, 1873-01-24
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.

Discussions at a Meeting OF the n1n&sn'
| cfluscttk Institute OF Technology
An 1ncomb1.gt3ble Mnusard Roof
| EeichnrGss Fire-Escupe nEld Hose
| Observation-Disclosures F1ooring--'
Facnon1cr1.a of the Boston Fire.
| 10 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
SIN: The groat fire in Boston has thoroughly
aroused tho citizons Of that city to sense o1
| providing means Of security against recur
renco OF d disaster similar to that which bofe
them in October last; and the minds ofscientif
men have been much employed Of late to devils,
such means az appear most practicable ant
efficient.
At a meeting Of tho Massachusetts Institute
Of Technology, it being the 15oIh meet
ing, and held in Boston jan. o,-H- Wili
Fuller in tho Chair,-tho subject o!
frea was thoroughly discussed, the discussion
embracing many OF the principal points to b.
observed in the construction of buildings
Mansard roofs included. With reference to thei1
fire-proof qualities, and resistance against {
spreading con1agration, providing why's ane
means Of escape from burning building, to-
gethor with the bcst way to get water to the topt
Of high buildings.
| AZ many OF the suggestions offered appear tt
be Of clearly practical character, copy from
the report Of tho proceedings Of the meeting re.
ferred to few OF the prominent features thai
wero presented, as they may possibly furnish
some ideas that may be adyantageousIy adopted
iu The rebuilding Of our own city:
For the purpose OF preventing the spread o1
fire from building to building, tho root should
be OF incombustiblo matorial.
We build solid granite or iron and brick
fronts and walls wo uso iron loor-beams with
Fr+ r$r r43ara
most readily e1tiuguish fire; but wo suzmount
the whole, too high to DO reacEed By water from
tho most powerful engine, with wood roof,
usually Mansard. and perhaps two stories high.
Would it be possible to Law bottor train for car
rving fire from one end OF tho block to the 9TH
er. or more difficult to reach in case Of fire
a plan Of Q Mnnaard roof was hero submitted
by Mr. E.. Il. Hewins, which is simply an iron
frame,-tho trussos, purlines, etc, being adapted
to the size and position OF the building, whether
ut tho end or in the middle OF tho block. The
frame ia covered with corrugated iron :; the
cutters, cornicos, md windows nre entirely Of
iron and glass, and Of any ornamental pattern
that may be desired. Inside the iron frame, It
put the plaster making room Of the ontiro size
OF the building, il desired, or with partitions
Of brick or iron. We thus have roof entirely
of non-combustib1o material and at but slightly,
if any, increased cost. It has tho same architec-
There is DESTROYED weary some 9200, ,0D0, 900 by
fire. md someThat lass than laE this Is rcp-
resented BY insurance lossoB but this amount is
absolutely lost, and is equivalent to so much
labor spent in vain. Even though the country
excuse for the negligence which gives the op-
portunity for such destruction.
The very expensive fre-proof construction Of
Paris is the result Of Inv which compe1s per-
son to pay all tho damages resulting from fire
destructive fires there arc unknown; even viii,
the helm of petroleum. Paris could not bo burned.
This might not be policy or Justice here: but it
is equally unjust to allow q peraon to erect
sentins ] the eaSuings m of lifetime: i aad. # q
1--WE reasonable % security IT, At II moderate cost its
adoption is the least that should be required by
law.
Mr. Richards, Of Chicago exhibited model Of
the hre-escapo, or wire ladder, invented by him.
self Tho sides are made of wire-ropo, is
strands, Of very great strength, and the steps Of
lat bar-iron. On tho roof Of the building to
which it is applied is c shaft carrying drum,
around which the ladder is wound !; suitable
ity OF its descent and to arrest It at any heights
the machinery which controls 1t is set in motion
from an ordinary fre-nlarm box, which may be-
opened by tho key Of such boxes, and bo rem
scend By it's own weight, IS feet In one and one
half minutes. The drum is only Is inches
in diameter, and when the ladder is
wound up is less than foet IN diameter the
ladder will sustain weight ct o,ooo pounds. It
may be made to descend IN II seconds. 70 pre-
bottom, set into the sidewalk close to the build
ings. a rope, with pulley, ls connected with
tho ladder, by which hose may be drawn up to
any story the fireman desires, is a 1ew seconds.
Dir. N. II. Lowe made communication On
some phenomena exhibited by the late fire. At
the time f1ln1e HaH light northwest wind. blow