New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-13
TRIBUNE BUILDING FIREPROOF.
ONCE AGAIN 1T wTTHsTANDs MOST Sc
WE'RE TEST TRIUMPHANTLY

workmen busy yesterday repairing the
damaged Offices Of The New-York Journal on
the fifth floor Of The Tribune Building which
were visited by fire Monday night That tina
damage is comparatively trffing when the fierce
ness or the blaze IS taken into account Is due
entirely TO the splendidly ireproof nature Of The
Tribune Building. The flames had great duanti-
ties of a highly inhammable material-paper-to
feed upon. and they ragged with the intensity OF
furnace under forced draUght. but three
only were burned out These adjOined
other on the floor. and two OF them
separated only by an Office partition. composed
mostly OF glass
marble fireplace which decorated the room
where the fire started subjected 10 such an
extremely high temperature BY the burning paper
with which the room filed that the con-
sistency OF the solid marble was entirely de-
stroyed, and II could be crumbled in the hand yes
terday like lump OF salt; yet the floor OF the
Office Immediately overhead was not even charred
The hremen broke down some OF The frebrick
ceiling Immediately over the fireplace see for
themselves II the flames had penetrated 70 the
next story The beams OF the floor above showed
through the opening. unscorched and unhlistered.
though a great spout Of fame had played upon
that spot with the fierce intensity OF mighty
bIowpipe
The fact that the night was hot and windows
and transoms were open created draughr OF
great force and made the tes, Of the buildings
nreproof construction many times severe
than II would have been subjected 10 IN cold
weather. with the windows shut.
The exaggerated statements published IN some
papers. which described the whole building being
IN danger, and the flames ''Ieaping from floor 10
noor' are entirely unsupported by the facts The
sixth Moor was reached by tongues OF fame spout
ing from the windows Of the fifth and LAYING hold
or the wooden sash OF the sixth floor windows
out these were easily extinguished before they did
appreciate damage, and the flames reached no
higher The fourth floor hurt by the water
and smoke only In fact but for The great volurns
OF smoke and steam which poured through corrf-
Gors and elevator shaft nearly all the tenants on
every other floor I'm the building might have con-
unued work without the slightest fear or fncon-
VenleuCe-
The room where the trouble began was used BY
Ihe Journal for its classified advertising depart
rnent and summer resort bureau. To was n charge
OF one young clerk the time. An effort mas been
made 10 explain the origin of the fire ; due TO
ratS gnawlns the Insulation from electric light
wires but this il clearly absurd. since all the
Wires IN the room were in plain view the cell
Lns ana walls Not one wire along or under
me moor. and the rats could get them. The
proba ole cause was the dropping OF careless plac-
ing or lighted cigar or cigarette, which would
De almost as dangerous among the inhanma bic
paper stored there as the Upsettin Of lighted can
Journal rented Offices IN The Tribune Building a
nre started IN the same department. though not
IN the same room. and the cause OF that fire was
peIeVed 10 Dc the careless handling OF Cigarettes
me loss incurred by the fire OF Monday nizhs
was fully covered by Insurance.