Middletown transcript., 1883-01-19
How Fire sweepa : wooden HOUSE.

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explained III an article on housebuilding
by E. G. Gardner, in Our Continent:
Let me show you how a wooden
house Is built. The sills and joists Of
the first floor are comparatively safe,
because they are not boxed in with dry
boards, and even with furnace and ash
pits in the cellar, there would be little
danger from fire down below if it
were not for the careful provision made
for carrying it into the upper part Of
the structure. This provision, how
ever, is most effectively made by means
Of the upright studs and furrings that
stand all around the outside of the
building and reach across it wherever a
partition is needed. Accordingly every
wooden house has from one hundred to
on6 thousand wooden flues of highly
infiammable character, arranged eX-
pressly to carry fire from the bottom to
the top, valiantly consuming them
selves in the operation. Furthermore,
they are frequently charged with shay
ings and splinters Of wood, which, be-
coming dry as tinder, will respond at
once to a spark from crack in the
chimney, an oyerheated stove OF fur
mace pipe, or match in the hands OF
an inquisitive mouse. They are, like
wise, 50 arranged that no water can be
poured inside them till they fall apart
on the house collapses, for they reach
to the roof, whose sole duty is to keep
out water, whether it comes from the
clouds or from hose-pipe, but which,
for economical reasons, is made sutfi-
GENTLY open to allow the air to pass
through it freely, thus insuring good
draught when the fire begins to burn.
To complete the system and prevent the
possibility Of finding where the fire be-
gan, the spaces between the joists of
the upper floors communicate with the
vertical fues, and these highways and
byways for rats and mice, for fire and
smoke, for odors from the kitchen,
noises from the nursery, and dust from
the furnace and coal-biD, are also
streWn with builders rubbish, which
carries fame like stubble on a harvest
field.
Brick houses, as usually built, are not
much better, but that is not the fault
Of the bricks-they are tougher than
good intentions they have been burned
once and fire agrees with them. In
fact, there is no building material 50
thoroughly reliable, through thick and
thin, in prosperity and in adversely, as
good, honest, welI-burned bricks
But the ordinary brick house is double
"a house within a house-a wooden
frame in a brick shell. Like logs in a
coal pit, the inner house is well pro
tected from outside attacks, but the
flames, once kindled within, will run
about as freely as in a wooden building,
and laugh at cold water, which, how
ever abundantly it is poured out, can
never reach the heart Of the fire till its
destructive work is accomplished -
Thrown upon the outer walls, it runs
down the plastering, washes off tht
paper, soaks the carpets, ruins tht
merchandise, and spoils everything tbat
water can spoil, while the fire itseli
roars behind the wainseot, climbs ii
the rafters and RACES among the OH
papers, cobwebs and heirlooms in thr
attic, till the roof falls in, the floors g,
down with a crash, and an upward
shower Of sparks, and only the totterin'
walls with their eyeless window socket
or the ragged, blackened chimneys re
main.
But one thing is needful toretard tn
progress Of hidden fire even in a woodel
building, long enough at least for on
to 60 up the hill and fetch II pail o
water. This remedy consists simpl
in choking the fiues and stopping th
draught, which can easily be done b.
filling in with brick and mortar be
tween all the studs Of both outer wall
and inner partitions at or near the leye
Of each floor. A cutoff half way up i
an additional safeguard. The hori
zontal passages between the floor joist
should also be closed in similar man
ner. These occasional hampers are
partial remedy, and if carefully fittet
in the right places will save many ton
Of coal and greatly diminish the chance
Of total destruction in case Of fire
The complete remedy is to leave III
spaces that can possibly be filed. On
Of the best and most available material
known for filling spaces is "minera
wool" a product Of iron Stag. If th,
open spaces between the studs anC
rafters Of a wooden building, or in {
brick building between the furrings
are filled with this substance, houses
might possibly be burned, but the in
mates would have ample time to folt
their nightgowns, pack their trunks
take up the carpets, and count thu
spoons before vacating the premises.
a FABLE WITH A MoRAL.-A vol
who had dispute with hyena deter
mined to destroy him, and therefore
went to the lion for advice. "Set tral
for him. was the reply, "and wher
you have caught him eat him. The
wolf went away and laid snare beside
the path often traversed by his enemy
but just as he was cackling with salts
faction he blundered into the trap him
self and was held fast. In this emer
gency along came the lion, who called
out, " BY George but what Is all this?'
Pm fast in my own trap humbl!
replied the wolf. $50 L see. / cam