New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-11
WHAT SIAM WOULD BUY.
SUGGESTIONS FROM MINISTER KING TO
EXPORTERS OF BUILDING
MATERIALS.

SAN. II these articles I hope to show the
--sssrr condition Of the country, and thus 10
lzgest to American manufacturers the posi-
,r,.ies for American trade
r,s-e is a great amount Of building going on
. psncxok al the present time; a conservative
zs-,ste places the number OF permanent build
s-vs mat have been erected during the last year
80 are now in process Of erection at $500
-bsse do not include the temporary structures
- -he natives. but represent all styles Of more
,a-uenent buildings, from the rented shop and
-,o-e humble dwelling TO the new palace OF His
Majesty al Tusit Park and the most pretentious
v,o5ern dwelling house. The materials used in
,be construction Of these buildings are wood
h-iek corrugated iron and tile. A few years ago
-sskwood was the most common building ma
.egisI but the great advance in the price Of teak
nas led u the Importation Of cheaper woods
snd an endeavor TO manufacture other lumber
4-or1 the forests q Siam.
As yet there has been no good wood found TO
AXE the place Of teak. for. in addition TO dura-
saty and strength. this wood possesses the val
usble quality Of resisting the white ants better
than the other woods. Brick columns are now
being used IN the place OF teak posts. While
these are cheaper and furnish the strength
needed they are very clumsy In the otherwise
ughtly constructed buildings, and hence ob1ec-
rionable Il Is believed that light iron Orders
snd posts would find very general favor If once
,bev we're introduced Several large fires have
given rise 10 ordinances prohibiting attap
trharched) roofs or bamboo structures from the
crv IN The future. These circumstances on the
-rbols have proved beneficial for the new city
.bat is nov rising is for the large part made UP
q brick, iron and tile
= NEW SEWAGE SYSTEM
The sanitary department has also taken ad-
rautare q these fires 10 broaden the streets in
the burned districts so as TO give room for the
SIDE walls q brick and cement and open brick
sewers between the side walls and the streets
These Improvements are now being pushed be-
yond the confines Of the burned districts and
The temporary structures that have encroached
uyon the streets, as time has gone by, are now
gradually giving way 10 sidewalks and sewers
throughout the city
II city OF from 100000 to 100000 inhabi-
fsnts rapidly increasing in size and so scat
tered that Il may wei be called q city OF mag
niacent distances. this great amount of build
ing these extensive Improvements in walks and
sewers and the building Of new bridges in con-
necIiO1 With the opening up OF new streets make
q large demand upon the market This demand
promises 70 increase rather than diminish for
some time 10 come for. with all these new
buildings in the city, rents are exceedingly high
and Il IS quite Impossible for one 70 secure a
comfortable tenement Uniuproved real estate
IS rapidly advancing in price on account OF the
demand for new house lots and the development
by His Majesty Of Tusit Park adjoining the
city, is causing an extension Of the streets Of
TIE city many Of which are being paved with
brIck rat VII take years for completion.
The city has been obliged to manufacture its
gwu brick for a year or more. All the brick
yards OF the country turn out a most ordinary,
casrse, rough product, which are so unsighty
that they must always be covered up with plas-
Indeed, out OF the great number OF brick
gr-ucrures IN Bangkok I DO not remember hav-
ing seen one that would be known by its exterior
ss e b-ick building n America
Good clay is abundant. labor is cheap and
transportation by water is possible from any
part q the country and 20 every part Of the city
through the nUmberless canals Of this vast
plain The expense Of fuel is the only thing that
stands II Th6 way OF the cheap prOducuon OF
BRICK n the country. Good, smooth, common
brick pressed brick, cornice and decorative work
and good tile would appeal 10 the tastes Of
these people and would command good price.
POSSIBLE MARKET FOR CEMENT
4 very fair quality Of lime is made from the
limestone that is found In abundance along the
chores OF the Gulf Of SIAM but the cement is all
imported The best cement used here comes
from Denmark and England American cement
Is unknown One Of the city engineers, qualified
10 speak, says that there ought TO be g. good
market here FOR the second quality Of Portland
cement The first quality sets too quickly, botn
IN mis- country must have respect unto me
movements Of the people, which are always de-
A5erare and by 10 means like the movements OF
he Americans. Unless care Is taken IN storing
70 keen i well covered and free from the ground,
good cement is apt TO harden in this country II
~ IL the package any length OF time, on &C
cunt OF the great daupness OF the climate
Corrugated irCS is extensively used IN the less
prstentious buildings for roofing, and 10 some
extent for siding During the year 1S9' there
vas imported Of this material S93.IJ worth,
&sxicau. and during the year 1898 $3.50
worth Mexican When one considers that there
+ fer more building going on to-day than al any
tine during these TWO years, this VIII give some
laea q The increasing demand for some durable,
cheap building material And yet this corrugat-
C non very poorly supplies Lne want As d
covering Tor q building n this troplcal cIlLl1te
i II exceedingly hot il IS heavy for the hgnr
frames here used II is hard TO penetrate Win
li-e 1el-z and owing 70 the extended rainy sea
soA- ron May 70 November, IL lasts IN gooo
lg-ln for Only about five years.
ne most Of this corrugated iron comes from
Begun some Of IL from Germany Although
setersl attempts have been made 70 introduce
---er-caI lron. il has not yet been able 70 COM
- WIKI me European product on account OF
- --atl er irelghts 0f the longer haul Al pres
en- tals iron Is bringing better than SO 10 Mexi-
= plcul fl33 pounds. and is rapidly advanc-
- o. account Of shortage IN the BahshOA'
singapore and Hong Kong markets
BUILDING MATERIAL WANTED.
Any material that would furnish a light,
cheap, nou-c0ubustfbIe sheeting and roofing for
bindings. such IS might De termed temporary
slructures u America would easily control the
market here and displace the corrugated iron
: i can De easily penetrated by the nails II VIII
= great merit and the larger the sheets or
ss1sFeS the better IL would serve the purpose
-ca material must be able 70 Withstand the
sadden changes that occur IN this climate,
T. leacnlng rains for hours. inv aTiaD!y I oIIo"ed
S-heciaIey by the intense heat Of the tropical
= without being water soaked by the one or
ssv-hg warped and cured by the other II would
seen that some u the various products contain
Hs-z NaE1 inv