The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-08
THERE is SCIENCE IN FIRES
Practical Suggestions to Firemen From
One Who Has studied the Matter.


One Who Has studied the Matter.
From the New York Sun.
Simon Brentano. of the well-known pub
fishing firm for 20 years has been study
ing fires and methods of extinguishing
them. During that time he has missed
but few of the big fires in this city. and
once he was burned out himself.
In Mr.. Brentano's house In Livingston
place there is one room almost wholly
given up to fire literature and fire art. On
the walls are pictures-many of them old
and rare-of famous confiagrations. On
the mantel and the table are relics and
mementoes of great disasters from the
flames and the bookshelves are filled with
treatises in various languages on this
subject. some of them dating back to the
sixteenth century. 1t is the most COM
plete collection of pyro-literature in this
country. perhaps in the world. In this
room a Sun reporter found Mr.. Brentano
contentedly studying a German book of
the eighteenth century which treated OF
his favorite subject.
Part of my amusement in life is in
this sort of thing" said Mr. Brentano.
''One can't always be going to fires.
which is what / should like to do in my
leisure moments, but one can always find
something to read about them by looking
far enough. l have studied this subject
assiduously and / am just beginning to
find out how much there is about fire
that neither / nor anybody else knows.
For many years now / have been in the
habit of going to fires and have passed
much time in the various engine houses.
so that l am perfectly familiar with our
system here, and am somewhat familiar
with systems in other countries. In prac-
tical usefulness the departments of many
of our big cities are unexcelled. Here.
for instance. our firemen can mobilize at
a threatened point with admirable speed.
There is no homogeneity of method in
this country, however, as is the case in
foreign nations. Different cities have Diff
ferent organizations. according to their
needs. Some use fire engines some de-
pend upon reservoir power. and of course
in many of the smaller towns the volun-
teer system still obtains. In the big cities.
however. fire fighting is brought to the
standing of a science.
Every fireman. but almost no out
slider" continued Mr. Brentano, realizes
that there are in every great fire elements
of mystery. IL Is this that makes the
work of extinguishing so dangerous. No
two fires act alike. There are sudden
bursts of flame that leap out from unex-
pected places and drag men down to
death. Again. who is there that under
stands along what lines fire spreads
How are we to explain those explosions
in buildings where there Is known to be
no explosive material? We don't even
know-nor is there any way of finding on,
apparently-what the temperature of a
great fire is. or what its thrusting pow
err the force of penetration of the flames
or under what circumstances of heat and
pressure granite begins to crumble OF
brick to become soft and PUPPY. No one
has ever analysed the heat units in a con-
fiagration- The architects of buildine
don't know how nearly fireproof any sub
stance they use may be.
Now. i'm addition to these matters
which are entirely unknown. there are
other points in every fire which. If known
TO the firemen. would greatly decrease the
danger and difficulties OF their work
| ''The pyramids may be freproof
should not wonder IL they were 1t is q
question of mass. To make a buildine
| fireproof means to take away one-third o,
| its available space. IL would be immense.
/ ly expensive and l don't think we shall
| see one here. Every window you put in
| every open stairway you arrange for 4.
/ just so great a certain detraction from
the flreproof quality Of your building
The term freproof is a comparative one
One thing you may be certain Of: Pu
/ enough draughtways in a building and 4
/ can be burned down. no matter what tn,
material may be.
My experience in studying fires hai
formulated itself into this theory regard
ing these explosions: At a certain stag