The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-11
SAFES Ano THEIR HISTORY.
James connor, n Typo oundcr, fla do Tho
First Flrcproof Iron Safe.

made In heavy oak or other hardwood
boxes or chests, says the New York
Saturlay Globe. They were bound on
the ctmncrs and across tho top and
front with iron bands studded with
nails. Iron plates were eventually
made TO cover the outside of the chest
end n4iled to the wood. The founda-
ton OF the plan upon which fireproof
safes are still constructed was laid by
Richard Scott in 1901. The improve
ncnt previous to 1925 was to mako the
chest of soft wood, in thicker body,
soaked In brine; after thoroughly soak
Ing both the inside and outside shells
sheets of iron were fastened inside and
outside with large nails or spikes.
Tho idea and principle was that the
moisture in the wood upon the applica-
ton OF heat would produce steam and
prevent the interior and it's contents
reaching temperature of two hundred
and tvyolvc degrees Below that point
paper of every description will be pre-
served from damage either to the fiber
OF the material or to the writing which
may DO upon it's surface. These
principles of the steam producing
quality and the reliance upon this
quality is the principal element in the
manufacture of all safes of the present
day, though different materials may DO
used to produce the same result
james Common, typc-foundcr of this
city, about lS29-32 invented an iron
stronghold with Il double shell, having
as filling plaster of Paris mixed with
water. Later the shells were lined
with sheets of mica pasted on paper
and filled with burnt clay or sawdust
and charcoal. Plaster retained the
moisture successfully, but was so de-
sSructtvc to the thin iron shells that it's
use was abandoned. Conner allowed
his invention to lapse and n man named
Fitzgerald in 1915 obtained new letters
patent on the same kind OF n safe.
William Mari, of London, in 1884, was
the first to patent method of construc-
ton for safes. In 1888 Charles Chubb,
of the same city, used couccntric Innings
of iron plates filed in between with
wood ashes or other slow-conducting
materials OF nature to retard tho
transmission of heat In 1913 letters
patent were granted to tho Messrs.
Tam for the use of pounded alum and
gypsum, previously heated and cooled,
as firc-rcsisting medium. In 1870
Thomas Miner had patented n plan to
fill the jacket, formed by the double
plates, with sawtlust, in which woro
packed number of small tubes filled
with an alkaline solution and hcrmeti-
cally scaled, Or crystals of alum or soda
combining from forty to sixty per cent
water capitalization.
In cases of fire and the safe heating
the tubes would burst or the CRYSTALS
would melt and saturatc with water the
sawdust- Steam thus produced by the
heat would pass into the inner safe and
protect It's contents, ii inflamnablc, for
long time. George Price, OF Wolver-
hampton, Eng, in 1855, tried the plan
| of coating metal surfaces exposed to the
filling with Il composition to prevent
corrosion, and then used powdered alum
and sawdust as a filler Previous TO
this, in $780, dry plaster and common
grade OF alum or potash alum was
found TO bc Of value as Il non oaductor
OF heat Plaster was used for is non
conductor quality and alum for the
large proportion OF water it contains In
crystallization. The same heat which
produced steam also fused or disinte-
grated alum, releasing the rnoisturc and
producing the requisite steam qualities
Mosr of the frcproof safes Of the
present day arc made of wrought-iron
plates and angles on the outer and
inner frames The usual thickness Of
the walls Is from five and 4 half to six
inches Combination locks arc used al
most universally; key locks are the ex-
ception. The number of safes produced
by tho manufacturers has largely in
creased in later years. Factories are to
be found i'll every part Of the country,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast
The increase began with the Chicago
fire Of 1871, and steadily advanced with
the opening of the great northwest.
The railroads and express companies
use large numbers of safes for terminal
office facilities; also for the transmission
If valuable packages by rail.
Jewellers safes of late years have
been improved by the addition of an
inside lining of drill-proof material
Extra strength and security is given to
the doors by heavy bolt-worlt on the
interior.
Durglar-proof safes are distinct from
flrcproof safes in material, construc-
ton and the object for which they are
built The walls are composed of high
and low grades of steel, which when
tempered will resist the most powerful
drill. But it is an error TO suppose that
O sale which provides security from the
burglar, drill is for that reason suri-
cicrtly protected from burglars who
are pr:'pcrly fitted for an attack upon a
bank sefc or vault.
Recent experience has demonstrated
that other methods are more cxpcdi.