The examiner., 1882-03-11
was soon able to W, k with the crew. was picked up about twenty-fiv miles from the place of the wreck"
QlasS Ho,,SaS

l GlaSS HOuSoSS
 Perhaps not one builder or contractor in ten, if told that the common grades 1 of gl ss made at the glass factories itl this city have crushing strength nearly four times as great as that credited by | experienced engineers to the strongest quality of granite, would accept the statement as true. Yet it is fact, and being so, the query as to why glass has not received more attention from archi- tects as 8 structural material naturally suggests itself. A reporter had talk with several prominent glass manu- lecturers on the subject, and in answer to an interrogatory as to whether blocks of glass could be made in suitable lengths and sizes and so annealed as to be utilized in the con- struction of a building in place of stone, they said it could be done. Said one of these gentlemen /: This question has been considered by myself number of times, and, al- though do not want to advocate the absolute abolition of brick and stone, yet in the erection of art galleries, memorial buildings,> etc., a structure 1 composed of blocks of glass in prismatic colors would be unique, beautiful and
 
 inventions which have come into use of duction of glass, the cost has been ity of the fabric is steadily becoming better.
 cone objection which would be raised to the durability of glass house, in the literal sense of the words, might be that the blocks would not take bind, or adhere together with con- mon mortar. This objection can be readily set aside by the use of 8 good cement, and when completed the struc- ture will stand for ages, barring extra ordinary accidents. As to the cost of glass house, it can be kept down to small percentage above the price of our cut granite. Tn building with stone you have to pay the stone masons, and when it comes to elaborate examples of carving in Corinthian pillars, collars, capitals, etc., why the work is ratEer costly as compared with glass, when the latter can be molded into any shape or form, and the work accom- plished in much less time. I am con- vinced that the time will come when we will see such 8 building erected. Scarcely day passes but what the sphere of glass as an article of use be- comes widened. In parts of Germany and on one line in England glass ties are being used on railroads, and thus far have given satisfaction, combining all of the requisites of wooden ties with the virtue of being susceptible to usage at least twenty-five per cent. longer than wood. Then by the Bastra process glass articles are now being made for common use which can be thrown on the floor and will rebound like rub Der ball. Progress is also being made toward rendering glass, which has ever been characterized as the brittle febric, ductile, and to-day threads of glass can be made that can be tied in knots and woven into cloth. Were one disposed to give play to fancy and fuse 1t into fact, house entirely composed of glass could be built with walls and roof and floors fashioned from melted sand. Carpets of glass could cover the floors. The most ultra esthete, sitting on glass chairs or reclining on glass couches, arrayed in glass garments, eat ing and drinking from glass dishes. such one could realize that the age of glass had come. Yet nearly all of this fifty years ago would have been classed with the then impossible telephone and electric light, and this statement would have likely found it's way in the 'Cata- logue ExpurgatOros '"-PfHsburg Dis