, 1874-11-13
FISeE-PIeOOF CONSTIcU CT1ON.

Paper Etcnd by H. II. Wight 11cforc
Tho ChtcnH0 Chapter Ut architects.
Tho following Ia MI abstract OF paper upon
tho fro question In its relation 10 buildings.
anbmittod como time since to tho American ln-
stitnto Of Architocts, Now York, by L. B. Wight,
Of this city, mud roal yesterday afternoon before
tho Chicago Chapter.
Tho serious disastorn by fire In the last fow
years, the speaker Batd, had awakened III inLor-
est mover before oqualod, md had put to the test
many OF the Ho.calfed eystemB OF " ilre-proof
construction" hlnnv had como to regard tho
erection of buldiugH 10 resist fro aB play. but
especially In largo cities. Tic enactment of
HThlSaEST nulLDlNa LAwa
had become Q necessity. Prevention OF firca
pertains to tro-resistuG construction mud TO
within tho province OF the arohitect and tho lat
ter within that of tho lrotnan. Il Ia nsoless to
rely upon strictly tlro-proof buildings as m Of
fectiyo prevention Of contlagrations, nloss Buoll
Structures arc yerltablo -, tortcHsos against tho
caso in, any building ,.aystom In prae-
tico five years ago TIC most suitable
buildings recently erected in argor cities are OIL
tirely unprotected OIL the exterior, aul aso not
ilra;proof wheu nh standing among comt'stible
cities Will hc thus built.
TIE MORE IMPORTANT WANT
is TINT of all improvement u lho character Of
roofs, aud to decioase tle faeItr with WITCH lliu
may 60 ont Of enc building nnd into ,anuthor.
Any change u the, method Of erecting. city
Luiidlngs whioh will double their ordinary
cost ls impraoiicable, as Is nlso
II s' o E' pndupa Gf ,ow os'st
improvements must mainly apply to new bniiu-
Jugs, mud tho question H. How to erect L,tild-
ing WHICH Is fnoat near1y ,lroproof Oh tho oxto.
rior aud will rcaiHt the action OF ro within itself
tho longest time without greatly increasing TIC
cost Of constructiou2
How to solve tho problem should bo tho oh.
}oct Of every building law. and tho loBiro Of
every proprietor. and tho study of ovuly archi-
Communists Of Paris showed that tloro was no
nurlicular danger to tho city from nccl-
dental fire, aud also that fires wero
not likely TO extend beyond the
houses in which they originated, but showed
that in nearly all casas thoy resulted Ill the total
destruction u buildings. Tho fire Of 1871 in
Chicago seemed to destroy nl. classes OF build
ings aith equal facllty, tho result Of tho iu-
tooso heat produced by tho tanning Of the tlamos
by strong wintla before which MI building mato-
that lire might spread among tho best clnss Of
buildings II constructed too high to bo reached
by tho Fl.e Department. Tao Chicago tlro Of 1874
demonstrated TINT f1c among framo-bulldings
with a high wind was uncomfortable, oaty to b0
stopped by the MD 1T heavy party-walls and q
good supply Of wuter.
Tho pontabf superiority in
THE PARIS system or CONSTRUCTION
arc thnt tho Bupingat1ol Of lucipient tires
is comparatively easy taHlt. In tho case OF tue
post-Oflco building il, Chicago 1t waB destroyed
by tue coMbuHtiblo mniern! iu tho first etorY,
tho heat Of which vas sufficient to render Use
leH9 all Tao iron columns in that story. Boston
had no. sprlnkling Of frame tlnacr-boxcs
to supply Iuo tor the destruction Of her
business editiccs. but the nanner in which tho
ilames lcapcd from building to building showed
the necessity Of liro.proof exterior protection.
The pauseclluicon," Of London, was literally
the most lNcombuHtiblc material, and divided
into compartments by dro-proof doors. Iho
litter Wero left open by careless wRteEMeN. lenv-
ing the fire to find fresh mn criul in the contents.
Tho first essential to tire-truoi buildings III
large cities Is 10 layo
WALLS or SUFFICIENT s1zE.
II Cat roofs NJ used, tile front alld rcur wallH
should ha carried up 2 feos ahoyo tie roof-liuo,
thcknosa Vt 1G inchcH. Whore steep roofs arc
employed, there Hhoull bo u sufficient tire-proof
tiliing under tho covering mlteliAl. ln caso
wooden joiHts or raiters aro used, Tie most sim-
pie procesa is to mako the covering for tire pro-
lection, and nboyo it the covo,ing for wcather
protection. Tho simplest way of accomplishing
the former Is to cover the raftcrg with common
boards t'ghsly lifting. slon strip with 2x1-'nch
Btripa so1 on edge, and I'LL in with concrete deaf-
ouulE inches thick. 1Lo flre.proof roof iB
then complete. The strips cAnnot DO burned to
an appreciAblo doptli, as Inns rte.l proved In
place OF concroIc, bricks nay bo uaod, laid tlat
III con,cnt, In which CASE tho strips will havo to
bo 234 iucl'ea Llgh. The stl1pS III all caaos form
tho bAais OF
A WEATHER nooF
which may bo Of boards covered with tin or any
Of tho patented compositions or saturated
paper, or canvas nailcd to tue stripH, and coated
to combine tho properties OF o-proof anl
waterproof roofing Gun 10 said, thus fnr, to be
entirolY huccoasfui. by using tho double roof.
all patented Inventions may yet be tried, .assur~
dcilying !iye~p1onf covering,
WAen tho roof IL stoop aud covered with slate
tho best treatment III to first dcaton botween thu
raftcrs. the top of dea!ouing-boarda being
raftota horizontal strips l w 1-ineh stuff, with
! spacing to suit the satcs. These form grating
to hold tho concroto unlil 1t Bets, ana
mailing for siato mud tiles. Thon
liusl With concrete to tho top Of tic strips into
which nail tho alares. BY this method tia strips
| arc completely imhedaud into tbs concrosa,. OK
copt where tAoy croBs tho ratteE5, aud the Whole
doylco is even moro secure tlass 2-inch col1rae
| Of coucEate OH lat roofs, MannardH can bo made
aaie b tL's proeess which ~ not oniy .yy easiy
uBe Of meta.
All scuttlo-doora should DO made Of iron, and
all coubngs around scuttles should DO 1uis
around with hard brick. II sky1ghts must
bull'B-cyo glass In iron frames. or iron
| bnra carrying HARROW BtrlpH Of gAsB not less
than QUO quarter inch thick, and covered with
hoayy wirc netting. All cumbings for skylighta
dormof windows, should be covered on tho ont
Kido with four illoiIos of lard brick laid ia
comont, Roofs must, OF corrao, bo strong:
enough to carry this additional weight. Al
shutters. or both, which should in all casoa bo
| made Of two tllckneBstB Of irOtl, mud il on the