, 1872-11-16

enlarged, or improved. Baron Haussmann, who
did more for the architectural beauty and the
protection against fire which Paris enjoys than
all others hare done, did not iBsue his edict
against it. In point OF fact, the Mansard roof
is almost universal in the city that is called the
capital of the world, which resisted the bom- |
barlment Of the Krupp guns and the ire-brands |
Of the Communists. Its province is not simply !
for ornament; it serves 8 glorious use in great
and crowded community. It has furnished
cheap apartments, with cheerful light and |
air for thousands Of poor
people that would have otherwise dragged out a
wretched existence in dreary garrets or dark aud
noisome cellara. In view Of these circumstances,
it is not just nor wise that the Mansard roof
should be visited with popular anathema, with
out first inquiring whether the vicious qualities
that are charged upon it necessarily belong to it,
It will scarcely be forgotten that. Immediately
after the Chicago fire, there WAS succession OF
"causes," each one Of which, in turn, vas made
to bear the blame. First, ours was
city Of frame shanties, until it waa dis
coye1ed that We had buildings Of brick,
and stone, and iron. Then it WAS
mysterious condition Of the atmosphere gen
Grating q sort Of spontaneous combustion. Al
terwarda, the tar-and-gravel roof was the all
pervading medium Of our disaster, and then the
tar-and- gravel pavement. Nobody thought OF
laying the responsibility upon the Mansard roofs,
simply because they we're not numerous in Chi
cago. The Boston fire did not start IN Mansard.
It started in a cellar, and, mora likely, from an
oyer-heated boiler, placed altogether too near
woodwork. It found quick passage through
IN elevator, and caught in g. Manaard; but 1t
would have caught just the same IN any other
roof that was not fre-proof. II this roof was 80
high that it could not be reached by water,
it was not the fault Of the Mansard"
There Was succession Of high buildings in the
burned district Of Boston there we're narrow
streets and crooked alleys that wero soon block
| aded with falling material, and rendered I'M
penetrable by blazing heat; it WAS thirty-sl1
minutes before the steam engines reached the
6C6A9 u tAA0 GOAAAo6AtssANAA' -A~9~~
be taken into account in canvassing the causes
of the disaster.
While protesting against the thoughtless and
! intolerant abuse Of the Mansard in connection
with the Boston fire, there is no reason to deny
! that it has serious faults Of construction. It
does not seem necessary, in order to attain the
beauty Of the exterior and the conyeniences Of
the interior of the Mansard roof that it should be
built exclusively OF wood, IS is generally the case
It need not, as is invariably the case in Chicago,
| other story Of house, uor as much as most
| other kinds OF roofing. It can be built Of Light
| iron rafters, forming framework upon which
to adjust the slate tiles which give it the varie-
gated color. It might be built OF brick at the
sides. and the appearance Of lightness secured
! BY the exterior decoration OF slate; the roofing
| proper, in this case, could be rendered as near
| 6re-proof as the covering Of either the fiat or
the "hip' roofs. The improvement in the
composition OF the French roof is needed az
much as the improvement in our buildings
throughout But, when this improvement is
made, neither the Chicago fire nor the Boston fire
teaches the need Of prohibiting the Man
sard altogether. In the way OF fighting
fire with axes, the only way in
which it can be fought successfully at height
Of six, seven, and eight stories, where the wate1
cannot be forced the Mansard roof has its ad.
1antages. It can be reached more easily from
Outside, and, once reached, it can be demo1ish'
ed and thrown into the street more quickly thar
any other root. In word, the Mansard roof il
too much Of an ornament, adaptable to all kinds
of houses, and too serviceable in all crowded
Cities to abandon, SO long as It ia possible tt
make it as ef6cacioua in resisting fire as any
other house-covering in use. The architects Of
Philadelphia have recently said as much, whilt
recommending improvements in its construction
It is believed that the great majority Of archi
teots everywhere favor it's use, as the architect
Of Chicago certainly do. Nor do they doubt tha
the Mansard can be made as incombustible a
any other style Of roofing. The reason for it
not being so generally is, that the oWners ar
not willing to incur the necessary expense. I,
Paris, iron is used very generally in the con
Btruction Of the Mansard roofs and, where tn
frame is outlined with wood, the slate is solid
sawed in blocks, instead Of being put on in THU
tiles. The Herald Building, in New York, has
Mansard roof that is regarded as ire-proof.
building law, OF an edict OF the underwriters t
this effect would be more to the purpose tha
IN effort to discard the Mansard roof altogether
The LIQUOR LAW IN ENGLAND.
The act for regulating the sale Of intodcatin
iquor8, recently passed after very long an
labored discussion in Parliament, is remarkab]
as being the first Legislative result of the ten
perance agitation in England. It is very tenn