Tor tho destructive force most to be Ieareu 10 hoV
that OF rain and frost (reat as that ls)' pu' 'o u
laden air Of great cities, and the ALKALINE '"p''
| creat rivers and the sea- The marpc no
"a fine grained dolomite from quarry NJ Loo' ''
absorbing 1o3 ounces Of water perfcuDic ihcn' anu ~
tanning o. 9l7 pounds to the square lnch' opo0i "
II were submitted to the influence OF freczhg hiAt'
ma many as 20 times, and for "a hours nv 'inio'
caused an exfoliation calculated from tne io "
10 amount to nearly 10000 part OF an iheh fy '.'
ipgs and frcczngs per annum would thereioie
| loss of only inch In 10000 years. pu' W Us
,nus, nc added the considerably more dcteIioiuin5
gots q, cbemica atmospheric influences. With regard
10 granite an eminent Western chemist mas m'ey n0
some interesting experiments with view 10 teS'lIs o
relative durability OF the red ana gray sor'S' idhi"s
carefully selected samples OF each, he inmerscd te
for
five qualities Twelve trials determined the ABSORBENT
or Of the red TO bc l97 of per cent in every leo
,rt nv eght ard that OF the gray 3i6 OF per cent
I'm every 100 parts by wcght-a difference or l4O9 OF
nor cent I'm favor of tho red After three days INNER
sion in water containing free carbonic acid frequently
| renewed the red granite lost GOl3, ana the
| ,ray C4os7 OF ! per cent in 100 parts by weight.
Experlments with q solution OF sulphurous acid showed
loss Of i56 Of per cent in the red, and 1888 In the
gray; and with alkaline solution. 22S of per cent in
the red and 3i9 the gray Tho conclusion Them that
red granite suitable than gray for building pur
poses In large cities and large rivers seems ine'ta
| BILE.
From the facts and statistics quoted above 1t would
seem that granite and brick the building materials
which should be used in this city, takngAnto consdera
ton art cost, and durability.
LEGAL RESTRICTIONS on BUILDERS.
But there is other and most important part OF thls
subject Of building stability Nothing gained by using
superior material, and employing rst-class workrnen,
if buildings are up without proper foundations, or
with insufficient thickness Of walls with inadequate
upports in the way OF Orders and walls; and yet
these common practices among tho builders OF thls
city, The Law processes to eDon men from carrying on
their business in this suicidal fashion, but practically it
does not for the law is in itself defective. and is not
strictly enforced by the authorities. Section OF
IAN act to amend An act to amend and reduce TO one
act the several acts relating to budhEs' ana tc RGe
ing and scIng Of combustble materials IN the Ciy 81
X =
says: an ali buildings other than dweng-housc not
above 80 in hight, and not more than % III wdtn tLe
and the party walls rot less than IL inches thick above
feet and under 80 feet in hight the outside walls shall
less 16 inches tck ii above so feet and under %
echa ~ a TO nG the Su bst o the s tr not S beams and
less than II inches thick from thence TO the top and
the party walls not less than 20 inches thick to The
hight OF Inc story beams and not less than 70
inches from to the oP ana aooye - NOE dff he n
than 10 Inches thick the hight of at east 40 feet and
up the under side Of the next story beams ABOVE ana
not less than u inches tnlck from thee 10 the Top ny
party walls not less than 20 inches thick 10 tc hgn
OF the hrd story beams and not les tnn 10 chg9
from thence to the top In an Duuhgs oser - ce1 M NJ
width, and not having either brick Partition walls
from gf qs1 to Sq r the walls shall he Increased
an additional four inches in thickness, to the
same relative thickness in hight required under TINS
Section for every additional 10 feet In width OF SAID
building any portion thereof; ana IN an DuIdlgs ~
tended used for storage or warehouse purpose, IN
storing or keeping heavy Merchandise or alJi', ,io
walls snail be an additional four lncnes lncher 'nd
trIias flied be used either in piers or Dutrchses
provided the walls between the same shall IN no case be
less than eight inches in thickness to the hight OF ofce
and If over that ht, then II inches thick; and II over
65 feet hight Is inches thick to tine hight OF 20 feet
twill be seen that the word "cross-wall" is not even
mentioned and the absence of crosswails which
caused the terrible disaster in ThirtyGfthst. for some
Of the most eminent men In the city have carefully ex
amined the mortar and brick which was used in the
building and have pronounced it excellent They gene
rally attribute the accident TO the want Of crosswas
This was deposed the inquest by several Witnesses
some Of whom called attention to the fact that The build
ing had been up in space OF time too short to allow
the mortar dry But it is by certain that the
requirements Of the law had been fulfilled. The law
enacs that in all buildings intended used for storage
warehouse purposes in storing or keeping heavy er
chandse or materials, the walls shall be an additional
four inches thicker than above required" 1t is difficult
TO avoid placing Mr. lIales factory in this category and
coming 10 the conclusion that the lower walls should
have been 20 inches thick instead of is.
But what says Mr. Superintendent MacGregor himself
on this subject He lately convened meeting Of the
dtweny Inspectors of Buildings at the Office OF
the Department, and addressed them the subject OF
their duties with special reference TO this very disaster
In Thirty -fh-st He reminded them that during the
past year four buildings had fallen in the city namely
in Fortysixthst. and Second Woods carriage ware
house in Lafayette place, and the factory in 1hirtyfth
and saiO these disasters, upon investigation In each
instance. were in the main attributed 20 negligence
on the part Of the inspector in charge OF the dis
rict IN not making proper reports 10 heauquarters
In regard TO the late calamity the fact that
building Of the nature describcd-nearly 300 feet
| in length and so feet high-was in process OF
erection, was unknown to him. The plans, which In
their details complied with the law had passed his office
at time when he confined to the house with Illness.
and since then report has been made at the office in
in regard to its rapid construction This error
on the part Of the Inspector, for, even If projected
the duty OF the officer to call the attention of the Depart
ment to it, IT, in his judgment, 1t was liable TO be the
Henceforth inspectors would he held to a strict
countabty in the discharge of their duties and in max
ing their reports they 10 he uDinucnced by favor
whether personal political otherwise. As for politi-
cal influence, the office should be free from it, and If
did his duty irrespective of persons he would stand
by him and sustain him. But he wanted each inspector
to well understand that II in future guilty negi
In his district his place would be forfeited in the
department and II subsequently, the man was returned
for political reasons, he himself would resign. II could
not be expected that in all its branches lie should per
sonay snperntend the work and therefore he desired
them To feel the responsibility, and share 1t with him.
The expense TO the city OF this branch OF its Government
heavy but unless carried In its design render
ing buildings safer, and thus guaranteeing Increased
curty to human life, ii of practical benefit, and
had better he abandoned.