The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-18
ManSard. His RoOf.

Deen ATTRIBUTED to the wrath OF God; now
it is attributed to the folly of man in build
ing Mansard roofs. Even the. clergy sniff a
the enfeebling and paralyzing idea OF direc
providential interference in the burning o
badly constructed cities. Beecher himsel
said that the old-fashioned idea of ga provi
dence" in such things was nonsense, befor
the fire was fairly put out, and of cours
Beecher knows. When Chicago was burned
some of the more severe
"Or;hodox, orthodox
Who believe in John Knox,
were inclined to think that the proverbia
and almost boosted wickedness of that city
might account for lis sudden overthrow.
But Boston is proverbially good, and some
other explanation must be sought for its par
tial destruction. The Mansard roof was at
first thought to be most admirable scape-
goat, but now suspicion begins to dawn on
some minds that undue Importance has been
attached to this particular form of roof as
means of giving wide sweep to confagra-
tions. Indeed the effort to find specific causes
for evils is almost always quite as futile and
unphilosophical as that to find specific cures
persons in authority, too, in the matter of
fres-who have had the hardihood to say
word in favor of the Mansard roof and to
declare that the objections to them are only
such as attach to all wooden roofs. They
affirm that when properly constructed of fire.
proof material this beautiful architectural
covering for buildings is as safe as the ugest
a. /. IL.
favorite roof of the period, however. is hard
ly more than second cousin to that invent
ed by the old French architect, sMansard
The name is as unjust to some unknown
genius as the name of America is to Column
bus, unless indeed the so-called Mansard roof
has been gradual growth, or, in Darwinian
phrase, the product of innumerable dfferen-
tiations of the original Mansard type, useful
variations being indefinitely accumulated by
the survival of the fittest in the struggle for
existence. But all pleasantly aside, what is
it that the world has learned from the Port
land. Chicago and Boston fires in regard to
the requisites of fire-proof city? A sum
greater than the valuation of the entire prop
erty of this State, real and personal, has been
paid for whatever information has been gain
ed on this important subject Before the
matter becomes quite stale, it may be useful |
briefly to summarize part of the more i'm
portant suggestions that have been made as
the result of congratulations from the circum-
stances of the three great fires of the century.
In order to render cities secure from the fate |
of Chicago the following rules must be OBJ
served in their construction:
The streets must not be narrow
Neither the Mansard roof nor any other
roof must be built of infammabe material.
especially on a high building.
The partition walls must be fourteen or
sixteen inches thick.
In each story something must be inserted
between the walls to stop the draft that Or
dinary sweeps from basement to roof.
The interior works such as flooring and
staircases, must be of fre-proof material.
Iron shutters are indispensable.
Elevators, in buildings where they exist,
must have their trap-doors closed mechan-
ically, if there is no other way to avoid the
carelessness which so often leaves them open
and offers the flames free passage from the
cellar to the roof This fault was precisely
the one that gave the Boston fire its first
grand start.
OF course these precautions in building
must be supplemented by provisions for plen-
ty of water and for an efficient fire depart
ment. 1t is believed that the observance of
even these rules would make it impossible for
fires to spread in the uncomfortable manner
that has thrice within seven years astonished
and Mortified the world.