New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
DEFECTS IN FIRE-PROOFING.
FOUR NEEDS ESPECIALLY MADE CLEAN
BY THE RECENT GREAT FIRE


,.h ,,,or,or obstruction OF the Homo Life
pu,,d,nq last night mot speaking OF Its equally
elegant and supposed safe neighbour. ana AZ P'"
fess,onaI Gro proofers. may We nor Suggest S"''o
facts and reflections pertinent on these Costly as
ssters and their cause that We hope Will he found
pertinent? They TO some extent OF re"e"'"'
ro,ura old and hackneyed with US. and others
and we claim no especial originality ont Simply
with this particular IRE and building AZ 'eA' W
attempt In some measure TO answer the query Oh
the thousands to-day, why 90 su'n '''"s' nay
pen and IL there remedy?
.s ,s well known the Home Life Building had
numerous windows overlooking Rogers, feet 20
The slight walls opened ont to this s'de' ana j."
close proximity these were the elevator sn'i''
with ~ we mistake not windows opening al eacn
floor These features therefore. re-entrant
parts of what would he ordinarily 1re wall sho
this recessing fulfilled perfectly on the occasion or
the fire the function OF the inciosed smart OUT
without its usual safety provision at each moor.
The great heat and fame from the ahJacent
Rogers Peet & Co building readily enough brought
the Home Life wooden window Trainings 10 the
Am IN a,o degrees Fahrenheit temperature needed
for ignition The common glass Of the windows
interposed no obstacle whatever. a mere breath
OF fame easily DESTROYING it's integrity, ana get
ting inside. especially at the elevator smart was
readily and naturally carried UP through success
sve stortey. and well beyond the rutiie ehoi's vi
the Fire Department.
Let us consider what material this Invading IRE
found IN it's widening zone of DESTRUCTION
and conc,rrently enumerate what material might
have been substituted instead that would not
have so royalty fed It's progress.
WOODEN WINDOW FRAMES
In the first place the wooden window frames
with usual light boxing beads etc. might easily
have been in struck up light steel construction.
and Thus absolutely untouchahle in the primary
fire. attack The sash could also have been OF the
same material at no great added expense How
ever common glass would 60 in any event and the
bulk of wood in sash Is 60 small. this feature Is
mainly dangerous in providing dangerous raing
nrebrards In the Home Life Building. very prop
erly the lining return OF the window recesses-
T. e. inside-was in plaster Frequently this Is
treated IN supposedly elegant style. lined In wood
topped with what IL vulgary known as trim
Given incombustible window Trainings and sash.
the glazing might readily have been made into
perfect Are screening by OF tho now we'll
known and proven wire glass which. however.
was not known at date Of the construction Of this
building.
The wood frames in this building In burning
were enough TO quicken and vitnliEsythe entering
fame and prepare II the better for mischief.
The corridor floors OF this building were done In
excellent mosaic skired with ma rble base Cboard).
but the numerous room doors from corridors were
OF the usual type. Of much bemouded wood well
filed and vanished evidently (hut unfortunately.
and this kind Of door. in inviting 10 ire. Is only
exceeded by the equally Wei SheISceo ana var
nished door frames ,ncosing them. The more
tortured and beaded the wood The easier fire takes
hold and the more fire flashing and filing and var
nish carried
sTEEI. DOORS
Absolutely urhurnable doors have been provided
for long time. Indeed. more elegant door. than
those in question are furnished from two sheets
Of stamped and embossed light steel placed hol-
low 70 hollow with packing between. exactly on
the same principle the tin-ined doors Of the
Underwriters. which has been known over and
over to Justify its claim OF absolute fre-proof-
ness AS TO door frames. why should wood ~ ne
cessity he used Inexpensive sheet steel NAV be
modelled I'D into any requisite form. and why in
these days Of good fscile and cheap electro
bronze and other finishing Of metals. the most
IA hioned and obnoxious wood trim Is surprs-
ing. Or light rolled by 21a inch steel may be
ceve slam OF door. while cement moulding may
frame up the opening. The former device is now
9y ery G 5dbas Would In h only from
We have mentioned the incombustibls mosaic
hoor bases Of corridors. In tho rooms, wha, aid
wood flooring: laid presumably on the usual i'm;
The wood floor and must BE- HID fully eontribu;
and constructively vaueless feature of u inch or
Il inch tor morel Dashboard sncircling them. and,
quick and sare stisck through much moaians
oil inteIigenf and up-to-date architects that much
use Is made in hig1-Grade buildings OF a cement
cred With usual packing or carpet lining that goes
S 5d faTRsnE ferns for 2 e v snS durable cheap
II may be said as 10 bases that these cannot
be FURNISHED in ANYTHING r bH wood hbt me or
catching beads or quirks, inches or inches high.
S Sh es oraT sS 'esn me S as or See
still he with cement mortar round the floor sur
face uhe cement one) into the wall ones, with
q good sized hlet that will every practical
ppposs o. s. The wood 6 and a. . Gneth 6 ns
cleaner and sanitary, for obvious reasons As to
sBnd or dsdo in and
monious form. than wood tints usually furnish.
tive faults in Inc Home, Life: namely, wooden win
dow frames combusti6le doors and e frames WOOD
toned wooden base II j. sdmit'Gd that fnrnigTe
named. not The owner as he invites occupancy
case Of these Nigh, be left TO sprinkler systems.
f f5n Home liz been unenanted would the result
have been materially different can any one sup
pose7
THE MORE WOOD, THE MORE FIRE"
This building and its neighbor not isolated
cases and their shortcomings but typical Of
eight out Of ten office buildings the country.
OF even late date. The Western Union Building
disaster excused on the ground of early date
Of it's erection How much how little wood
could be risked a component OF good. safe build
ing was an unsoved problem then. Last nights
conhagration emphasizes with terrible force the
automatic truth The more wood. the fire"
All Interested know that wood athing early
completely tabooed In fre-proof building and metal
lie substituted for obvious reasons. Why should
not the certain-o-burn features noted of infinite
" more ability for mischief also he barred out Of
high-grade buildings
The American steel skeleton has proved most
conclusively in late and most crucial tests It's
49,.
building creation, be fretted and undone by al
most blind and Chinese adherence to old and n
gerous forms OF treatment IN details and features
Of absolutely q minor kind. In light OF his
cess the steel engineer is made sick with the flea