Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-11-16
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What BHi!din.s are fire Proof.


The WASHINGTON oorrt spondeut Of
the Cincinnati Commercial has "iuter
viewed Mr.. Muiiet the GosvrRaent
architect. on ,hr subject Of tire-p'oot
buildings, aud here are bis opinions
sIr Mu!et says there are yer, few
iire.proot buildings in the United
States. He ought 10 Know, to' he
has had nj the government buildings
in the country OH his hands Tor severa!
years, ana has bntt the best OF them,
ANA it is probable he has devoted as
much time, study and Investigation to
tie saajeet as any architect to Du
found.
"Why my friend" sail he. "don'b
you Know that granite, when subject
ed TO a strong heat, crumbies like dry
plaster? Il is the best build nc stone
III tie world it will resist time, and
heat, ana damp and rain, and every
thing else, bat it won't resist fire.
MAJ bic is not much better, but it Is
some marble viii not burn up as
| soon as granite. Sandstone Is about
| the sam \, with some few exceptional
varieties.
Now, a good many blessed ilio,s
! think tliat II a vault Is butt OF granite
it is fire and ourslar proot Nothing
If the sort. Ii ( wanted To make Il
secure vault. shouldn't make 1t OF
grant. \ sk,ilul burglar can get in
TO granite vault in no time.
How
WAY, with blow plpc. With a
large h.ow pipe, aud small, sharp
blaze wgii sand ell, burglar GAN
ak a block oil granite to pieces be-
tore youl know il. When subject
| cd to "A severe heat it cracks and
splits elf in flakes, and you can crusi,
Il INTO sand with your fingers. Oh,
10. i granite buiidin. IS not fire
proof
NV ell, what sort of building Is
| tire-proot =
a granite building" he answered,
sit t apparanty noticing the ques-
! ION, "wi.l stand heat i great while;
50 viii marble great while. But
wooden cupoIa, or steepie, or tower,
must not be Put on top OF II, like that
on the Chicago Court Hense.
Granite isn't fire proof he continued,
but, as said before, it will stand =
good deal. II is probable that the
| Court House would have stood hai
/, not been tor the wooden cunola and
the open windows The ift5uns Of
hce would probably have stood if 1t
had had iron shutters outside aud IN
side on all the windows. Yet it IS
hv no means certain, il the fire ragei
| with the inteslty that Is described.
''W hat, then, is 10 be done,h /
asked, IF granite and marble and
sandstone are NOT fire proof? Is not
the Capitol, the Treasury, the Patent
Office. the Postofiice Department
are not these fire proof y
Why, bless your soul, no No:
one of ,hem. But they are probably
safe, for all thai, beeaase they s,an,t
away from other bullf!ings-all ex.
crp. the Postoffice Ii we should
I have such i fire IN Washington "A
that in Cncago l should tear tor the
Pos,otiiee building. Why, my dear
sir he continued III 4 mofe snappisa
tone than ever, "do You know there
is but one fire proof Government
building in the country. That's the
Appraisers Stores, in Philadelphia.
Is il possible Aud that is the
only one
."It's the only one | know of.
"W hats the eiiii =
"Why.n he answered, Its brick.
Brick IS the only absolutely fire.
Ernot building material know OF.
They say the Seneca stone is fro.
proof. and it has stood some won
,ierful tests, but none OF the Govern.
ment buildings have been built OF it.
OF course, granite and marble are
good enough, if buildings are apar.
from others. That's the trouble.
Government buildings ought 10 havo
| bio grounds around them. Thea
there would be no danger. Bat |
have great faith in iron shutters"