New-York tribune., 1874-11-19
ERRORS IN MILL BUILDING.
THE GRANITE MILL DIsASTER-sAFETY ASSURED by
BUILDING ONE STORY MILLS

THE GRANITE MILL DIsASTER-SAFETY ASSURED by
BUILDING ONE STORY MILLS
To lhe EditOr Of The Tri6une.
SIR: Such calamities as the dreadful burn
ing OF the Granite Mill at Fall River and horrible loss Of
many lives in the fire. and the fall of the Pemberton
Mill some years at Lawrence, when many persons
were crushed and Others caught n the ruins and roasted
alive would be impossible II mills were not built
mistaken model. The arrangements of the machinery
and theeyices OF these mills have been adapted to
buildings OF many stories merely because such bnid-
ings existed and the first mills established in
buildings erected for other purposes and having several
stories But now that, whatever the advantages Of that
sysem its unavoidable evils-for IL they were not
avoidable they would not occur-are shown the same
ingenuity which made those adaptations should as
readily adapt the machinery and service Of mills to
budings all on one loOr like the rolling mills of Penn
sylyaDia.
Tn great cities buildings must be OF many stories on
acconnt of the cost of that consideration
amply usthable extent, in place like Fall River
NOT closely built and surrounded by open country
The OF the extra land it would take for
mill all on one oor would be moro than saved in the
essened cost OF tho building. No timber wood in any
shane would be necessary hThe floors could be- like tho
admirable pavements in Madison square, New York. Of
composion spread directly on the ground merely lev
,ed for the purpose. The really elegant roof Of the
rolling mill Bethlehem, IN the Lehigh Valley, Is OF
the chtest and cheapest In the world, and yet is
wholly incombustlble Any portion OF 1t can
no glazed (as grapery NJ more cheaply
than windows can he put In a many stored build
ing. and so any amount OF light be secured
Or II leakage Is apprehended from that method, though
u need not be with sutab BILE precautions, roof stopped
up in glazed clere-stOes would meet that need With
only story, and no woodwork there would DO ttle
70 burn and with all the machinery resting solid on
the ground-On stone foundations where necessary
there would be comparatively jar OF machinery 10
nd Al ia fhA mi lla nf Wh al
The building ID built aud insure In time the
ultimate fall OF every mill, matter how strongly
built As 1t Is now, matter how carefully and
strongly mill is built however good Is when passes
from the buders hands. every day IL used weakens
A. The fall OF the best mill In Fall River, and OF every
mill In the world which Is ike the Fall River mills
fagfre is only question OF time, while at every mo
ment IL Is liable destruction, like the Granite MILL by
fire.
Why then go building mills this foolish principle
which has resulted and must result every few years. in
an appalling catastrophe like this OF the Granite Mill
aud s predecessors TO send periodic shock OF horror
over the whole country Whyf The answer II ready,
and IL Ia not TO the credit OF the milo ownerJ-or OF
human nature. IL Is less trouble to 20 repeating
what experience has shown To be the mistakes OF our
fathers and ourselves. than frankly. and In earnest
and thoroughly. TO study out better way.
Nev- York. Nov. ". l57k Az ARCHITECT