Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-06
An Iron Palace
From the Reading PENN EARLE.

From the Reading PENN Eagle.
George L. Huston, Of Parkesburg. Chester
county, Penn, will build palatial private mau
sion for himself entirely of iron, the founda-
lions being Of solid rock The architect is an
Englishman whom Mr.. Huston recently met
while abroad The iron work is now being
turned out at Gainesville, as the superstructure
is to be of iron entirely. The floor of the hall,
vestibule and library will be laid with polished
cast iron tiles, in which different qualities of
iron will be used to produce the same variety of
color as in ordinary tile flooring. All the other
floors of the house will be Of stout iron plates
firmly bolted to the iron joists The outside
wall and inside partitions all through the
structure will be composed of two courses of
iron plates firmly bolted together, so
as to be eir-tight. These hollow iron
walls and partitions will be used instead
OF chimneys and fer conveying heat to different
parts OF the house and for ventilation. The hot
smoke and gases from the furnaces passing
through the sides of the rooms in this way will
it is claimed be almost sufficient to keep the
house comfortable in the coolest weather, SO
that the heating can be done with about one
half the fuel required III ordinary houses. ALI
the doors and window sashes will also be IRON
but will be constructed in such light way and
SO nicely balanced upon hinges and weights as
to open and shut as easily as those made Of
WOOL All tue lllSlue Walls anu parl1t1OnS Will
be handsomely painted and frescOed so as to
present the appearance of any ordinary house
finished in plaster. Outside. the style of archi-
lecture will be light and graceful, and it will
be painted and ornamented so as to look as If it
was built of wood. The roof will be of strong
boiler-plate, and on the top. at the conveyance
OF the four gables will be handsome Observa-
tory. supported at the four corners by four Ionic
pillars of iron. Inside the ornaments will be
made of the same material. In the parIor will
be mantel of polished steel. handsomely orna-
mented. There viii! be a similar one in the
dining-room. upon which will be engraved hunt
ing scenes. in the library will be massive
mantel. so constructed that it will look as if it
were made of pig-irOn fused together Quite
curiosity in this room will be a cabinet for the
exhibition of specimens of iron. This will be
constructed entirely of strongly magnetiZcd
iron,so that all the specimens will adhere to the
back Of it. held in place solely By magnetic
attraction. In order to guard against the
bun@ling which would take place i'm such solid
iron structure on account of the contraction and
expansion caused by the heat and cold. there
will he breaks in the iron at intervals which will
be filled with rubber. so that when expansion
takes place there will be room for it without
producing any change in the contour of the
framework AS much as possible of the furni-
ture will also he of iron. that if it take fire in
any part. nothing can burn but the carpets and
the few articles of wood that may be within
reach of the flames. The house will be an archi-
tectura and scientific curiosity. Mr.. Huston
admits that it may cost twice or three times as
much As an ordinary house. but claims that will!
out repairs. and will never cost cent tor insur-