The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-17
F1REpRoor wooD.
Prof. stiilmnn of the stevens Institute
Advocates Its Requirement by Law.

ATuIs Nttthulhh VI Nhu SNSNOAI ubNhtu
Advocates Its Requirement by Law.
To THE EDIToR OF THE SUS-Sr: The
recent great loss Of life by the burning OF
hotels and private dwellings in New York city
has drawn the attention OF the public thereto
who are DESTROYS OF securing n remedy.
IT has been stated that tho New York law.
passed in 1902. relative to the construction OF
hotels. 6c.. provides all necessary safeguards.
This. however. is not the case.
This law requires hotels over thirty-lye feet
in height to be constructed with walls Of brick.
stone, iron or some other hard incombustible
materials. in which wooden beams or lintels
shall not be placed. and In which the floors and
roofs shall he of material similar to the walls
Commissioner Brady Of tho Department OF
Buildings. states that all hotels built in New
York since 3 have been constructed in
accordance with this law. Private houses are
not included
These hotels. however. are not absolutely
f1reproof. since doors. window frames. trim
mings. castings and interior finish are OF wood.
Instances are many where this woodwork
has been set on fire by electric wires aud other
causes and the contents Of the rooms utterly de-
stroyed. Where tine buildings we're old. total
destruction has ensued. and where they were
constructed under the laws OF 1892 many suites
Of rooms on a floor have had their contents en-
tirely destroyed. with loss OF life.
This ignition Of woodwork Is often intense
enough. even when the walls are Of brick and
the floors Of cement. TO melt the gas brackets
and chandeliers. tho gas taking fire for in
stance. the destruction of the woodwork In a
suite Of offices in the Postal Telegraph building.
New York city. during the past year. The
writer can testify to similar cases where the
entire contents OF offices in so-called fire
proof buildings was destroyed. These fires
are liable to occur now In a5 per cent. OF all the
new ~flreproof buildings in New York city.
Many suggestions have been made relative
to the saving of fife when any Of the older hotels
should take fire.
Commissioner Brady said on March 10:
Take any of the older hotels In New York
it will be found that they are literally plastered
with fire escapes. In every room there will be
found 2. rope with which a person can lower
himself to the ground in case Of Are. There are
hand Rrenades IN the halls. and In all the larger
hotels there are fire crews that are supposed to
th All w Of these applsisnces practically, failed at
send could escape from the upper windows Of
2 arhno1t hotel by means of a rope: women and chill
hrlned by Fire, Commissioner Scannell. who
goes even further and asserts, that, no matter
guests tsa in a ! panic eT'S Do not h ina t %sy ha fe my ms
belief all the Are escapes that can be put on a
building; and all the If saving appliances that
What Is the remedy? The wood used should
IN ENGLAND the subject has received special
edition to the BpritisMh Museum. the bedford
; 6],& lIdt.S =; va hsyss al the %ocdSorfE con.
In this country the United States Govern
T fe5tti has az a,do pr tlreProoi T9od in the con.
done only after g very complete test regarding
with the ~freproof material. It was found the
wood would not burn: that after treatment, n
properly kiln dried. the strength OF the wood.
cally the same as before and In
many instances better.
similar inyestigati9ns were made at the
tests made by me showing the ~impregnation
of the wood by the flreproof1ng material to be
complete and permanent. and the mechanical
physical properties Of the wood. Pine, ash,
oak. birch. yellow. pine and wildwood were
Nearly all the private houses in New York
contain wooden beams and flooring. as we'll as
wooden de stairs tsr a fre once fairly started can;
the woodwork has been Accomplished.
II would seem. after the recent fires and loss
OF lie in deliberately constructed houses. to be-
hreproofs The present building law t should Il be-
SO modified as To- require that all woodwork
used in construction OF houses. hotels. &c. be
1.-THE Legislature OF the State OF New York
can impose restrictions regarding the materials
t. be used II construction OF roofs. walls and
work to be non-combustible.
This would make the law complete. as not a
single article used in the construction OF a
NEW YoRK April Is.