Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-01-05
Houses Made OF Glass.

Perhaps not one builder or contractor
in ten, if told that the common grades
of glass made at the glass factories in
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 structural material naturally
suggests itself. A reporter. had a talk
with several prominent glass manufac-
turers 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 util-
lied in the construc lion of Il building in
place of stone, they said that it could be
done. Said one of these gentlemen:
ssThis question has been considered by
myself number of times, and, although
do not want 10 advocate the absolute
abolition of brick and stone, yet in the
erection of art galleries, memorial build
ings, ETC., a structure composed of
blocks of glass in prismatic colors would
be unique, beautiful and lasting struct-
ure. With the numerous inventions
which have come into use of late years
in connection with the production of
glass, the cost has been gradually going
down, while the quality of the fabric is
steadily becoming better.
Gone objection which would be raised
to the durability of a glass house, in the
literal sense of the words, might be that
the blocks would not take bind, or
adhere together with common mortar.
This objection can be readily set aside
by the use of a good cement, and when
completed the structure will stand for
ages, barring extraordinary accidents.
AS to the cost of a glass house, it can be
kept down to but aSsmall percentage
above the price of cut granite. In build
ing with stone you have to pay the stone
masons, and when it comes to elaborate
examples ofcarving in Coriuthian pill
lars, collars and capitals, etc, why, the
work is rather costly as compared with
glass, when the latter can be nodded
into any shape or form, and the work
accomplished N much less time. am
convinced that the time will come when
we will see such building erected.
Scarcely day passes but what the
sphere of glass as an artiele of use be-
comes widened. In parts of Germany,
aud 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 seat least
IS per cent. longer than wood. Then
by the Bastia process>glass Articles are
now being made for common use which
can be thrown on the floor aud will
rebound like rubber bau Progress
is also being made toward rendering
glass, which has ever been Character
lied as the brittle fabrics ductife, and
to day threads of glass can be madethat
can be tied knots and woYen- into
cloth. Were one disposed to 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 cover the floors The
most ultra aesthetic, sitting on glass
chairs or reclining on glass couches,
arrayed in glass garments, eating, and
drinking from glass dishes-such a 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 its place in the catalogue
expurgatorisus. "-PiHsburgh Dispatch.