The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
GLASS FOR PAYMENTS.
People to Live i'm Glass Houses, Which
VIII BE Artistic and Durable.

Philadelphia Telegraph.
Wonderful results have been achieved In
France during the last few months with
glass. II has been used experimentally for
some months as pavement in one of the
busiest streets IN Lyons s with such a, success
cities all over Europe for 1t to replace Bel
gian block. In Paris an entire palace of it
material except glass is to enter into the
construction.
This material, which is so strong that it
can withstand usage under which Belgian
block crumbles away, was invented by. a
French scientist In Chagny, Burgundy
where he conducted his first experiments
1t took long time for him to get any one
to consider his invention seriously, and
when he asked the municipal authorities of
Lyons for permission to pave the principal
streets of that city at his own expense he
found ii hard to get them to consent. How
ever, after persistent effort he won, and a
few months ago he was authorized to go
Perhaps such permission, at least with
out more convincing practical results TO
in an American city. But the French are
nation of experimenters and always ready
and willing to try something new. Louis
advantage of his privilege. He paved only
a portion of one street. selecting for the
purpose a crowded section of the Place de
la Republique. which is crowded day and
night with heavy traffic.
Under his direction the pavement of "ce-
ramic stone" was laid and finished In Mo-
1T was first put down. The experiment has
been pronounced by the experts, who were
skeptical in the beginning. as entirely sue
cessful, and so thoroughly satisfied have
they become with the practical usefulness
of the invention that there are preparing
now large contracts for similar pavements
in other European cities.
The glass pavement is land in the forms or
blocks, eight inches square, each block con-
tanning sixteen parts in the form of check
ers. The blocks are fitted togethed so close
ly that no water can soak between them.
The advantages of the glass pavement as
developed so far are its resistance, which
Is greater than that of stone: its property
as poor conductor of cold. owing to which
ice will not form on IL readily; its resist
ance to dirt. which does not accumulate
on it easily as stone, and its quality not
to retain microbes.
The Central Architectural Society of
France made a report on the material re-
Gently.
From the various forms i'm which this
material is presented. its use can be readily
determined for both practical and decorative
purposes. On careful examination we md
that the Garchey ceramic stone is glass
brought to special molecular condition.
In certain sense 1T constitutes new sub
stance which resembles fiagstone, granite
or marble.
This new product is obtained from
broken glass heated to a temperature of
1.25O degrees and compressed IN matrices by
hydraulic force. The physical transforma-
ton OF the glass is due to Identification
under the process. The phenomenon OF de-
more apparent than real; for upon chemical
analysis the devitrified glass Is found 10
possess all the intrinsic qualities physical
and chemicaD of glass, except the trans
parency, while taking on an entirely differ
ent aspect. Furthermore. glass treated un-
der this new method is made to resist
crushing frost. and heavy shocks, and TO
stand hard usage"
Apart from paving material there now Is
peing produced from old glass an excellent
building material, which Is being used for
buildings and interior decorations, much as
Is cut stone.
A proposition to erect glasshouse-a lu-
minous palace-for the Paris exposition next
year has been accepted. and the building
Will present completely the possibilities Of
glass as structural material. NJ Garchey
says that he feels confident that within three
years time glass houses will be 80 common
that they will not attract the slightest at
tention.
The glass palace which he will build for
the exposition was described thus by him
I'm the middle of a garden where green
sward Is only broken by fower-embroidered
gravelly walks, lie palais lumnense will
stand. II will throw out into the garden
an ingenuiously adorned silhouette resem-
bling jewel set with prosphorescent stones
imbedded in green foliage and sWard.
THE principal facade Is in the form
OF an immense portico, roof surmounted
with spires, and winged statue
The ground floor, reached by a double flight
OF stairs. will be a large exposition room
Right and TO the left will be large glass
basins In glass grottoes. In the interior OF
the hall will be Ave large openings. in which