The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-02-03
Fire.PrOOf Buildings-Views of the Scnlp.
tor, MIR. Hiram Powers.

The Providence Journal publishes a let
ter from Mr.. Hiram Powers to citizen of
Rhode Island. in which, after abiding to
the burning of Chicago, he says:
But it may be asked "Is it possible to
make city fire-proof?" l answer, yes,
and without any great extra expense. To
prove this, have only to say that, although
there have been frequent fires in the city of
Florence during the thirly-four years of
my residence in it, not one house has been
consumed, except a theatre, and that was
not entirely destroyed. Rooms, full of
nited calicoes, straw hats, etc., but as the
floors above and below were all covered by
thin brick tiles the goods burned without
ventilation. and as there was no flame, a
smell like that of coal pit soon gave the
alarm, and the fire was soon extinguished
by no other engine than squirt holding a
gallon, which discharged Il well directed
stream through a small aperture. l once
beheld some firemen marching to fire in
Florence. Foremost were three men with
picks, next four men with buckets, three
men with highly polished brass squirts on
their shoulders; all marching with an air
of pomp or Importance. The fire was at
the residence of Mr.. Clevenger, the Amer
lean sculptor, and had been burning TWEEN
ty-four hours on the end of 4 .joist under
his fire place. He had smelU something
like coal pit for some time, and at length
perceived smoke rising from the brick floor.
On going below he found the room full of
smoke, and rush bottomed chair just
under the joist partially consumed. But
the joist was not yet burned of, and why?
Because the fire was bricked down. 1t
could not rise and burst into flames.
The secret of re-proof building then is
this: 1t must be made impossible for the
flames to pass through the floors or up the
stair way. If you will have wood floors
and stairs, lay flooring of the thinnest
sheet iron over the joists, and your wood
upon that; and sheath the stairs with the
same material. \ floor will not burn with
out supply of air under it. Throw dry
board upon perfectly flat pavement and
kindle it as it lies, if you can. You may
make fire upon it and in time consume it
but it will require a long time. Prevent
drafts, and though there will still be fires
no house will be consumed. The combus-
ton will 60 on so slowly that discovery is
certain in time to prevent any great ca
lamity.
But the roofs, how about them? Slate
that hard burned tiles, if fiat, would stand
the frost at home; and if so, they consti-
tute the best roofing. My house has no
ioists. All the floors are of tiles resting
on arches. One of these arches was made
over room twenty-five feet square, by
four men ill four days. The bricks are
about one and a half inches thick, and laid
edgewise with plaster of paris. There was
no framework prepared to lay them on,
unless you would SO term four bits of wood
which a man could carry under his arm.
And yet this arch is SO strong as to be safe
with a large dancing party on it. never
and they are absolutely fire proof. OF
course light arches like these would not do
for warehouses.
1t would pay, l think, to send out here
for an Italian brick mason who knows how
to build those thin but strong arches for
dwelling houses. I know that there is a
prejudice at home against brick or compo-
sition floors. "Too cold in winter" it is
said. And so they are if bare, but cover
them with several thicknesses of paper and
then carpet them, and no one can distin-
guish the slightest difference between
their temperature and that of wood floors.
Who doubts this, let him try the expert
ment with the feet of the thermometer
The truth is that the brick or composition
floor is no colder in itself than wood-thc
attests this-but it is a better
conductor do not insure my house, as
know that If is not cOmbuStible.