The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-04-17
o aFety Of the Harper House from rire

compdro Will tue harper I1OuS0, III Cnic
city, for safety in case of fire. To begin
with, every partition wall, from foundation
to roof, is of brick where it was possible
to use brick. And in every wooden parti
ton there are cross pieces 2 inches thick
nailed between the studs, every three feet
above each other, not only to stiffen the
partitions but to cut off draft up parti-
tons in case of fire. These cross pieces
are flush with the studding and prevent
the possibility of drafts of air or FIRE up
partitions, The floors, between the stores
and the main floor, are so deadened that
fire could not, for a considerable time,
make its way through them from below.
The halls, from top to bottom, are over
each other and are very wide, and run
straight through the whole building from
east to west and from north to south.
There are no intricate passage ways. and
no narrow, dark stair-ways, to confuse
strangers. The stair-ways are very wide,
and there is one at the west end and one
at ;, the east end from bottom to top-also
one in the rear. The boiler room is in a
separate building adjoining the rear of the
hotel The store room is under tower,
at the top of which are two or three huge
iron water tanks, always kept full, and
from which the whole house is supplied.
On every floor, in every hall, is coil of
rubber hose attached to the water works
pipe, which will reach any room on each
floor. These stand-pipes are always full,
having on the. full pressure of the water
works, so that there is nothing to do but
turn on the water and run with the pipe
to any part of the building. Wrenches
are hanging at every pipe, ready for use.
And plenty of water buckets are also on
every floor. In addition to this, there is
also rubber hose attached to the water
works in the boiler room, ready for use,
and in quantity to cover any part of the
house,
The laundry is in a separate building,
on the Langdell property. And all the
help sleep in the Langdell house, apart
from the hotel and from which escape is
easy in case of fire. The laundry, the
helps house or the boiler room could
burn down without endangering the
| house.
The kitchen and pastry rooms are fire
proof as to foors,s partitions and doors.
Two night clerks and night watchman
are on duty all night, patrolling the halls,
watching for fire or for thieves.
The whole house is warmed by steam
as also the store room and every place
where warmth is needed. All the stores
underneath the house, as we'll as the
saloon, the billiard hall, the barber shop,
and the bath rooms are also warmed by
steam-no stoves being permitted-so that
all risk from fire from that quarter is
obviated. No kerosene lamps or lamps Of
any kind, or candles, are permitted i'll any
part of the entire building from turret to
foundation stone, and no store connected
with the house is permitted to keep kero
sene for sale.
We consider il the safest hotel we evel
saw. We have lived in it with feeling
of perfect safety, since it was built, no
only from fire or thieves, but from winds
as no stronger or safer building can b
, found In these parts, except the arsena
! buildings. Not only is every partition
either of brick, or air tight, but the ends 0
the ioists, from end to end of the building
are ali bolted securely together with iron
bolts, thus greatly stifening the walls an
floors, while the whole roof Is anchore
: down IA feet into the walls and timber
; below, with heavy rods Of tested iron Xix
the iron on the government bridges. Owe
81 900 worth of. csc tested rods of iro
run down from the roof IA feet into tb
walls and lower story joist, so that tn
{ roof can not stir, In every respect "
O regard it the safest house in town.
. fine aud so we'll kept house is an hont
to the town. 1t adds to the good nau
and character of the place, and adds
the value OF every mans property al
- business. Let any citizen, business ma
- or property holder contemplate its ann
. hilation and think how it would affect u
only bis interests but his pride of localiI
10 And yet, do our people contribu
re much to its support? They ought to
. glad of chance to do so, and thus c
If courage its public-spirited owner.