Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-26
From tAs Scientific American, May 81, 1873.
Flreuroof SAFES.

ifcprOui Sales.
The disastrous coula-rat ms % Ca.ca-o and Bos-
ton have made e evident that the only method o.:
cusur'n- t.e Iscserra o.: ya.uahle- when build
n-s burn. 90 prevent the l. o. the safes into the
cellars below. where the l-a generally RACES long
est and most Gcscely. Ta.s Is done by supporting
the safes upon masonry. or ry embedding them IN
tile stron walls ,. the building.
10 must be admitted that tie ordinary movable
safes are unreliable ia great fires. Heat any safe
hot enough Iua -a;a-u te heat long enough and rs
contents aye sure O. burn. Nevertheless, the nov
able safe IS most useful thing. ani Us employment
las become p uccess ty n almos, every branch o..
business. People must have ;hom. and question,
lutcrc-tn- 90 thousands is, which is the hest safe
theoretically considered that is the best safe
which con;l ns the most water In g filling; for the
moro water present she more steam we have in
case ol fire. and nothing burns within the safe while
tlc filing gives on steam 90 -i29 T.
Theoretically then. tie best filling for any safe Is
pure water. Bu. .u practice il Is found very Diff
cult to make wlto7dl-ed safe proo. against leak
aye, which IS likely 90 De octasioned 10y rust, .reez-
ing, or the tromend1u. shock Of al from m upper
story 90 the cellar at tie critical momen: durin,
FIRE.
Tho best Titcr SAFE .n the market today is one in
which but very little o.. that liquid is used, the
principal portion ot the space reserved for filing
being packed W Oh cement.
Next in theoretical value 20 pure water as G.i-
ing, arc s.l.iiied fIlin-s,whch hold an abundance
OF water, to be given or IN the form OF yapor when
the safe Is subjected &, fire.
Probably the best s.lins OF this kind is composed
f.-
This filling holds larger quantity Of water than
almost any other. BUTT is alleged to emit bad
odor, and TO produce a dampncss within the SAT,
quite injurious to the contents. Safes with this ell
ing we believe are not now made.
Plaster or Paris and water were formerly used
quite extensively for safe Gllinss But such safes
though excellent when new. are subject To the Oh
lection Of dampucss, badly mildewing and dana =
in books and papers. This filling, Ike other we
cement Filings, soon loses large portion Of IL
water by evaporation It's filling shrinks and th'
safe is rendered icss secure than dry filed safe.
The avoritc safe Filings at present employed ar,
Alum and dry Plaster Of Paris and Cement nike,
with Glauber Salt common salt, or other chemicals
containing water Safes thus filed are always dry
and if well made To begin with. are not likely t.
deter 10y are in respect to ire-rcsistns quail
ties. 10 thousands occascs Of fire they have prove,
reliable wherever placed in building, and may OF
| dinarily De dcpended upon To preserve their con
] tents.
! Since the Boston fire. We have given some aiten
ton TO the real merits 90 various safes, with view
of supplying our own Office with the best article il
| the market, and have accordingly made selection
of dry filed Alum and Plaster safe, manufacture,
| by MARVIN a Co, 26l Broadway n. Y.
\. II. Keith Special Agent FOR New England AM
! Northern New lcrk.