The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-06-10
GLASS HOUSES.
From The Pin.bary DipatcL

From he Pinsbayg Di.poteh.
Perhaps not one builder or contractor In ten, II
told that the common grades Of glass made at the
glass factories In this city have aerushing strength
nearly four times as great a. that credited by ex-
perienced engineers TO the strongest quality Of
| granite, would accept the statement as true. Yet
IL Is n fact, and being 90, the query - 10 Why
| glass has not received more attention from arehi-
tects as q structural naturally suggests itself. A
reporter had . talk with several prominent glass
manufacturers on the subject, and In answer 70 an
interrogatory as 60 whether blocks Of glass could
| be made in suitable lengths aud slEes and 90 an
nealed as 10 be utilized In the construction Of
building In place Of stone, they said Il could be
done. said one Of these gentlemen "This ques-
| tion has been considered by myself . number Of
times, and, although do not want 70 advocate
the absolute abolition Of brick and stone. Jet In
the erection Of art galleries, memorial buildings,
| etc., structure composed Of blocks Of glass In
prismatic colors would be unique, beautiful, aud
lasting structure. With the numerous inventions
which have come into Of late years In eonnee-
iion with theprOduetOn Of glass; the cost has been
gradually going down, while the quality Of the
fabric is steadily becoming better.
zone objection which would be raised 10 the
durability Of glass house, In the literal sense Of
take bind, or adhere together with eomnoz mar
tar. This objection can be readily set aside By
| the use Of good cement, and when complete the
structure will stand for ages barring extraordinary
accidents. As 90 the cost % glass house, u can
be kept down TO small percentags above the price
Of our cut granite. In building with stone you
have 90 pay the stone mas0ns, and when IL comes
| to elaborate examples of carving In corinthian
pillars. collars, capitals, etc.. why the work is rath-
er costly as compared with glass, when the latter
can be nodded into any shape or form, aud the
work accomplished In much less time. am con-
| vinecd that the time will come when We will sec
such building erected. Scarcely u day passes
| but what the sphere of glass an article of use
becomes widenei.
In parts Of Germany and on one line In England
| glass ties are being used on railroads, aud thus
far have given satisfaction, combining all Of the
republics Of wooden ties with the virtue Of being
susceptible 10 usage at least twenty Eve per cent.
longer than wood. Then by the Bsstra process
| glass articles are nov being made for common use
| which can be thrown the floor aud will rebound
like rubber ball. Progress Is also being made
toward rendering glass. which has ever been char.
acieTiEed ~ the brittle fabric. dnctile aud to-day
threads of glass can be made that can DO tied in
knots and woven into cloth.
Were one disposed give play TO fancy aud
fuse u into fact house entirely composed of glass
could be built with walls and roof aud floors fash
oncl from melted sand. Carpets Of glass could
cover the floors. The most ultra rs,hete sitting
on glass chairs or reclining IN glass couches, ar
rayed In glass garments, eating and drinking from
glass dishes. such n could realize that the age
Of glass had come. Yet nearly all Of this ifiy
| years ago would have been classed with the then
| impossible telephone and electric light, and this
statement would have likely Sound its way In the
| Catalogue Expurgatoros."