Evening star., 1896-04-14

specifications have, not been lived up to,
ana that Is all there Is about it, =,
From the Insurance Mems Standpoint
The president of the board of fire under
writer's of the Dlstric. of Columbia, Mr.
John B. Wight, when asked how such a
construction was regarded from the point
OF view of the fire insurance companies
said: I'm all large buildings the roof fs
regarded as the most important feature
from our standpoint; SO much so, in fact
that under the present system Of rating
large buildings in cases where the roof js
OF an 1nfiammable character, that Is, when
II is composed of wood instead of metal, an
extra charge is made. In the case of. old
buildings, where wooden roof Is remod--
eied or changed to metal roof, a credit
IS allowed. reducing the rate of iffsrr-
Us Mr.. Myer Cohen; a prominent member
Of the board OF fire Underwriters, speak
ing on the subject of the wooden roof on,
1ne new city post office. said To Star re.
the standpoint of an insurance man no one
could find anything but fault with he
construction Of that roof. AS 1 UNDER
stand 1t, 1t Is simply slate nailed onto a
sheathing of wood Now. so far as 1 can
see. that Is little. different from the old
style of French roof which was popular
at one time, but is not often seen nova
Gays When l went into the insurance
business fifteen years ago one of the first
lessons that had drilled into me was that
q building with such roof as that was
dangerous risk and should be avoided as
iar as possible. In that form of con-
struction there is an excellent chance for
lire, once started, to smolder, perhaps
unobserved, until 1t has acquired such
!ieIy neadWay that 1t breaks out all over. prac-
tcally at the same time. remember
some years ago house that had in
sured, a two-story and French roof build
ing, caught fire in broad daylight; the
engines responded promptly and made a
a nnr want
loss Just the same, simply owing to the
character of the roof. where the fire start
cd NO one would think of putting such
a roof on building like the Loan and
trust, Tor example, and do not see why
II should be used on a public building
which ought to be model in every way."
Forbidden by Building Regulations.
Building Inspector Brady said today he
did not care to discuss tine pest office roof
any further. He would say however, that
IN all OF his experience as an architect he
had never heard of roof of the construc-
t1on as proposed. If the building were
under the control of the District of Column
Ola ne would not have permitted the roof
as proposed by the supervising architect.
IN fact, the building regulations of the Dis
trict would prohibit it.. These regulations,
belonging to the United States.
Inc paragraph Of the building regulations
which refers to this natter reads as fol-
lows:
Buildings hereafter, erected or increased
IN height, except churches, if exceeding
helgnt OF seventy-five feet to the square,
shall: be constructedsi in ssfreproof manner,
as herein named taIyit a3All joists, beams,
IaIters, purlfnes, jack ra6ters, plates, studs
tles and arches sha9t be made Of cast or
wrought iron or soBte ether metal, stone,
Drick, cement, mortar Or other inc embus-
tlple material, and cQyeraa with corrugated
IRON, sheet or cast yQnSotin, copper, zinc
or other metal, orr slate, brick stone,
cement. mortar oM~other incombustible
AiiatefiaL I'd
Expert PfckpOckets.
The police are nds fully satisfied that
there is a mob" of 'bickp6ckets in the city,
and are doing all ing their power to. appre-
bend the men who havoc operated on the
car lines and at other places since Sunday
morning. Eight tricks ,dhave been taken
since that time, the cnievas securing $297 in
cash, paper for $275sandotwo railroad tick
cts to Canada. Three cases, in addition to
reported. Carl Roesser of No. 1904 Caroline
street was relieved of $50, and John w.
thompson OF 0O0 G street southeast was
robbed OF $13 These robberies occurred on
the street cars, probably at the U street
junction, while Simeon Nicholson Of No. 1O1
wniie in the Baltimore and Potomac depot
last night.
Divorce Granted.
Judge Cox today granted Maria r. Cobb
divorce from George Brinton Cobb, and
also granted Mrs. Cobb the custody and
control of the children, Jean and Francis
Mrs. Cobb filed her petition November p,
1885. the DQDera In tho heins Wffhhalf1