Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-24
THAT WOODEN ROOF
The Supervising Architect Explains to a
House Committee
1t fs FireprOof, but Not IncOmbustible
He Points Out the Difference
Between the Terms.

The supervising architect of the Treasury
Department, Mr.. Aiken, was called before
the House committee on public buildings
and grounds today to tell why he is put
ting wooden roof on a supposedly fire
proof government building in this city-the
new post office. The subject of the inqui-
sition was the Senate resolution directing
him to remove all combustible material and
TO construct the roof after the most mod
ern fireproof fashion, as the law directs
Mr. Aiken admitted to the committee
that the roof was not being built of nom
combustible material and that if he had
the building to construct over again he
would discard the present material and use
non-combustible material His excuse vas
however, that the roof will be "fireproof''
in the term accepted by architects, al
though not non-combuStible.
He said the term 'freproof'' applies to
structure where a fire once started would
be confined to a small space. Such would
be the case with the post office building
The roof has wooden sheathng, covered
outside with slate and inside with wire
laths. filled with plaster. If fire should
start it would he confined to a small; space.
In the term .'dreproof," accepted by
the building regulations of great cities
there IS nothing to exclude the use of
wood for roofs and partitions, except
around stairways. This roof, he said, con-
iOi IiAS " tIAc -NSN Oih DululllS reg ulI-
tiOnS.
He was frank to admit that the best con-
Struction for roof, to be incombuStible, is
OF iron girders covered with terra Gotta
tile such roof, however, would be much
heavier than the present one, would add
$1,000 to the cost of the building, delay it's
construction six months and cost the gov
ernment $1,000 additional in rents for the
occupation or other quarters dur ing that
time.
Il think this roof will answer all the re-
quirements OF the building laws" said Mr..
Aiken.
Never mind that" put in a member of
the committee; will it answer the require
nents of the United States?''
Yes"
Suppose you were going to build the
pest office over?'
Il would not do it that way"
"Why?"
Because it Is not incombustible.''
do you consider the roof fireproof?"
Il think SO; that is, it is freproof, but
not incombustible."
. rs it even .fireproof under the most
stringent laws?'
1T is, up to the required height limit"
DO you think the roof ccmports with
the character of the rest of the building?"
Il do
'If you had the supreme authority to
do 50. would you change it?"
Not now."
Then why do you say if you had it to
do ever you would make 1t incoplbustible?"
Il would arrange the building with that
view in end. We are putting up a post
Office in Pueblo with an incombustibe roof,
but the whole structure is arranged for
that purpose"
Mr.. Aiken said the roof is being built In
accordance with the plans adopted at the
commencement OF the structure.
at the close of Mr.. Aikens examination
the committee postponed action on the
resolution until the next meeting
Chairman Milliken stated afterward to a
Star reporter that his own idea of the
matter is to allow the present construction
to proceed, as he thinks the roof is suffi-
ciently tireproof.