Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-26
AN IRON AGE COMING.
Even Dwelling Houses May Be Con-
structed of Metal.
s. s MARVIN WAKES PROPHETIC.
A Great English Journal Comments Upon a
Possible Outlet
FOE PITTsBURGS CHIEF PRODUCTION


The construction Of iron houses has Just
been commenced in England and the proba-
biIitles are that before long they will be
used extensively in the United States. Iron
is becoming an all-important factor in build
ings of every description, and the innova-
tions which are being made cause the old
timers and the people who have been on
earth since 1s 25 to gaze upon the works of
the present age with the most profound as
tonishment
The Queen of England has recently had
pavilion erected which formed, an orna-
mental feature Of the Windsor show. It is
placed upon basis of hard concrete, so that
Her Majesty may be able to enjoy her meal
almost in the open air without risk OF damp
ness.
The success of this pavilion has given an
impetus to iron houses.
A GREAT PAPER's OPINION.
In this connection recent issue Of the
London Standard says:
s'Mr Gladstone, we are informed, is having
an iron library erected at Hawarden. 1t is to
contain 16,0 900 volumes. The house contains
nve rooms, the largest one measuring Al feet
by 81 Cases are being made to hold 20 tons Of
books. Mr.. Gladstone intends the library for
quiet study, and therefore proposes to admit
only a few persons at a time. These houses are
put together like a child's puzzle and can be
taken apart, compactly packed. and removed
elsewhere. A large number Of iron villas have
been sent from the works at Albert-gate to the
Riviera. and there erected upon plots Of land
the lease expires the houses can be packed up
and removed. There is beginning to be de-
mand for iron bungalows as marine residences
in England. The rapidity with which they can
sIe A1.nf~e or,c% oradr
the ordinary dwelling of brick and stone, are
recommendations which tell in their favor.
The possibility of having house built in
month to the buyers own plan and: ready TOT
incredible. The pretty Welcome Club at the
italian and American Exhibitions was made of
iron, and its cost-f300-will give some idea Of
the comparative prices Of brick and iron. It
was covered with trellis work. which impaired
picturesque and rural aspect to the outside.
In its uncovered state the corrugated Iron can
not be said to be ornamental, but the trellis
work embellishes it at small cost. 1t is sug-
gested by the manufacturers that thatching the
roofs with heather would add to the pictorial
effect, and also give additional protection to
the roof. Heather from Bournemouth thus ap-
piled would last for Is years or more. The
matching would aid in keeping the house cool
in summer and warm in winter, though this
double desideratum has already been secured
by the air spaces between the outer iron walls
and the inner ones of felt and pine wood.
'It is now feasible to add an additional room
to the ordinary brick dwelling house, where
such accommodation is needed. Being remov-
able it is the property of the tenant, so that
inc sne for t6s uitimste beneht Of ones landlord
does not hold good in such case. Stabling
and coach houses can, in the same way, be tenn
porarily erected. As playroom or schoolroom
for children, detached iron building commu-
nicating with the house by a covered way would
prove q boon to the brain-working
father of the family, and in times of illness 1t
would be possible, by this means, to Isolate
patient completely from the other members OF
the family.
There is no damp to be apurehended In an
iron house. A useful present to village
would be an iron playroom, which could be
built in q week. A building costing E2OO can be
erected in fortnight. The price Of room
measuring 20 feet by ID feet would be about $50
The cost of removal is from 95 upward. With
this novel architecture it would be possible to
reside in ones own house at different seaside
resort in England every year by having an iron
house removed in this waY. The brickwork
chimney is preferred to any other BY the build
ers of iron houses, no mode OF heating being SO
wholesome as the open crate. with direct venti-
lation. There are other methods of warming
rooms land some Of them are suf1eiently salts
factory when the ventilation has been properly
secured. The drainage can be worked on the
mode recommended by the originator Of the
iron houses"
SPICE OF PROPHECY.
President S. S. Marvin, of the Exposition
Society, has been an enthusiast upon iron
buildings ever since Machinery Hall was
rushed to cOmpletionas an exhibit of energy
of Pittsburg builders and showing OF the
local resources in such lines. It Will be re-
membered that great discussion was en-
gendered by his letter to Mayor Grant, OF
New York, during the incipiency OF the |
Worlds Fair boom, in which Mr.. Marvin |
suggested that buildings modelled after the |
style of Machinery Hall and combining its |
many and marked advantages, would be just |
what New York wanted. Mr.. Marvin still |
advances and emphasizes that opinion.
His remarks have a spice of prophecy about |
them which makes them still more interest |
ing to public whose whole future may be |
said to hinge upon the possible ramifcatiOns |
of the iron and steel trade. Mr.. Marvin |
was shown the item published in the London |
and after reading it closely he
said:
eWe are only entering upon the Iron |
Age, although very few people appreciate |
that fact You may not see 1t realized, and |
in all probability none of us will: But
within the next hundred years iron houses |
I have always been in favor of using |
iron buildings whenever feasible, and |
zome time ago sent letter to the Mayor |
of New York in which advocated the use
of iron buildings for the Worlds Fair. |
They are portable, durable, and in every |
way answer the purpose of buildings Of |
brick and mortar.
"They will be used BY tenants on land |
which cannot be purchased from landlords, |
and will also be used extensively in suburbs
of large cities.
SOME CLEAR-CUT FIGURES.
''Now take, for instance, Machinery Hall |
at the Pittsburg Exposition, which was |
erected at cost of $110, 900. 1t covers just |
one acre ground, and from that you can see |
what an ordinary dwelling would cost. The
iron plates are 14x6 feet, and can be taken |
down, shipped to any part Of the United
States and put up again in few weeks
'aThe main building of the Exposition |
,ost S225. 900 and the new foundations alone |
cost S65, 900. From this some relative idea
,an be CLEANED of the difference between |
brick and mortar and q building made of |
iron.
"An iron dwelling house can be erected |
It much less expense than one of brick and
here is no reason why they should not be /
more popular. They are warm, clean, dry
md fireproof, and should be favored espec1
ally for small dwellings instead of stone or
prick"
THE PREMIER's PURPOSE.
Mr.. Gladstone has sent the following COM
nunication to the English Magazine:
Observing that statements. either erroneous
,r premature, with reference to the small |
Itructure Of corrugated iron which am now
erecting near the church, have found their
way into some of the public journals, address