Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-06-01
BUILDINGS IN SWEDEN.
Far More Substantial and Cheaper for Iu-
suranc- than In America.

things are possible" has its limita.
tions. 1t is not possible, for in
stance, in a republic like our own,
where everything is done under high
pressure and in a violent hurry, foi
anybody to take time to erect bull
ling actually or even approximately
fire-proof. There are a few eXcep-
tiOns, here and there, and it is graft.
flying to note that they have i ten
dency to increase in number; but
thus far they have been only the ex-
which prove the rule. Nine
out Of ten, probably ninety.
nine out of a hundred, are put up on
the theory that if no i'll luck attends
them, if the occupants are as careful
As they should be, and if the fire de-
partment is prompt in the discharge
of its duty, they will not burn down;
that if they do burn down, the ow-
ner's loss, assuming him to be man
Of ordinary business prudence, will be
fairly covered 10y insurance; and that
even the insurance companies will
have no accession to complain, in as
much as they are perfectly aware
Of the risks they take, and
charge and receive corresponding
premiums therefore. Perhaps, on the
whole, this manner of doing the
business is not without its merits.
At any rate, it seems TO be adapted
to the American temperament. Leav-
ing the peril to human life out Of tho
account, possibly there is money
saved in the long run by erecting
aimSy and combustible buildings, a
certain well-determined percentage
Of which will burn down in given
time. 1t may cost more to build
permanently and safely, once for all,
than to build recklessly and cheaply,
and rebuild from time to time. The
question, not being proposition in
Euclid, undoubtedly admits of argu-
ment.
But there is one country in which
debate on this points does not seem to
be entertained. We learn from a re-
cent highly instructive book on Swe-
den and the Swedes, by William W.
Thomas, Jr., United States Minister
to Sweden and Norway, that the In
tending Swedish builder does not have
to consider whether or not he will
comply with a foolish prejudice in
favor of fire-proof structure. The law
of that country settles the matter for
him with most unmistakable clear
ness. In the first place, it provides
that every house shall be either Of
brick or stone. The cellar must be
Of massive arches of stone laid in
mortar or cement. The ground floor,
supported by these arches, must have
iron beams, the spaces being filled in
with clay and mortar, gravel and
broken brick. The attic floor must
likewise be filed in between the
beams, and must have a continuous,
solid upper surface of the brick or tiles
laid in mortar or cement. The roof
must be of tiles, slate, or sheets of met
al. On each side of the house there
must be fire-proof walls, foot OF
eighteen inches thick. The stairs
must be of stone or iron, laid in stone
walls at least one foot thick from
cellar to attic. Elevator-shafts, il
there are any, must be of solid ma
sOnry, with iron doors. The attic
and cellar must each be closed with
an iron door set in a stone doorway,
and this door must be kept shut and
locked at night, and at all time;
when not in use Finally, no house
| is permitted to exceed sixty-eight
feet in height.
| When Charles Dickens made his
| first visit to this country, and hi:
| first journey by rail through New
England, TIE thing which struck hin
most fOrcibly was the unsubstantia
look of the houses. Riding from
Boston to Worcester Oh Saturda!
afternoon, he observed that 'tall the
buildings looked as if they had beer
built and painted that morning, anc
could be taken down on Monday will
very little trouble;" and at Lowell ht
found "a large hotel, whose walls ant
Icolonades were so crisp, and thin, anC
slight, that it had exactly the appear
ance of being built with cards. wa
careful not to draw my breath as w
passed, and trembled when I saw /;
workman come out on the roof, les
with one thoughtless stamp of hi
boot he should crush the structur,
beneath him, and bring it rattlinl
down" This was fifty years ago, ant
even then there was A good deal o
poetic license in the remarks of ou
distinguished visitor. But notwith
standing the marked advance il
architectural science which has beel
made in this country between lS4
and 1892, the reproach of finishes
and fragility still rests upon the grea
majority of our buildings, and mos
of them are more combustible tha
frail. That their builders an
owners do not escape the penalty o
this misplaced economy is indicates
by a comparison of American wit
Swedish rates of insurance. tn
premiums paid in this country have
very wide range, according to localit
AID other conditions; but in one {
the safest classes of risks, that of dt
tached dwelling houses occupid b
the owners, the premium in an il
/, stance before us is four-tenths of
per cent. per annum. Mr. Thoma:
the author of the book above-mer
toned, paid in the large city {
Stockholm a premium Of one-twer
tieth Of per cent. per annum. l
other words, the Swedish rate wa
only one-eighth as much as tn
American. But the Swedish builde
! must take time and infinite troubl
,, in erecting his house. The America
has no time to spare, and still les
patience; and he pays his eight-fol
premium with cheerful alacrity, an
. thanks a gracious providence morI
: ing, noon and night, for having ST
, him in large place, where the plot
ding ways of the Old World are n
}ected and despised. - Mechanic;
News
The secretary Of the treasury has il
slructed collec ors of customs at a
Urited States ports that the transport