, 1874-12-19

Joanuln Miller; 'Novarro," by Charles II.
Shlnn; "A Myth of Fsntapy and Firat Love-"
FIItI5-PROOF BUILDINGS.
About tho Safety OF 1tnIlnll EuiEtccu
why tho 1tnlihns Arc Not Troubleu
with EIreg.
from the Ntto York Tymts.
Tho following statements al to tho tnetholH OF
nro-rroof construot!on omployud by tho Italians
hayo boon communicated BY tho Hon. Goorge r.
Marsh,, United Staten Envoy Extraordinary at
Ro1nc to q friond In tha city, mud by tho connont
OF tho writer arc herewith givon to tho public:
F1NE-rnooF CONSTRUCTION III ITALY.
magazines and other buildings where great ql,an
titles Of combuatiblo materials nro stored, and
alao lu wooden structures, iu tho raro cases IN
which such nre built but In etono or brick prl-
alwaya confined within tho rnlls Of tho houao
wl,oro 1t origlustoH. aud. tho party w.lls and
other outsle walls being thick, Ii raroly
communicates to adjacent buildings or over.
throws the ual1a Of that whore it occrrs. 1hnvo
nevor witnessed or heard OF tho spreading Of
Ara in any Of the many italian towna am fa-
,nillar with. The house in Which lived many
yoarB at Floroncc. md which fs still occupied BY
M famtly I'll tho summer months, iB known to
havo been au old houso 450 yeara ago. and most
oluding avon tho raftera. romnin not only u1-
burned, but sound and aorvccablo. givo a de-
acriptou Of ts construction, and thia Ia, with oc
easonsl variations, lilo general typo Of tho old
and gubgtant!oi dwellings, OF Florence Aud most
0tllor italinn town..
Tho outor walls are Of rubb1o masonry, and
worry thick. They are not lined With turing
or othorHiHo, and Tho plaatering In applied d.
r,ootly to the l,,nor surface. II many Of tho
better class OF Italian houses lining, or rather
\ thin detached wall. OF brck-I hnvo seen such
in roomn moro than 20 feet high Of brick laid
odgouiss, and only inches thick within
tho inner surface OF tho outer wall to receive
the plaHtcrins. This inner wall IL stinened and
glo b1iok. and IL. of courae, continuously ho,,nd
with 1t around tho openings. i hottot method
OF Rtironius and binding would be with short
strips OF hoop iron. which might also bo ,lHcd
Such Innings aro very nearly as div and as warm
as wooden framing. All the partition walls. evon
Of small chambers and coseso aro Of stone or
brick, and tho door aud window cAsinga arc Of
stone. Tho stalrcaaca arc nil wholly of stono.
ln Cheap constructions. often With treads Of
tiles laid IN segment Of All Nrch) 1t Is obvious
that, in this mode Of construction, thcro is sbso-
luto.y no conbustibe connection between story
and asory, and, consequently fro can COM
n,anicata from one story, to another only by
uro eltLor vau1tcd with brick, the crown
Of tho vault, including tho tilo floor
ing restsng on 1t, not oxceeding 4
or inches in thsckneas, even In room SO feet
mortar thus laid. Across tho room. at distances
OF 0 and oven 10 fcot In tho cloar, arc laid
pine aud fir tlmbera Of 10x1G inches. reaching
from wall to wall. To tho nidas Of tbeso tim
bers, from to Q inches below tho upper surface
nrc spiked nodded plank, and on tteeo plnnks
afo laid joiats Of :]xl inches, or In the largo
rootns speak Of, 4x9 inch acanellng, the uppor
surface Of tho 1oiels being flush witl that Of
tho timbcra. The jotsts nro from 10 to 12
inches apa1t. md between tho ends Of each pair
tho ioista In place, but thore is no 1nortcing in
tho framework Of tho floor. On tho joislB ia
laid flooring OF i Il inch plank. about a font
wide, with narrow strip OF thin Btuif nailed
Ellis 'tloorine-tilea nro Ibid IN mortar, and
oyor tho tiles. usually, but not always, thin
coating Of stucco. The undor aitto Of tho floor
Ing is loft exposed. sometimes lathng Of
Btrips Of wood, nicEe1-No,k. or wira.netting, IL
used to rccnivo plaBtcrng, 5oing aecured to the
painted cloth stretched on . frame secured to
the under Husfaeo OF tho joists Is usod rs CELL
ing.) It in evidently no1t to impossible that
such flooring should take fire, Or eyon be aot
on fro.
So far tho Italian method Of building might
be employed In the United States at o little ad-
vanco on the cont Of our common tinaor-box
method Of construction, and with little or no in-
convenience or disadvantage.
Tho only difficulty ran SEQ in obtaining COM
pleto aecutity against tho spread Of fires with us
iios In tue roof which, pcrl,aps could not in our
climate bt constructed utter the Italian fashion,
though 1t il by no ,neaMa caoar that this method
would not anawor. LII tho hon8e refor to tho
principal partitions OF Btpne or brick nro carried
up TO tue roof, and, where tisey occur, answer
tho purpogo OF principal 1aftera. Tho wooden
principal rafters aro OF fir wood. 10 by 10 ncl,oa
in section, aud reach from tho wall-plato tn the
ridge-polc. which III stick OF 6 by 10 inches.
Tho principal yafters ayo from 10 to IL feet
npart. On tho ptlncipnt rafters nro laid cross-
tin.bera or tosts OF 6 6by 10 iuchos, about foot
hY s>ll. or. Ia bone placer, BY or 8 by acant-
ling, II luohes apart, more or loss. 10 tho cloar
Splkoa or nnisB aro occasionally nsnd to hold
the frnme Of tie roof toy0thrr, but there il
no noticing. On these raftera thero ia no
boarding, but instead arc laid inotl~thick int
tiles, 6x13 incios aud Oh these, pnu-tiles in
mortar. rhis roof is Nj light is ordinary
Au.ericnn roofs. but wllat rnina, followed by
heavy froHts, would do to it cannot BAY. Still,
ttIca are used oycrywhuro in Northern Europe.
and why not With nB7 or why may re not uHn
stata instead Of ti!cs without or inBtaad Of roof
tlon will cortalnly not talo llro from sparks or
from any ordinary exposure, and it would 10
hard matter to Bnt il on fire. Tho corniCoB and
Moidlngs ought to Ia OF pressed brick but eron
il they aro OF wood. tho roof would not 10 very
much o1puAca BY lhom.
Tho weight of such tifod roof would bo as
great ps that Of most falls, md probably
with foot or foot aud a-half Of Wot Bnow such
n frame might not 10 strong enough; but III
citics anow is, and everywhere ought to bo,
cleaned OF by Bomo mechanical means.
&. P. II.
THE eLD BRIDGE At FLORENCE.