New-York tribune., 1873-03-15
FIRE-PROOF BUILDING.
SOmE lhi ONiA AM EANAo'
D the EdttOr Of The tribune

SIR: Under this caption, in your issue of
the 1st inst a correspondent signing himself "C. c."
discourses in very intelligent and instructive manner
Of the which produce most OF the destructive fires
in the cities and larger towns OF the United States
What he said relation to furnaces and the of an
thracie coal for generating heat fell exactly III the line
of my experience, though have important facts
he did not bring out
1. Having observed that the chimney entered by the
smoke pipe from the furnace in my dwellinghouse was
probably growing hotter from year TO year. In CORE
spending states of temperature outdoors and in, 1
watched carefully until became convinced that the
bricks were absolutely dsntegratng the inner sur
face Two years ago 1 took the chimney down, and as
ceTaned that in large spaces the bricks remaining were
not an inch in thickness. The gas OF the coal had
cumbled the bricks and mortar all along the Hue as 1t
had al the top though TO greater degree The chimney
was in an exceedingly dangerous condition. II had
allowed 1t to stand and continue in use, the dwelling
would doubtless have been consumed by hre before the
. Last Fall having fears of chimney in another
worse condition than the one mentioned above. Ihere
holes through It's walls ana consldeTaDe spaces
where not an inch in Thickness of brick remained intact
The mechanic who put up tins chimney took It down.
and expressed himself greatly surprised at the con
dltion II was in This chimney was entered by pipes
from two stoves of ordinary capacity.
8. During theFourrent season have examined super
dcally a number of chimneys that have been in
use for series of years. and have doubt whatever
that the inner surfaces OF all are more or less cruoed
Speaking ON this subject recently to a neigh6or, she
remarked that she Glanced, the day before, to lean
,ainst "a chimney in chamber, and found IL so hot as
cause her TO remove instantly The heat came from
a stove in the stungroom below. She added that,
Years ago the chimney did not get so hot.
Let add that where several rooms are 10 be heated
or one large room, store or public nall IL Is nuch
safer to small furnaces tnan one large one hay
Ing the smokepipes enter different hues ii the boaIu
of Underwriters will examine into the point have
raised they will discover abundant cause both for
Thought and action. ,. b. +.
HoHesdale Penn, March 5, 1873
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The considerable ravages caused by fire
in America should wake up the attention Of municipal
authorities and make them understand the necessity of
compelling the general Of incOmbustble materials
in the construction of new buildings. II would be OF
frsclass utility render all buildings safer by the use
of the same materials aud 10 suppress entirely wooden
floors by replacing them by iron and plaster floors.
Proprietors tenants, and builders would find real ad-
yantages that innovation In this country iron, plas-
ter and bricks exist in large quantities and at prices
reasonable enough to be used adgantageously. Hollow
brick making would render great services by its use for
walls inside partitions, aud doors. Hollow brck pre-
vents danpuess and sOnorOusuess and produces light
ness resistance economy, and security. Thus IN New
York house OF the size Of 25 feet by g. there are
used about cubic yards of beams Of very combus-
tble pine. III that enormous volume OF dangerous lpa-
teFias put aside and replaced by IRON ana plaster
beams result would be obtained, Tor there WOulu
be let only SIX cubic yards OF interior woodwork which
floor or cause the falling OF the hinnest party walls
Such buildings cost hut little more than wOoien-nOor
houses a few good inspectors would be able 10 super
intend the right mode OF building and tue use OF proper
materials.
Tie CITY of Paris for the last 25 years has generally
used iron floors beng more advantageous Inc iron
beams 20 y feet span are SIX inches gh ana WeSh
SO pounds by linear yard These beams are placed at
two inches apart, and Overld transVersey Dy
cross pieces OF square iron OF SIX INES Tour leet
auart. On the pieces, and Ongtulnaly with the
beams are placed, loose state three courses Of tes
OF square four lines Tor each bay. This system OF
floors il seven inches thinner than wooden l0Ors.
Wooden floors would burn ten times more slowly u thc
builders were To add in the bays O the beams To the
thickness Of the ceiling by kind OF trough dnDeU hed
with plaster two inches thick, ana theh above thdt
hight with an empty space OF few inches 10 add another
course clay three inches thick, called an area dT
IL is extremely important 10 LOOK after the chimney
fncs for which II Is best 20 use earhcnware Genuine
French roofs in irOn plaster, ana slate almost fire.
proof. have rapidly sketched TINS question Ol cheap
re proof houses and have not puroOsey entered into
minor details. one cannot stand stl hef0rc 80 many
disasters which could be so easily prevented
Ncw-IOrk, March II, 1873 j.. GUILLALhE