The New York herald., 1872-11-14
MANSARD ROOFS.
The Danger to Which Now York II Exposed by
Their Faulty Constr ucticn-where tho De-
fscts Lie and tho Remedy-The Mansard
the Main Cause Of the ConAagration In
Boston-The System Must Be
Either Modified or Abolished.

L
than year has visited two OF the most nourishing
cities OF the American Continent and the terrific
/ rapidity with which they were destroyed by the
dread element Of fire naturally calls attention to
| the causes which contributed to bring about two
| such sweeping disasters. 1t would be impossible
| to imagine that they could occur II everything in
| the construction and government OF the cities was
| right, and the question comes significantly
| home to us:-Is our own city liable to be
| 0vertaken with calamity similar to those
| which have overtaken Boston and Chicago, and
| II so what steps can be taken to prevent 1t. The
difference In the construction OF the three cities is
| not great enough to warrant the conclusion that
| New York Is sale from sudden danger, and in some
respects 1t Is moro exposed to 1t than either or Its
sister cities. That the Two greatest cOnnagrat0ns
| which the world has witnessed In 800 years should
have occurred IN this country within so short in
| tervals from each other Is q startling TACT, and
| from present appearances we may expect
! one or two similar vlsitatons in orery de-
| cade When the spectacle OF p0werless fire
departments and devastating tornadoes OF flame
| Is witnessed around us in such rapid succession
New York may well trcmble for its safety, and
should devise means to render utterly impossible
| any blow to its onward march in trade, commerce
and civilization. An extended conhagraton in
New York would be the decisive overthrow Of
AMERICAN INDUSTRY,
for our city Is the Empire City Of the Union, and
the downfall of its interests would be the common
Among M the causes Which nave contributed to the
fires in Boston and Chicago, the one most fire.
| quentiy heard Of and cmphattcally dwelt upon by
experienced builders Is the rapid growth in the
two cities within the past Ave years OF buildings with
ever 5sant|iul , saSa Sudings n may Be in
they he''' are 7 to ISs convenience, room and COM,
tort, they contain grave detects which can only be
oy G 0 m " s e %
Almost every edidce that Is now being erected is
not considered sale without the addition OF one OF
tories asylums, hospitals and other edices devoted
to public purposes. on most Of these the Mansards
in conformity with spirit OF false economy and
an CstentatiOus desire for display,
ARE CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF WOOD,
with thin covering OF slate on the outside, fast
ened TO wood, leaving the upper portion OF the
building, in case OF sudden cOnlagrati0n, en-
tirely unprotected.
Alter the Chicago fire a select committee was
appointed by tile Board of Underwriters to exam.
inc INTO the whole system Of French or Mansard
cation an idea can be had Of the estimation in
which such roofs are held by insurance men, The
Sssan srn Is n
throw demanded as the only safeguard against
fire in all great Taas
Of French origin; but the style Ia which
they are constructed here differs entirely from that
Of Paris. In Paris 1t Is In all cases required that
the walls should extend above the horizontal and
also the slope of the roof and they never under
Wood is not permitted to be used except in the
main planking, and everything that would have q
tendency to attract or feed fire Is
, CAREFULLY GUARDED AGAINST.
1t has been stated by some that such coping
tends to destroy the architectural beauty OF the
National Park Bank, the Equitable ,,,,L Life AS AS
others. which are perfect models Of strength,
, symmetry and beauty. The roofs Of all these
iron. No woodwork is used, and even the plaster
ing is upon iron lathing. The same can be said o.
which H I adorn broadway, which, However pleasing
In their exterior and graceful in their appearance
are utterly unable to offer any opposition to 9
strong fire when 1t comes upon them. 1t Is an alb
surdty at the outset to 1rst erect buildings Of
great height.six or seven stories-make the lower
part frepr0Of and then put tinderbox on the TOP
to ridicule what has been done for safety under.
meath. Among the many serious defects OF the
which confronts the remen in their efforts to ex-
tingush flames when they break out in the roofs
OF these buildings In Boston, from their immense
height, 1t was found to be utterly impossible to
bring stream OF water to play upon them, and
sanity down upon the heads OF the men at work
forced them to withdraw to such o distance from
the buildings that their efforts were entirely neu.
THE FIRE IN BOSTON
originated in a building with o Mansard roof was
reached m a district in which there were nc
Mansard roofs to burn. The number OF these
|
have found favor In almost every city OF the Union
IN New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Cincinnati,
Cleveland Newark, Hartford, Chicago and other
In none OF those cities can the roofs be called
safe, and they OFFER no protection against fire. and
In Franklin and DevOnshire streets, In Boston, they
extended whole blocks without any visible break.
In White street, in this city, much valuable prop
writers have several times called attention to the
insecurity Of the buildings IN certain parts Of the
streets
The report of the committee mentioned before
winds up by saying that the only safety OF the city
law relating to this important part OF buildings
1t states that 1t has been sufficiently demonstrated
that there is no necessity why those handsome
THE CITY ARCHITECTURE
should be lost 4 certain conditions are observed,
and the committee end their report with the fol.
lowing suggestiOns:-
wnss rs s On
the coping the face Of the roof s not than
backing @ or sss
Il Sss 81
@ s1ns din altered % M to O r. unds
top, as well as on the face at every nifty feet
Mr.. McGregor, the superintendent OF the Public
Building Department, furnished some interesting
particulars in relation to reproof buildings, re
the opinion OF Captain Damrell, the Chief Engineer
Of the Fire Department len in Boston that rat Mansart Ian arr
rOOS contributed 10 tue spread Ol tne nre OUT tut
great danger In his opinion lies In the party-wals
which are not constructed OF sum ,ient strength
to withstand the flames. The following extrac
in reference to the roof is taken from his pu Jishet
report OF 1907
In this connection deem II necessary 70 refer NOR,
particularly to the OF constructing Mansard
French roofs style OF roof with which number OF on
largest and most lofty hotels, banks and other public
buildings which have been erected within the past
years, surmouncd Many of these structures tQwe
beyond the reach of ordinary stream OF vale
forced by powerful steam re engines and they ben,
framed wholly OF wool, with slight covering OF
tin or sheet iron, would become an easy prey to ths
smes In case Qf pre l on building Should thi
used In future buildings above the ordinary height tn
made Hreproof materials, as well as the cornices an
coverings thereof