, 1877-11-18

Transactions Otherwise at About
the Usual Level.
Very Little Inquiry for Real Es-
tate, City or Suburban.
gDeci1neu Loans and Sales Made During
the Past Week.
Practical Suggestions for Fi1e-Proof Build
ing-New Orleans Real Estate.

numerous in tue United States, now that our
cities are compactlY built, that any means that
will contribute to lessen the risk is worthy OF
consideration. The only thoroughly tire-proof
building is the vault, with It's double walls and
double doors. This, if properly constructed.
will save ITS contents, although the vault itself
may be nearly ruined. The nearer building
approaches the fTe-proof vault, the more sue
cesstully will it resist a contlagration. It is
evident that larG1 warehouse OF retail store
cauuot he built like book vault, as the enor-
nous outlay would not return paying interest; ;
still something in that direction can be done
without increasing bcyond paving limits the
cost OF the building
The excellent system OF iron girders, with
,rick or concrete arches between, is well know n
o all, but is usually considered too costly.
Tao Gre-departnents in our large cities are SO
admirably managed that any means Of retard-
Ing the spread Of fire is step towards fre-proof
qualities, as it confines the fire to narrow limts
aud is therefore quickly extinguished with COM
paratiycly small loss Something of this kind
GIN be accomplished at a small additional cost
Let all partition walls extend through the
roof space to the under side Ut the roof boards,
or through the roof. Fill in all wood partitions,
at top and bottom ut each story, for few
inches. with masonry. Heavily dcafcu all floors
between the joist, and seek every opportunity
over supports tc build four-incl brick wall be-
tween thc juists, to cut off communication iu the
direction Of their length, aud then cover the
ceiling with iron 1atlls OF wire to receive the
r!astering. By putting on the lathing before
t'cafening OF thc floor above is lad little labo-
Svtreen % tie laihs al under ths asea
By this means fire can advance
but slowly, as it must burn its way foot By foot,
and Il fire might buru fur hours without spread
ing over any considerable area, and when dis
covered could be quickly extiuguished. With
sut these precautions tire might run between
the joists aud within the partitions all over
buildin:. before it broke out, and thus cause
total loss.
There are some points that always require
particular attention. such Us the framing around
smoke-tiucs. In almost every instance, unless
specially instructed, journeyman carpenter
will lay the joists much too near the nues, ard.
will burn out aud let the flame reach the wood
This will char, shrink, end crack until a
small air space is made, when it
bursts into tame We. are. all very
xhat it caught from defective f1ue. 1t is very
difficult to make f1uc that is not liable to be-
come defective after few Years use, but it is
easy to rclsder them harmless by little atten-
ton aud small outlay during the cons:ruc-
1ion. The joists OF each floor should be carefully
inspected immediately after they are laid, aud
before the walls Gre started above them, as then
their relation to the flutes can be seen and any
erTurs corrected.
The present fire ordinance covers the case,
but there is no forced inspection at the proper
tine, and therefore the precautions therein de-
mandel are too often neglected. Another |
place that requires special attention is the space
between the ceiling Vi the upper story and the |
root. Throughout this space as well as through |
all floors, all dies should be plaetered outside
before the lathing is done In houses with a
high root it il not uncommon to draw over
chimney in the attic to bring it out of the
WAYS requires extra precautions, as un-
equal setting will produce crack in the
chimney sufficient to let the flame through at
the attic floor: Many houses have been burned
from this cause.
Another cause Of serious loss by fire is due
to the great injury to iron columns by heat.
They become plastic and let down their load.
In consequence. whenever it is proposed 10
render building firc-prool, all iron columns
situated where they are liable to much heat
from the burning OF goods Or material stored in
the building should ho protected from over
heating by masonry or terra-cotIa
With regard to the protection OF city build
incs from neghboring fires, tho problem is
easy. The openings in the rear are already pro-
tcctcd by iron shutters It only remains to
protect the roof aud the openings in 'front.'
The roof cun be made c-pr0of by covering the
roof-boarlls with treproof tiles that can DC laid
for about 10 cents per square foot, or BY con-
crete: over this the Ordinary felt roof is laid.
Sky-lights must be covered BY iron shutters,
closed every night The front openings area
little more difficult to protect, but there are
now manufactured several Kinds OF rolling shut
tcrs that the architect in designing a building,
can casiIs provide q place for. When not in use
they are out Of sight. II desired, these shutters
tan be all lowered at oncc by = crank at the side
walk. outside the building.
The only objection that think can be urged
aEainst anv ot these projections from tire IS that
1rfEf cfFJ1S S$p%rr %$tI.N ne-H
liable to dcy-rot- This can b. ubviatcd by max
ing sure that the timber is Thoroughly dry be-
fore the floors arc dealened, OR, better yet, ny
preserving the timber. This latter can he ac.
co1llplishcd by several known methods, all of
which, however, require special arrangements,
AMI It is much be regretted that there IS not
ia Chicago su1ne place where tue timber Of
building eau he preserycd' were IT'S value ap-
prcclated it could he made 3crv profitable.
When the abuye precautions against hre are
carried out with intelligence, the building Is
CON, ,,aratiycly safe from tire within, aud aoso-
lutely So, under ordinary circumstances, IRON
tirc from without Were this class u construc-
tous universal over any considerable district,
tla1 part oi The city would he as free from fires
as r.,e Ci1y Of Paris, where such thing, were 1t
NOT for the Communists, would be almost un-
known. ". l. g. jESNEY.
SALES OF THE WEEK.
The market IN the line uf transfers has been
very dull, Tut few important sales OF either
city ur suburban property having taken place.
The following civ sales noted Us atIoruinc
some ~ritcEion OF prlccs:
l. S. Ureyer IL to. have sold 2 lois on
Dayton street, neaf Sophia for $500 each: 3Ux
IL 1eet corucr of Market and Elm streets, with
buildings. for $3.50; lots Oh Wood street
near North avenue, for 5000 each
Ira Bru" suiu IS lots at LaGrauge for So 800:
lots at Park Ridge for 5000; 6 lots ut Lake
Side for SGO0
Calumet avenue, I'll feet north OF. Thirty
third street west front, 251l45 40 icet, i'm
proved, St, 5O0
Madison street southeast corner of Market
street !easehold interest in C51161l00 feet, with
buildings, $ls,juO.
North Haistcd street, 225 feet south Of So
pnta street, west trout, 50x125 SIG feet S22,5O,
~ FullcEton avenue, 43I feet west Of North
S!atk - FIX street, south front, 251l74 G-10 feet,
Milwaukee avenue, northwest corner of Mr.
~ street, southwest front, 20xll3 feet. i'm
kaut7on avenue, 1G9 feet south of Thirtvx
-: 47.500. A1p'o'eu'
Suburban property has moved very SLOWLY
onG the only sales 1hat have occurred have bccn
OF isolated lots: 0~~'
Two lots ut Jefferson sold for S7to: lot at
South Lam, $100; lots at South Epclewood
SGN; lots al Cornell 5000; lots at Glencoe
ssh; lots in Halste1-st1eet addition to Wash
lilston Heights, saD, and lot at HYDE Park
for $200.