New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-14
WOODEN SUBURBS.
A MENACE TO SAFETY AND A BLEM-
ISH TO THE VIEW

throughout the United States substantial struct-
ures OF Drlck are confined to cities and in the cities
confined often to somewhat narrow limits In small
Towns ana VILLAGES and in the suburbs of the cities
construction is almost universally OF wood The
OBJECT or this paper Is to show that this is
that it is evil whose effects are far-reaching and
full of baneful possibilities.
ards is always long and laborious process. To
EDUCATE the majority to appreciate that ii is To
matter of time and patience. Any reform
begin with the educated minority. and they must
people 1T Is useless TO try 10 inhuerce first those
IN and h@ 3Kr Of our law The are
we can free and pride ourselves. perhaps without
cranmed down our throats even If it be for our
own good So. even If we reach those in power and
and wise laws. they cannot do unless they
backed by the moral support Of the people.
menace Of fire, which threatens the lives and prop
erty of the thousands who live in these wooden
buildings and threatens also the city itself, which.
# any one Of the thckly settled suburbs got to
there is the hideous unsghtincss; nothing worse
can he imagined than the general aspect OF these
fmsy in construction which give scope 70
every vagary of and painter in that most dlf
died together as quite to destroy all natural beau
es ana be an absolute blot on Inc Land hd
are cheaper only in their first outlay. saving soon
offset by repairs and deterioration.
THE CAUSES.
The causes which have produced the existing
conditions are not far to seek. When the average
man turns his attention to tho building OF home
in the country or IL the suburbs Of town hts frst
built Of wood So much IS mis- the general senti.
suggested. he will scout the idea. being quite In
appropriate to the country. as being anomalous in
amidst the beauties Of rural scenery We have so
generally come TO expect wooden houses in the
country that wooden house Is considered TO nave
something of rural charm necessarily abding IN
IT, This is evidently merely an association OF Ideas
and is connected with state Of primitive civilza-
ton in primitive country. from which we are
tive dsvs IN" settler must clear his land and the
timber thus removed becomes naturally the mate
the complex requI emens OF real aren't
once binding him TO wood have passed no LONGER
land to be cleared but rather land to De pan f',9
arc available but the habit has been es'abIshei
and habit and associations are very di'hcut 10
Wood is still our cheapest building material. but
will not necessarily remain SO ano apart from 'hi'
Let us see what this is in dollars and cents The
house lies entirely In It's exterior walls. The cellar
and the foundations the interior caipent,ry' tI
terng interior painting and glazing heatlng iilsn
and decoration. these all remain the SAM ~ ~
inches of brick: in the other. STUD ooaruihs paPSa
and clapboards shingles. castings ana OUTSIDE
finish ana the sosre5 OF weveinch BRICK wall
is worth about 49, hundred feet of stud OUTSIDE
s2 In a small house costing 5000 II would add j.
per cent to IS per cert but an eghn nnu VIZ so
T0ud hnndred Square fee; ana would add about
bs exteror walls bear less and less proportion
10 the total cost that per cent OF > per III IN
hrck on n house costing 5000. In the case where
eehtneha wall ID enEes whcre the outer SUI
face is OF proportion 10 the cost one WOLF WOLF
each year more tnan the interest on s bre
,nal outlay. In the other case one SaH, ia a,,d
quarters OF the interest on the Original ou,aS an
with eheaPeT PFG aT rre rgn merely the initial cost
There are two Items which make yearly 9nsft.
terioration OF the wood building. which ar" pom
saved in the brick; second there Is a. sarre ~ con- an,
siderable one Every householder knows "ha MAJ J..
costs 20 paint Ms h9usr arcnrne 10 the exposure
and color The yearly saving on insurance 'ho"sh
not large item. yet counts
THE REMEDY.
Tho remedy lies in a better education o. the reo,
nla 60 as 10 make better laws possible ~ pres"h,
nine on, oi ~ ~ hr,ck when they have the choice.
TSerefore one feels they ought not to have ne
choice where the public interests are AZ stake'
some ea ioI ~ this hi Were done one Of the results
would Inevitably be fall IN the prlce oi W 'N'
Their more general and the demand ior
cheanor brick would induce brickmakers 10 ACCEPT
smaller margin OF profit on aTseT rck is by no
means the only fre-ressting constructors 10, o ~
exterior OF buildings we MAKE YER THIS can be
made into blocks and used Ike stone. or II can Dc
used in block shape as h,ng oT'w 'nd frrrd and
iaqh"d with wood or better. with wire. ana plna
iTrf al w ranes se w@ have fcressng surface
The old method long ago used i pa, ahovnds Is
good on ro;I,lds. or frames The outside sur
Porafy wT T"nt and Norfolk is often finished with
auIi, fnts imbedded In the concrete ana iornl'"f
peTfec v, moG 1 and Sna aba1i Eorwch where the
split nns have been SQUARED nelo'r he,,ween
~ stones were almost impercepible. concrei,,
wall is however somewhat porous, an" s"cb nm
need pr Material Willie the stud wall pasterGd
needs no paint cb ana Wall ~ a" would not COS, over
" ,n e. n square more than a boarded ana snin-
red building IN laG more on Inc basis of 50 g
square more. TO the sSoV, s,rfacs reouires
M Jpaint and If OF good material ana ven We al
! originally. repairing Inc 80 ~ wood can be-
nuu'e r small so as offer 70 the FIRE no more
/ fban the wood frames and stan De""S Vi "''O"
! building ~ ENGLAND
In the eighth report Of o ihs c0m%ss hSrc are
Loor intercsiing statements OF the cost OF
tenements and small houses which ann nqor5v Of
tbnse one mas in mind here arc yet most pei H.
ment In examining them one Is sTubstant,aIiy built
! ~ hrick or stone. and second they nave "nou i
them fair amount Of H IanG " M ' prodace
The Mulhouse Working Mcns 'w W. d,sa yes If
pany has , STsse but ali have the points noted
above They vary slightly IN nd ds rronp Of
com three-storied cottages placed back 10 back
i1s 'f fbreeauarers OF acre and light and ar
on two sIdc This type has four rooms soo win nrS
total area OF 700 square feet $50 on each moor anu
cellar and attic as WEI. IL c9ss st' ,dr s2s
Year < variation of this type has larger srou''
70 n,nles could be multiplied indefinitely, ail1
,hoy wnuid all tend 10 show that the best TYPE o.
~ r.,rn house is substantial and set In trounds
;pat Are Of real waite to the tenant or owner. -;
sides this the most complete privacy o. 'e ir,,s1
ss" rouse and in garden IL generally attaihen
g Such houses are fairly safe from nre and H.
,"rcbance they should burn. would not SERIOUSLY
ppndanger any but their immediate neigh n
Thes are good inesments good houses ,o on Of
s e,ynnrs they might readily be made beautiful as
u and The piece OF land. II not needed TOT the