, 1873-01-08
ElRE.pHnnE NITrEH

TRIBUNE llaH inGtgtel upon OF i1n1ly dfToront oc-
casionu, yiz that tho 1neana for preventing fire
nro more important tllan tho appliances for cx-
tinguIahng it; that such conflegrationa ns vIatoa
boston, Portland, and Chicago can only ho pro-
yonted by n general system Of roaaonably fire.
proof buildings; and TINT auch systcln can
only bo secured BY law mud by nh adequate pro-
coHs Of inspection committed to competent
Annda. Mr.. Gilman tolg Of Tho experience Of II
friond who waB exceedingly amuuod at Heoing n
rlight alarm Of fro call cut tho ontiro Firo
Department Of Florence, Which consisted Of
four mon, each with q railful Of water md car-
rying hugo uyringo undor hin arm. This was
cornnl7 ludcrouB rs compared to tlo stoam
f!ro-onginev, tho hools-and-laddor companies,
nnd tho varied md impressive pagapherna1ia of
our AmorIcan fro departments but, added to
tho testimony Of air. Powers, to tho effoct that
ho has not aeon ono fire Of consequence during
hip thirty ycars' residence in Floronco, it be-
comen I'll evidence that European cities uro built
iu snch way that thoy do mob require our OK
pcnsive preparations Tor putting out fires.
Wo ha:o already Ind 1csBons enough to cor
yinco reasonable men that tho American citteB
should initiate tho European syutem Of COLI
structon. Mr.. Gilman tolls lib TINT ths is not
60 impraeticablo nor costly aa 10 generally sup-
poao1, md III proof Of it gives Eli interesting
description Of tlo precautions tl,at aro usol.
Aa curly ng lilo middle Of tho Inst century, tho
Frcncl, authorities recognized in tho rapid COLI
NJ f.r
providing for moro uniformly secure modo Of
construction. At tint time, tho ,lso of wood
for bca1ns, roofs, and partition wnlla wcs quito
IS general In Paris as among us, though ovon
tl,on thoy filled in crd all around with nolil
plaster; their walls, both exterior and
interior, wore moro solid than OURS
aro na rulo; aud careful
Government supervision was cycrciecd that
oil tho kEoHu means Of p-ccaution might 10
u,:do available. By the year 1880, howeyori iron
bcams and iucombustiblo mntcrinl for filling in
floors aud roofs woro the foaturcs Of I. dozen
diforont systonB Of tiro-proof structures. An
important Commission wns appointed in 1870 to
ascertain tho minimum Of iron which could bo
safely and practically employed. Tho concln-
Bions OF that Commission" eayH Mr. Gilman,
height, aud distant on centres about fcot
q inches, when usod, In connection with their
syGtom Of gypsum arched aoorilgu, wore abso"
iutoly safe for I'LL general domestic purposes,
over O span Of II to 1G feot." Tho
object was to make as light and cheap Al inuor
to take the place Of tue tindcr-
boxes which constitute the interior OF
most Of our finest buildings. These
structures are, Of course, not devoid Of wood
work. but is used lin such slnnll quautities, md
IL SO incloscd md separated with iron and plas-
tor, thut tho danger Of fro il remote in cach in
dividual case, aud it coli scarcely Bprena into
con1nEration that sweeps everything before ii.
Each building il of T. 1a!uro 10 present Il fire.
wall, nnd to afford protection not only to itpelf
but its noighbors.
Tho iron conlpononta Of these European build
ilgs aro as common in Paris, or other largo
European cities, as tho common Joistg and bca,uu
in tlo lumber yards Of American citos. Thcro
arc strips OF iron which go across tho inter-
spaces aud lap oyer tho bcams OIL each aido,
about 1-6to Il Of MI inch in thickness, by Il to
| ~ iacheg wilo. ThcBo aro placed ebous
| two feet Elk inches apart. Rodu
| nre run transyerucly with thcso to
sustain tho gypsum flooring, which il put i'll
aolidly between tho bceu.n, md then covered
| With tiles or hard wooden floors. strap-iron Of
tho necessary uixoB il already found in tho
American markets., ns also tho iron bcauan md
| tho domnnd alono 10 needed to mako them as
common and as easily obtained ~ wooden bonms
or lathB. Professor Cllnndior, of Columbia Col
lego, enys that Tho gypsum, which III juat as i'm
portant rs tho iron in tho construction OF Paris
interiors, can bo obtained in my quantity in our
own country. Ho ia Of tho opinion that tho
States Ut North and Bouth Carolina alone would
furnish all tho gypsum TINT our American citica
could uao fortho noxt hundred years Tho plua-
tor could not Eo put upon tho cold surfaco
Of tho stone walls in this country, NJ 1t il in
| Paris, Tho climate 1T loo severe, and the frost
would strllo through. Thia difficulty could DO
overcome, llowovor. by leaving MI atr-bpaco or
hollow in tho wallis, OF by sotting common brick
In nrcconEion OF fuos back Of tho front walls.
The 1attor courso las l1oon adopted to advantage
In tho construction Of tho builiiugs in tho
Cllnrlcsown Navy Yartk Tho interior partitions
OF the French buildings aro Of llol!ow-bric!k
construction, Of nolid plnator hold In placo by
strips Of hard wood, Htrongly faacncd ut tho
top and bottom, and inbcdlod in tho plastcr
itHelt. The chimney-nuoH Of tho Frouoh systons
nro built OF circular co,nont Or stonewaro pipes,
and aro made part Of tho walls, IN wood being
permitted to como anywhere noar tLons.
1'llcBo nrc tho main features OF lilo European
syBtom Of building, which absolutely proyunH
any Ruch extensive con!lagrationa as hayo boon
experienced III MI large American otica. Tut
| ! 2 i r. IL tla III ~: