Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-12-04
THE BUILDING STONE OF TODAY.
Steel Frames Now Bear the Weight of the
Skyscrapers.
Especial Correspondence

Especial COrrespondence.l
PITTSRUIG, Nov. 2S.-The modern system
of construction, by which the weights of
the tall buildings now great n feature of
most American cities are transferred from
the walls to the steel or iron truss framing.
has brought about a curious change as to
the qualities demanded in building stone.
Formerly it was essential that the stone of
the walls of high building should he cap
able of bearing enormous weights without
crushing. Now it is only necessary that
the stone shall be handsome in appearance
and of moderate strength, As it is used only
as facing in the tall buildings.
1t is the application of the truss principle
to the framing of buildings indeed that
renders the Is and 20 story commercial and
industrial towers of today practicable, for
to make the walls thick enough in the low
or courses to stand the weight of some of
the high structures nowadays put on mar
row lots in many cases would be to use up
half the area devoted to the building with
foundation walls.
The strongest stone known to American
builders will bcara pressure of n, 90 pounds
to the cubic inch. The trap rocks of New
Jersey and the dolerite of Staten Island
will both take this weight, which is some
what in excess OF the capabilities of the
GRANTEES. Thus the granite of Rhode Island
brushes when the pressure reaches more
than 1850 pounds to the cubic inch, that
of Virginia will bear p pounds and that
of Maryland 1851 pounds. The strength
of the grantees of Maine. New Hampshire
and Vermont varies somewhat but not
greatly from these 4 ;,;g-.-, aud the strength
of granite has been the quality that has
most recommended it in the past
The strongest marble, in the world are
from American qunrrie~ and come from
Lee, Mass. They will hcsr the weight of
49, 40 pounds to the cubic inch. The mar
BILE of TuckahOe, y. y. will bear 1850
pounds to the inch, and this is in excess of
the strength Of some Il the Fundy red
GRANTEES, which are capable of barring only
I1,sl2 pounds. The statuary marble OF Car
rart will bear only 9.i2:i. The strongest
limestone will support l3.!sn pounds O the
cubic inch. aud it Is QUARREL il the vicinity
of Kingston. y. Y. Tic Umpire State is
especially rich in limC~tC.H quarTir~. the
products Of which 'rr gry1ly valued for
their variety Of color. That ut tilens Falls
is jet black and will take on high polish;
the stone Of Medina. Albion and Lock port
is OF various gray shades. and there are
cream and dove tinted stones found in theT
portions Of the state. Some II the hand
soonest light shaded limestone Is found in
Florida and the Bermuuas.
The Ohio lines; ones are quite the equal
of any in America and are favorites in Gin
cinnati. Cleveland and Columbus. y most
valuable ,opeUty of the Ohio limeStoues
! is their power of resisting fire, a quality
shared by the lime~toI,s 81 northern ludi-
| ana and Illinois. Ii CSC >1nnt~ ar. quar-
| ried in slal ;, aud at one time in the geOlOg
ical history of the earth formed Il part of
| the beach or bottom Of the seas of the Nj
agara period.
| Americans are much NOR lavish in the
Use Of bright culorvSi huIiutul, zones LEAH
!
| Il flCt that was noted % Years aGn 10y Il
/ titled English visitor to this country. inc,
/ in letter to BrlI~a periodical, drvw a
parallel between the ci.rvrful aspect pre-
scented by American LIc.idr~ and the SOM
| Der appearance Of the English fronts, to the
decided disadvantage OF the latter
r. l.. CRAIG.