The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-12-28
Firepr0of Materials.

Mr.. IL. j. Ramsdell, III Washington
letter to the Cincinnati Commercial, Civ
ing an account of an interview with Mr..
Mullett the supervising architect of the
Treasury Department, elicits some inter-
esting opinions as to the lessons from
Chicago, especially the following, relat-
ing to fire. proof materials:
"Iron," said Mr.. Mullett, al mean
cast iron, absurd as the statement may
appear, will not resist as much heat as
good sound oak timber of the same di-
mensions. Fire expands the iron and
warps it, and it breaks very easily. In
deed, if oak timber should be treated by
any of the processes. of liquid silicate, it
may be considered almost freproof ma
terial compared with cast iron. AS for
stones suitable for building purposes, as
told you before, there are few that are
fireproof, though some approximate the
necessary conditions, and, except in Sc
we're confagrations, may be generally de-
pended upon. Granite, marble, and
sandstone are not to be trusted, as they
soon perish by exposure to the heat, as
has been shown thousand times. But
l am strongly in favor of liquid silicate
as preparation for wood to be used for
building purposes. My attention was
directed to this material some years
since, but have not had an opportunity
to investigate the subject fully. 1 be-
lieve, however, that it merits more atten-
ton than any other suggestion that has
been made public, and may yet prove
one of the most practical solutions of the
question of non. combustible construc-
ture that has yet been offered. Whether
this or some other process for making
wood non-combustible is the more de-
sirable, am not prepared to say. am,
however, decidedly cf the opinion that
any process by which wood can be rem
dered non-intlammable at reasonable
cost would not only be an inestimable
blessing to the public, but its use should
be rendered imperative by law"
"Well, Mr.. Mullett, do you still think
that brick is the only freproof material?"
81 looked into th at subject at Chicago
with much interest. Now, it is very
hard to make an absolutely freproof
building; but I believe that building,
properly constructed of bricks that are
well made, and of iron OR non-combusti-
BILE timber, protected by fireprcof shut
ters and door, will resist the fercest con-
fagration. Remember, say freproof
doors and shutters, not iron. To make
an absolutely fireproof structure, how
ever, we'll burned and homogeneous
brick must be used The walls must be
of sufficient thickness, and should be
built with an air space to prevent the
transmission of heat. The joists should
in no case be carried into the walls, but
should be supported on corbel courses of
brick, and connected with the walls
only by wrought iron anchors. The
windows and doors to be protected, as 1
have said, with fireproot shutters, and
the roof to be of slate or metal. The use
of roofs composed of coal tar, or other
similar substances, should be prohibited
by law in cities. Ordinary iron shutters
are scarcely more fireproof than those of
wood. They heat rapidly, warp from
their fastenings, and admit the fire to
the interior, and are in fact means of
facilitating the conhagration by OBJ
structing the efforts of the fire depart
ment. l see no reason, however, why
fireproof shutters should not be produced
at price that would place them within
the reach of all"
udI uo you lHlilh VI uTy pressed
bricks 7" al never had much expert
ence with them, and 1 don't believe in
them. They are certainly not so good
as the ordinary kind. A very little ex-
perience with brick will show that the
more thoroughly the clay is tempered
the better the bricks are. One great
trouble in obtaing good brick is in the
indisposition of brick makers t. temper
their clay enough"
What do you think of terra Gotta p
Terra Gotta is a material to which dc
not think sufficient attention has been
given in this country, though in Europe
many beautiful and durable specimens
have been produced. 1 feel confident
that it will be found, if properly made,
one of the most desirable articles for the
use of an architect in the erection OF
fireproof buildings. 1t should be used
in legitimate manner, and not as an
imitation of cut stone."