The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-02-12
cMisrtHantnns.
FiRE-PRooF COTTAGES.

Some time during last October the
Merchants, Farmers, and Mechanics
Savings Bank of Chicago advertised for
specifications for cheap brick, fire proof
cottages, such as it would be within the
limited means of any mechanic to build
who owned a lot. The bank loans a
large part of its funds to mechanics with
which to build homes, and hence the
enterprise was, so TO speak, in its line of
business. In response TO the advertise
ments, twenty-eight specifications have
been received, On which a committee
composed of Louis Wahi, n. S. Bouton,
Mr.. Grannis, Mr.. Drew, and Sanitary
Superintendent DIR. b. c: Miller is now
passing Judgment, and will award the
prize Of 81 ,UUO.
The bank, according to agreement,
owns all the plans and specifications,
and will soon issue them with drawings
in pamphlet form. This movement on
the part of the corporation is a most
cOmmendable one, and can not fail to
subserve a number of excellent purpo-
ses. In the first place, by means of this
competition the bottom price has been
reached-for each proposal is aocompa-
MED by an agreement to build from one
to fifty houses for the price specified
and man learns precisely for what he
can build just such house as he wants.
In the next place, every ingenuity has
been exhausted to achieve fire-proof re-
suits, and this in itself will be blessing.
The first cottage erected under any plan
will be submitted TO a fire test--that is
10 say. rough floors will be laid. win
dows and doors put in, and conhagra-
ton started, and after all the combusti-
bic material has been consumed, it is
specified that the walls and ceiling must
be intact, so that the finishing can be
proceeded with, without repairs. except
ing to such parts as were intended
should be consumed.
The officers of the bank and the COM
mittee to determine the prize, are highly
pleased with the result submitted to them
by the architectural fraternity. Plans
and specifications have been received
from all parts of the country, and some
wonderfully low figures are reached; a
number of them proposing to put up fire
proof brick cottages for less than 81, 900.
Here are some specimens. This cot
tage will cost 1913. 1t is 2lx30 feet, and
contains five rooms, a hall, a closet, a
pantry. The foundations are laid in clay,
on plank, .he walls are to be IL inches,
hollow, the partitions are to be of brick,
the ceiling is to be plastered and then
cemented for fire-proof purposes, cornice.
of brick. Door sills and window trim
mings TO be of artificial stone. In front
is to be a wire fence, and an asphalt
walk will pass from the front along the
side and at tile rear to brick out house
and coal house.
This will cost 81, 400. 1t is a two
story brick with basement, containing
two large rooms or the first floor, and
three Eed-FooiIts above. The ceilings to
be of corrugated iron. This building is
entirely fire proof Without basement
it will cost ], 100; two together, with
basement, will cost 81 $50, and without
basement, 81, $50.
This will cost 81, 500. 1t is a hand
some story-and-a-half cottage, for all
practical purposes as good as two stories.
The roof is to be of slate. On the first
floor are parlor, kitchen, a seqIery,
and BATHROOM ana GoaEbin. On the
second floor are three bedrooms and a
chamber The structure Is really lit
tie beauty.
Then there are plans for S2, 900 and
-, 500 houses, all tire-proof, and equal
ly cheap. for their size; and also plans
for stores with dwellings above, and
plans for rooms on the combination
principle