New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-11

nornent that that might be reason why you
shod not be required to know all the details or one
| company What other companies are you M ~
"a 20 What other company7 A.-The United Com
pany. ,.,..., Wall. Il IL furnishing
engineering advice and drawing up plans TOT con-
tracts: doing contracts OF any kind 49,, aons INV.
Oft does contracts? Alt mas not uo1 o onsr
but II was Incorporated to do contracts all over
y" o.cWhat kind of business has the company done'
o.-What was it formed fOr7 A.-To do Just what
o~We will wait moment and come o,l back s ito 10
that Is that the only other corporation you "'' u"
Q.-Are you not in some other business that is not
o."%ow. ask you upon this concreting line Il
take any ysams nave s s had to get
proohng work accepted In the past A-tes nres
Q.-Then you learned that IL IS an impo''""' t'''
ton? Ayes. sir.
HE FEARS. BUT DOES NOT FEAR.
o-Have you learned that 1T is so important as
% Give Won anv fear for your investment with your
company? Ayes. sir
GA little while ago you said you had no rear
Ayes sir
Q-Are you still in the position that you nave
no fear for your investment? A-Weil. don't FEAR:
| 7 think we have a very good system there. and l
know that in the end It will come out all right If
| O~Yon are getting a fair deal now, aren't your
Q-You are not making any complaint against
anybody. are you? A.-No. sir. ,.,,,.. s,o.,
Q-And you have seen some of the kindly disposl-
ready rtS% haven't you? X"yes sir
QYOu have seen public spec
ing verbatim the specifications taken IRON yyoss
sns the Roebns
A.-Along with another system.
S-The tile Of course; but The tile system was
in before, wasn't It.? A-fes SIR; al tho concrete
nreproof systems that are known, your system
alone is printed in the public school specifications
o.-And printed by name? A.-Yes. sir
aEsn from % Your ng that
isn't II? A-Weli, to call for our system you have
eVoNif there were other details it would not be
RebnE system would COULD DO be Rocbns ys
tenn, couldn't they? A-No, sir.
ONE FRANK ADMISSION.
o.-Have you a patent on It? Ayes sir. a
patent the wire part
Dwell. other people can build the Roeblng
system, minus the WIRE can't they; build 1t with
beams? A.-Then IT would not be the Roebng
system.
| Q.-what is the basis Mr.. Croker. OF a hreproof
system? What is the important part Of a freproof
system? Alt depends the system.
Q.-F1reproohng is system 1t Is accomplished
by different means. But what is the basis or fire.
proohng construction? A.-Protecton against fire.
Q.-That is its result; that is what 1t is for; but
| what is the basis OF freproof construction? Al
do not understand the question.
o. address It to one who is IN the business and
who has invested his money I'm the business. and
ask what is the important thing in freproof con-
struction upon which its usefulness depends-what
mp por thing should think. would be that it
would hold certain amount OF weight a certain
Q;-supposing you had an empty building built
with flreproof construction filled with beautiful
paintings. perhaps. but without any weight on the
floor. ana that building takes fire. and your fire.
poTtant point in it? A.-That it should resist fire.
] should think.
o.-Exactly. that 1t should resist fire. Now, what
Is the important point in freproof construction?
o-What Is the important thing in the COM
pleted matter which your companies hold to give
its value AWh h 40 we CAIN AIM TOT me
thing-that which tends the most to resist fire?
Q.-The concrete; now we have got It. 1t is the
concrete And In the concrete It Is the cinders,
isn't II? A.-Oh. no.
DRAWS HIS SALARY FOR LEARNING.
Q.-Isn't the clnder considered the most I'M
portant element In It? Cement is put in to bind the
cinders together. Your sand is put in to fill the
nerstlces but hasn't 1t been demonstrated that
cinder ressts fire more than any other substance
that be used. and all the companies, these con-
crete companies. a foundation OF cinder mixed
with sand cement; isn't that so? A.-That is what
they are supposed to do 1 don't know whether
they do It or not.
Q.-That is not patented is TT A.-No
omThs only thing that is patented is the medium
! -
$50 It isdruA OF all these fre-proohng COM
panies. the same important element only they have
ways Of sustaining It.
Q.-And you having invested your money in the
Tra Gotta! ySs believed as GOOD as the
Owe come back to the point that OF all these
systems all using concrete, one system by name
Roebilng, and by specification Roeblng. is put into
the scnO9 Board SaS Asy test
little better than the other:
Q-Tests? Ayes. tests. ,.,..- $4,000,
O.-Whcre have they had competitive tests? A.
i don't know, but know they have had them
0.-Mr Croker, do you have anything to do with
the actual management of the business OF your
Q~Then may | ask you what do you do for the
$500? Al am at S learning 5se psd
for learning 1t. | would like to have private
and Woud ike to O see him get paid learning
business You have got to do something tor
o.-And ii is intended to pay percentage on the
Q.NAnd il $500 is paid to somebody who Is not
doing anything that is wrong to the rS other r. st ss1n
| the business. l suppose in time. when learn it, |
will help the company along. and help them run
Q-in what way are you trying to learn the bust
ness7 Al am learning what the construction Is,
and how they work up the specifications and plans
and make estimates
DOES NOT STUDY TOO HARD.
o.-You have engineers to do that. haven't you?
Ayes
O-Are you studying engineering? A.-No
O-Mr Croker didn't you think that before you
| undertook to learn the business you should have
| taken an engineering OF some kind? A
| No.
o-You intend to use hreproof construction in
large buildings, wherever you can, don't you? A.
| | will try TO- under the law
Oft is largely a question Of weight, weight and
| forndationg A-Welght We consider that II Is
| a good deal later than the tile
! Q-And 1t is an important matter to put the
weight in the right. way, and put 1t In the best
"ocLWhat are you doing practically to acquaint
o.~Hs he your instructor and mentor in those
! matters? Ayes.
QNHave you made any tests of your system3