The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-01-07
Glass Houses.
pittsburg Dispatch.

Pittsburg Dispatch.
Perhaps not one builder or con.
tractor in ten, if told that the COM
mon grades OF glass made ut the
glass factories in this city have a
crushing strength nearly four times
as great rs that credited by expe.
rieneed engineers to the strongest
quality of granite, would accept
the statement as true. Yet it is o
fact, and being so, the query as to
why glass has not received more
attention from architects IA struct-
ual material naturally suggests
itself. a reporter had Il talk with
several prominent glass manulac-
lures 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
construction of a building in place
of ofst0ne, they said ,hat it could be
done. Said one of these gentle
tlemen: "rhis question has been
considered by myself a number Of
of times, and, although | do not
want to advocate the absolute abo-
lition of brick and stone, yet in
the erection of art galleries, mem
orial buildings, etc, n structure
composed of blocks of glass in
prismatic colUrs would be m
unique, beautiful and lasting struc.
ture. With the numerous inyon-
tions which have come into use OF
late years in connection with the
production Of glass, Che cost has
been gradually going down, while
the quality of the fabric is steadily
becoming better.
Cone objection which would be
raised to the durability of glass
house, in the liberal sense Of the
word, might be that the blocks
would not take a bind, or adhere
together with common mortar,
This object can be readily set aside
by the use of a good cement, and
when completed the structure will
stand for ages, barring eXtra0rdi.
nary accidents. As TO the cost Of
a glass house, it can be kept down
to but q small percentage above
the price of cut granite. In build
ing with stone you have TO pay
the stone masons, and when il
comes to elaborate examples oI
carving in Corinthian pillars, col
lars aud capitals etc, why, the
work is rather costly as compared
with glass, when the latter can b,
moulded into any shape or form
and the work accomplished ii
much less time. | am convinced
that the time will come when We
will see such building erected
Scarcely a day passes but what the
sphere of glass as an article oil
use becomes widened. In parts Of
Germany and one line in Englan nt
glass ties are being used on rail
roads and thus far have given sat
i isfaction, combining all of the re
quisites of wooden ties with the
virtue of being susceptible to
usage at least 10 per cent, Longer
/ than wood. Then by the Bastis
process glass articles are now be
/ ing made for common use which
can be thrown on the floor and
will rebound like a rubber ball
Progress is also being made TO.
/ ward rendering glass, which has
ever been characterized rs the
brittle fabric, ductile, and to-day
threads of glass can be made that
can be tied in knots and woven into
cloth. Were one disposed 10 give
play to fancy and fuse it into fact,
a house entirely composed of glass
could be built with walls and roof
and floors fashioned from melted
sand. Carpets of glass could
pfypr thp noorg