New-York tribune., 1902-02-16
FOE OF LIFE AND PROPERTY

KILFYRE EXTINGUISHING A BLAZE ON A
STREET RAILWAY GENERATOR.
nal of Commerce" the losses of 1901 amounted TO
Sl64847,e0o Jr only about million dollars more
than the year before. Whether this tenn
porary pause indicates permanent improvement
in the situation it is too soon to say. But in any
case the figures are vastly greater than they
should been, and, like the losses of the three
preceding years. have proved ruinous 10 some of
the insurance companies.
The fat * that from considerat tions of false
economy. combined with carelessness which is
only too characteristic of American life property
has not been safcguarded II should be- either
through the proper construction of buildings or the
introduction Of the best modern appliances for
fighting fire. of which obviously, the best are
those which suppress it in its incipency. Thus
ST Is that the country witnesses such disasters as
those which have overtaken Paterson. Water
bury and Springfield, Ohio. within a fortnight
Legal compusion is beginning to interfere in the
interests of safety. but the higher rents that can
be secured. the reduction in insurance charges and
above all. the substantial guarantee of immunity
from fire. either without within. dictates more
general observance of the precautions which mod
ern science offers. The crying need of the
hour is better acquaintance with these facilities
the part of owners and occupants of office
buildings. stores. hotels apartment houses and
private dwellings. Architects familiar enough
with them. but those most interested are often
sadly ignorant
STEEL FRAME CONSTRUCTION.
One of the first popular errors to be corrected IS
the supposition that steel and iron not
combustible. they cannot be hurt by fire. Whether
II be a vertical pillar horizontal beam, every
bit Of steel which enters into the construction OF
a modern sky scraper should be well protected
from the flames The Building Code Of this city
requires a covering of brick tile and
crete around columns. from TO eight inches
thick. Not only the sides, but also the exposed
ends OF grders, must be similarly guarded, in
1.1a
In some situations. too. st is necessary to tie the
brick tile together firmly with wire. lest they
fall apart prematurely and fail TO execute their
mission. In discussing this particular detail The
Insurance Chronicle" recently remarked that when
cement is used it should he placed in the closest
possible with the metal 1t also laid great
Il stress the fact that terra Gotta will stand an
enormous amount Of heat without disintegration.
Tiles have WithstoOd temperature of 2525 de-
grees Fair. in some Of the tests of the Depart
ment OF Buildings in this city.
FLOORS THAT CANNOT BURN
Absolutely fireproof floor construction has re-
ceiyed much attention from inventors and munich
pal authorities Several types OF floors subject
ed to tests by the Department OF Buildings in New
York City last autumn. w W. Ewing, engineer
of the department. srperintended them. These
tests involved exposure TO heat OF 100 degrees
Fahrenheit for four hours. the filling between
beams carrying distributed weight Of 80 pounds
per square foot in the mean time Then powerful
Jets OF water directed against the material
from above and below. Investigations of this kind
have the utmost practical value They reveal the
possibility or impossibility OF fire extending from
story 10 another under conditions like those
existing in a bona hde confagration.
With such barriers hereinafter described
below it, sheet OF flooring may be laid that
sists Of ordinary Jod, without fear of danger
from underneath Greater safety is insured, how
ever, by the Of freproof wood. tile rock
asphalt incombUstibe compounds. In structures
over twelve stories high the Building Code re-
..F-- tho .,a
sleepers mot beams) underneath shall be treated
by some freproof process
1t is especially desirable that a cellar floor should
be absolutely freproof. because the presence of
furnaces, steam engines and rubbish subject IL TO
peculiar danger and. indeed imperil the whole
superstructure. Rock asphalt is especially useful
here The Building Code further specifies that
in every residence more than four stories high,
If the hoor beams above the cellar OF wood,
the cellar ceiling shall be composed of metal lath
and two of brown mortar. That proce-
dure is highly desirable the upper floors
well Where the floor beams and filling are
hroproof, however. an ornamental ceiling stamped
out Of sheet metal will prove highly serviceable.
An additional safeguard officially prescribed for
buildings $50 high is a OF perforated
pipes in the cellar connected with standpipe, for
noOding the lowermost floor in OF fire
GOOD AND BAD PARTITIONS.
The spread Of fire upward having been prevent
ed, it IS also desirable to check its progress later
ally Within the last months Mr. Ewing has
conducted a large number of tests of materials
especially designed for partitions Insurance En-
gifeering" and other periodicals have described
bcsh'the procedure and the partitions. Metal lath
and plaster were used in combination with most
Of them.
The temperature having been raised TO 700 de-
grees, the hose was turned and water was al
lowed to do what it could TO destroy or perforate
the partition. The plaster cracked off and
less wearing away of the blocks observed
Some styles OF construction came of the ordeal
in better condition than others. Mr.. Ewing's re-
port Indicates these differences clearly though
with commendable propriety. he refrains from
comment In instance did either the fire or
water get through. but OF specimen par
titions tested were IN greater OF repair than
others.
Discussing these experiments edtorlally, THE En-
ElneeTing News insists that the partition is to-day
the weakest point in modern freproof construction
II finds mrch encouragement in the outcome OF
the tests. but IL notes that in none of them had
the makers provided doors windows or base
boards between the partition and floor. These are
the chief sources of danger in actual experience
Fire often eats it's way under q wall that defes
II. or ta&Es mold OF the casing Of door or window
and thus penetrates 10 the adjoining room. The
Seriodica referred to strongly urges a reduction Of