Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-08
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

proceedings.
The regular meeting of the board of di-
rectors of the chamber of commerce was
held yesterday morning with the following
result:
LETTER FROM E. F. DRAKE.
The following letter from Mr.. E. F.
Drake. who is now IN Paris, was read and
referred to the committee on buildings:
PARIS, April 20, 1888.
Gen. J. B. Sanborn, President Chamber
of Commercially Dear Sir: On former
occasion I urged upon the chamber the
Importance of providing for public parks,
particularly such as could be enjoyed by
the Iaboring population. | am highly
pleased to learn that movement was on
foot prior to the receipt of my letter,
which has become reality, but on far too
small scale for a city having such a fu-
ture as ST. Paul. During my travels
abroad I have given much attention to the
construction of buildings, particularly to
the quality of material used, with a view
to economy, durability and safety from
fire. Our system of building is so faulty
as to require at once the moral efforts of
the chamber, supported by the legal pow
er of the city council to correct the care
less manner of construction. The recent
TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE
at Milwaukee, disgrace to the age and its
Civilization, may be repeated at any time
in our hotels and on smaller scale in
many Of our private dwellings. In some
respects the cities and villages of Ger
many, Switzerland and Italy through
Oh 7
pies. In thousand miles travel l have
not seen in city or village roof or cor
nice of wood and the buildings have stood
compactly together, with narrow streets,
free from fire or decay, for hundreds and
in some instances for a thousand years
Or more. My conclusions are, that
for the interest of owners and for general
security against fire, the strong force of
Law should prevent, except in strictly de-
tached buildings, every single roof and
wooden cornice. Another feature that
gives security from fire is the entire alb
se2ce of wood or studding partitions. That
feature we may not just now be able to
enforce in dwellings, particularly in the
smaller or cottage class, so common with
Us, but in hotels or business buildings, all
untitled partitions of studding should be
ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED.
The fire ordinance should now prohibit
all wooden stud partitions continuing
throughout several stories of a building
without fire proof break. Not only
should there be no continuous space or fire
draught as is usul, but for distance of at
least foot above the floor, or as high as
the usual base board, at least six inches
below each ceiling the space between the
studs should be filled with brick, clay, or
mortar, so as to form a complete barrier
to the upward progress of flames. Such
provision Is not expensive, and if adopt
ed, in three-fourths of the cases, fire
could readily be extinguished.
I fear l shall be unable to impress upon
members of the chamber the value of such
requirements as I have indicated. wit
messed the destructive fire in the Dean
building, corner Third and Sibley streets.
1t occurred in broad daylight. The build
ing was accessible on three sides, neither
was it tall building, and the fire should
have been suppressed with little loss.
OUR FAITHFUL FIREMEN
came in for censure, and an investigation
was had, but the real reason of failure to
extinguish the fire was not ascertained
The fire originated in and was continued
through an imperfect wood partition.
With partition arranged as I have sug
gested the fire in that case would have
been put out in ten minutes. l beg the
chamber, as wise guardians of the public
interests, to remember that st. Paul is to
be great city; that we should build for
posterity, not for to-day. The quantity of
available land below the bluffs is so limit
ed that it must all be compactly built up
on. Our streets are narrow and our build
ings are the more exposed to danger. Con-
slider seriously the combination of at
fractions" for a blaze in a wooden build
ing or in one of brick or stone as now usu-
ally constructed. If premium were Of
fered for plan of house more
DANGEROUSLY CoMBUsT1BLE
than this present style, the most daring
architect would hesitate 10 furnish a plan
il competition to ex listing structures. Con-
slider the faults as they exist in detail. A
roof of dry pine shingles, which, after
long summer day, may almost be ignited
with spark from a flint, and when once
on fire, so we'll constructed for the purpose
Of burning as 10 defy the efforts of the
tiremen to reach the burning spot with
water. Then a projecting box cornice so
enclosed as to protect the burning part
fton the best directed efforts of fremen,
and to add to all the pine wood is we'll
prepared for burning by being painted
In addition the interior construction of
hollow wood partitions and Turing upon
stone walls, running from cellar to roof
so as to form blastway for air
TO FEED THE FLAMES,
all enclosed so as not to be reached by
water, and you have pretty fair plan of
modern building of st. Pauls careless
style. After all these errors are permitted
the city council in its wisdom grants
permission chat it has no power on legal
right to give for the erection of unsightly
poles IN front of and upon private prop
erty upon which wires are strung at Just
such height as to interfere with the eff
forts OF the fremen. 1t is time that this
telegraph pole nuisance was abolished. It
is not permitted in the cities of Europe.
and Is not justified by any reason or ne
cessity with US.
THE DEAN FIRE,
before alluded to-, would probably have
been arrested with partial loss but for the
telegraph wires. l notice the laws of the
10 IFN Ik