The record-union., 1893-02-01
KURAtS LESSON.
Plastic Earthly Materials the Best Safe
guard Against Fire Losses.

Plastic Earthly Materials the Best Safe
guard Against Fire Losses.
In an article on Fire Losses and the
Age of Clay" Harvey b. Chess writes as
follows in the current number of The En-
gtaeef'ing MdgG2H'e:
Clay has the property that heat con-
cretes and hardens il, instead OF disinte-
grating it.
The Japanese have taken advantage of
this property of clay in a fire-proof con
struction called a Kura, or place OF safe
deposit for valuables when menaced by
fire. This is fire-proof building con
slstIng OF bamboo and netting founda-
ton or framework supporting clay walls.
during the formative period, the clay
ultimately hardening and becoming self
supporting, as do the adobe structures of
the southwestern parts of the United
States and of Central America. These
materlals-bamboo netting and clay with
the tile roofing imbedded in clay-are all
that enter into the construction of kura;
even the doors and WindoW-Sh alters be-
ing made IN the same way as the walls,
but with stepped lambs similar to the
doors OF IRON tire-proof safes. The plastic
clay Is very gradually concreted on the
framework, by successive applications,
often requiring period of two years for
the completion OF one OF these structures.
When endangered by fire, goods and val
uables are placed in these structures, and
crevices around doors or windows are
quickly stopped with plastic clay. 1t is
dlhlcult TO conceive building that could
longer resist fire than the Kura.
While granite and all other stone, and,
least of ali, metal, fail TO withstand the
fiery ordeal in buildings, the Kura
teaches us that we may combat fire by
earthly matter in nearly its natural and
uncrystalllne state. Bearing on what is
to be presented, it should be borne in
mind that the movement of flame is
naturally in an upward direction, i'm
PEELED by the same law of gravitation that
causes burning, falling timber to COM
municate it downward. Moreover flame
has no dynamite force to break through
barriers as for instance water has; it is as
gentle as lnSIdlouS. 1t should also be
remembered that combustion of wood re-
qulres temperature of at least 600; and
that flame rapidly loses its energy after
leaving the point of combustion. A ket-
tie is placed to boil on the fire, not a yard
above it.
We enormously estimate the usefulness
of plaster when we think of it as only
adapted to supply an inner shell or sur
face with function of finish or dress. 1t
Is also most superior tire-armor. But
with what an utter disregard of common
sense 90 we use or, rather, abuse it.
" COSAOh AothlHS supports llS coating
poorly enough at best under ordinary
circumstances, and utterly fails under
fire attack. This lathing is merely dry
kindling admirably placed to flash fire
along TO studdlng, joists and roof-timbers,
1t readily supplies the 500 heat needed
for the ignition of larger sections of the
framing. At Just the proper period it
treacherously drops its armor, lending it.
self with fatal facility to the enemy.
Eliminating large share of these adj
verse conditions, incombustible metal
foundations for plaster have been intro
duced. They have been sufficiently used
and tested under trying conditions to
have their great merit universally recog-
nized. y list of important buildings Of
New York city alone in which such
foundations for plaster have been en-
ployed would surprise the public by it's
extent