Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-07-11
hiCh UP IN rNg AIR.
Dangers Whi.s psr-ssea ~. osss.
pant. Of GaIt structures.

Dollars AMI ceuts. said n prominen.
insurance man. have been the motive
power which la. induced tho erection
of high buld dni- the hrt cons dora.
tion being the ctst uf the gtonnI, aud
the second a iarR"'y increased rental al
material decrease IA cost uf con.
structiun ~ compared with tho
purchase oi murc earth II ~ only
question Of hnw the must
money can Lee male "a tie IN Hest area
tina, has indurcl the erect Ca of tall
buildings ~ ,hragn II }. true the a
high buildings are Ia hs occupied with
oilicc., an not ~ teuemonta aud that
few occupants viii le IN them ~ night,
when th" greatest danger l. appfu.
hcndrd from fire. aud that none II then
will be crow led "a the top stories. a.
thcy might lo in a mauniart ring -.
tabli-hmoni but the danger H. ~, ila tho
less 90 tenants. tile only d. erenro be-.
ing IN the fact that u may not l.. luta
10 great where there sc f,w as it
would be II they we're crowded. vet tho
danger to these few h. So great that Ia.
tic hope could b. eSpcr,cd q etiec,ing
rescno OF a single one On the bop
floors OF building ton ortwclyc stof 90
high.
II il n we'll known ia I that ilramen
can not do effective work with fif. IN
building more than ssyent, i've feet
high, yet Il ~ proposed to build SONS
OF the pro. ect u t"wering structures a.
height of lib feet 80 sixty feet bs.
yond the ability of tho hrymsn to ae-
complish anything like COED wotk
with u stream Of water AZ 60 80.
quence. II q fire should get under head.
way in one Of these tall buildings there
would bc no po sibility of saving u.
while its crumbling ruin would sn.
danger tho lover noors aud surround.
ing building, to such an extent .. 10
almost render impossible good wofk D.
bo done In irving 10 prevent the s,iread
OF the flames
But they will be practically hre.
proof, suggested the reporter.
Practically. yes. Hat prss, cally
does not mean absolutely Many Of oar
buildings VIII ch were considered pras.
hcally fre-proof have been seen 10
crumble under tho deyoar ng aame.,
and become mass of ruins IN few
hours. These buildings will M doabt,
he 81 constructed; bu, 10 10 hardly pos.
sible TO make one ~ these handsomely.
ornamented palaces entirely iifa proof.
Hardly ANYTHING enters into the plis
but bricks that will not suecnmb 30 ths
flames. ard even ths-s will erambls
under excessive heat The ballding
itself may be practically fre.pseot.
but the contents. such q. desks
and Office furniture sesersliy. are
all combustible. aud II is from Che con.
tents of the buildings that the greatest
danger IL generally apIsehendesi, sni
in which n tire usually originates. 10
is recognized ss an impossibilty to
make building entirely fife.proef. snJ
when this is the ease the limit In height
should be kept st q point Q, Witch the
fire department would he enabled ~ do
affective WORK In extingaishing q fise.
II IL not alone tho safety ~ The build
ing and its u occupants In which o iifs
may originate, but surrounding prop
erty is deeply Interested In the qie=tssn
Of high buildings. aud In my opinion
has right 10 be heard upon The ques-
ton in su h q manner as to make The
protection ~ lmplete a. Il con passibly
be made"