New-York tribune., 1900-12-04
IRREDUCIBLE BY FIRE
A HOUSE BUILT OF INCoMsUsryRr.
CONIBUsTIBLEs BIDS DEFIANCE TO
THE FIERCEST BLAZE
CYPRESS HEMLocK. WHITE PINE MAPLE. BTRr,z
AND YELLOW PINE. FIRE-PRooFED. Sue
CEssFULLY WITHSTAND FOR ONE
HOUR A RAGING MASS
OF FLAMES INSIDE


The perfection TO which the hre-prooing OF wood
has been brought demonstrated yesterday
in a conclusive manner. house which had
been built entirely OF wood rendered fire.
proof by the Fecran process which is con-
trOlled in this city by the New York Fire
Proof Wood Company, tested for the salts
faction OF the officials of the New York Building
Department and other gentlemen interested in
building construction. The test took place al the
works of the New York company Vernon Ave
nue.. Borough of Queens. New York City.
In order that the permanency Of the ire-proohng
might be adequately proved. only wood which had
been treated for over year selected for the
test The wood used OF various kinds and
represented what is used in the highest class OF
modern buildings The house consisted OF two
rooms, with a wide chimney in the centre OF the
dividing wall There was an open fireplace with a
wood mantel and wooden hearth The outside OF
the house built of white pine. with cypress
shingles; the inside sheathins of yellow pine
the doors and sash Of white pine. the windows OF
cherry. the floor OF maple and the fireplace OF
oak. with panels OF mahogany and birch; the stud
ding was hemlock the jOists and sills were OF
white pine The house was supported at the cor
ners and the centre by brick piers. and raised two
feet above the ground with a large chimney in the
centre of the roof. and rising four feet above IT,
The lower portion Of the building below the floor
was entirely open. leaving it perfectly free the
passage OF air Under the house and against the
sides. and also in ere OF the rooms. piled
wood. saturated with oil
At a given signal the torch applied and the
test was For half hour this fimsy looking
board structure was wrapped in fire. the fierce
flames within. without and underneath,-a column
Of fire shooting high above the chimney; it seemed
every minute Il the building must collapse the
next, but il did not collapse For another half
hour the fire was forced by every means. but the
house still held It's own; for sixty minutes these
boards OF plain wood had stood IN furious fur
mace and not been destroyed. At last the flames
for the inspection Of the committee and the spec
tators. The walls. the floor. the roof-sn parts OF
were found to be baekened and charred and some
stTactnrsv ntas, bs goor Duv w., te o3d n01se %aS
foot: no part OF the building had burned; piece
OF II Fad been en- IRE az any time
e ana n eSRSg15 m , eyerS r ne e so3eq 1Rst @
proof buildings would hav- fallen N ruins in half
All of these things are matter of record for any
one 70 verify. that an men may know that fire.
to-day land the fames) "as condition and not a
The demonstration was not merely TO show that
wood could be made fire-pTOOf. for that has been
IS the ony oRe Se ye3 20 invented WHICH csn IN sSsT5
time heart-treat thoroughly al kinds and sizes Of
Just as il comes from the lumber yard and with
out any previous boiling drawing OF the
natural juices. and that at a cost so very little
higher than untreated wood that II can be used
to ibe hgb Ig srsd M 81 %ood 8ork S S T has be
heretofore: in fact the wood can be treated in
other known process.
The chemical solution used IN the fre-prOOfng Is
nOn-vOate and nOb-hy drOScOpic. thus tnsuTing the
peTmanency Of The treatment. The chemicals are
also nOn-corrOsive. and therefore not open TO the
objection which has been found 10 those used
heretofore in other processes.
The liquor Is tOrced into the wood under heavy
hydraulic pressure. mechanically controlled with
out in any fnjuring the hbrOus tissues or
changing the color natural qualities OF the wood
The treatment in every way tends to preserve ana
Improve the wood making IL take paint OIL anu
vaTnish better. besides being Just easy 20 Work
with tools as the untTeated wood
Thear rfrhf tn h rr4lI oreSg fT Nn
and adjacent territory was recently acquired Dy
the New York Fire-PrOOf Wood Company, Whicn
has Just COMPLETED the erection. at Long Island
City. OF plant covering three acres OF ground
capable OF treating fifteen million feet OF lumber
annually