The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-20
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To THE EDITOR or THE sur-Sir: In an ar
ticle in The Sun Of last Sunday. entitled "No
Building Fireproof." Chief Bonner is said to
have reiterated his declaration that there is no
such thing as n ~ireproof building. making use
Of this expression: "Our experience with the
new Vanderbilt building was not . new ono;
but only served TO confirm my idea that nre-
proof buildings do not result in fact. . . In
any building where the floor and 6nishings are
wood and the contcnts-merchandise or furni-
ture-are combustible, you will have q FIRE"
While the statement Of Chief Bonner is true
with reference to those buildings in which the
floor and furnishings are Of ordinary wood. IL
does not apply 10 those buildings In which moth.
ing but ~lreproof wood has been used. In such
buildings the woodwork will not only not boz
como iRnited. but 1t does. as a matter of fact, re-
sist the ravsges OF fire better than any other
material. being non-combustible and at the Same
time an excellent non-conductor OF heat. In
this respect, doors of nreproof wood are superior
to iron doors, because the former can be made to
at much closer.
Tho Importance of using H~reproof wood in
hreproof buildings has already been appreciated,
because in some Of tho leading OH CO buildings
In this city nothing but 6reproof wood has been
used.
Referring, to tho damage by FIRE to tho new
Vanderbilt building on Nassau street, It is evil
dent that, IL ~ireproof wood had been used In the
construction OF the woodwork, the window
frames would not have been iRnited. and the re-
suit would have been that the contents of said
building would have remained intact.
In the art OF shipbuilding the Importance of
nised. for in ali the latest Vessels e di'O Of the the United
States Navy the woodwork throughout tho In
terior 10 made OF hreproof wood.
Up TO the present time h~reproof wood has not
been used much for making furniture outside Of
tho furniture used on battieships, but thero
seems to DO no reason why furniture made of
%freproof wood should not also come into general
use.
In view Of the many and disastrous ffres that
have occurred In hotels, theatres. schoolhouses,
and hospitals, 1t In gratifying to feel that 1t 10
within the power Of man to prevent the recur-
renee OF such calamities by using no combustf.
the buildings and by furnishing such buildings
with nreproof furniture exclusively.
The cost OF fr0proof wood 10 not prohibitivo,
being about 20 per cent. in excess Of the cost Of
ordinary wood. In q building with very elah-
crate woodwork this will cause an increase Of 8
per cent. In the total cost Of the structure, where
as In a building with unpretentious woodwork
the increase in the total cost Of the structure will
not exceed liz per cent
Under those circumstances It would not be
amiss for the Chief of the Fire Department to
acquaint himself with the really fireproof build
inEs IN New York. in which nothing but FIRE
are entitled to be called hreproof buildings in
every sense Of tho word.
In order that the public may not be misled by
the statement Of Chief Bonner. which is apt to
produce an erroneous impression. the above
facts are presented. q. A. @. RoeE1L,P Phi. d.