The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
FIREPROOF BUILDINGS AND FIRE
PROTECTION.

now going up Illinois and Market streets
have doubtless concluded that it will be as
nearly freproof as building can be made.
As yet no wood has entered into its con-
struction-nothing but iron, steel, stone.
brick, cement and hollow eile. When COM
pleted it will contain no wood except the
window frames and sashes- and perhaps
the floors. though probably the latter will
be concrete. The slight amount Of wood in
the building might be consumed by fire
without affecting its structural parts at all.
Great progress has been made in recent
years toward making buildings fireproof,
but a large majority Of the buildings
erected still fall far short of that standard.
Most business buildings contain a large
amount of combustible material and cnere
is general lack of fire walls. There are
not more than two or three flats or apart
ment houses in this city that would not fur
nish abundant material for fire. and some
OF them are very cheaply constructed. Only
few have any other means of escape in
case Of fire than wooden stairways These
might be rendered more reliable in case of
fire by being constructed of lumber that has
been rendered at least comparatively fire
proof by being impregnated with such salts
as iron sulphate, calcium chloride, sodium
silicate and others, but nothing of the kind
has been attempted. The American prac-
tice is to take risks. tempt fate and wait
till the horse has been stolen before locking
the stable door,
1t is question whether any building can
be rendered fireproof against a great con-
Migration OF intense heat. Iron, steel and
stone are incombustible, but they are not
strictly fireproof. since a sufficiently hot
fire will crack and pulverize stone and
cause steel and iron to expand, twist and
be otherwise distorted to the extent of prac-
teal destruction. Fire in an isolated iron
and stone structure might not develop heat
enough to cause it's total destruction. but
confiagration like the great Chicago fire
would. Given a steel skeleton with steel
columns, Orders, ETC., there are still needed
freproof floor construction. column pro-
| lection, freproof partitions, roof and CELL
ing protection and exterior wall protection
When all these points are covered a build
ing may be incombustible, but it is not
proof against practical destruction by a
great fire.
The building regulations of New York
city, adopted in 1899, require all buildings
exceeding eighty-five feet in height to have
staudpipes running from cellar to roof.
with connection for fire engines at the curb
level and hose connections on each floor
and on the roof. All buildings more than
two stories high and used for business pur-
poses must have freproof shutters for every
exterior window above the first floor. Every
building to be used as a hotel, lodging
house. school. theater or hospital must be
| built fireproof, with stairs and staircase
landings built entirely of brick, stone. Port
land cement, concrete, iron or steel. No
woodwork may be used in any of the par
| titions or ceilings. These are a sample of
the stringent provisions contained in the
New York building code, and there are
| many others. Such a thing as a wooden
stairway or landing would not be permitted
In fiat or apartment house in New York.
An interesting test is about to be made
In Cleveland Of the relative fireproof quail
ties Of concrete and other materials. Two
houses, one built of concrete and the other
| of steel, iron and freproof brick. are 10
be constructed in vacant lot, apart from
other buildings, filed with inflammabIe
material and then set on fire. The buildings
will be constructed with the same arrange
ment of the interior and of the same dimen-
| siOns. They will be built under plans that
will give draft and every aid to the fire.
then they will be filled with wood, oil and
other inhammable materials and a fire
i started. AT given signal the fire DEPART
ment will begin to extinguish the flames.
and careful notes will be taken of the time
required in each building and of the effects
about $1,000. but as a practical test it is
! thought to be worth the money
Concrete is coming into general use for
| freproof founda tions, floors and walls,
and is likely to play an important part in
| future building operations. 1t is an arti-
fetal stone composed of hydraulic cement,
sand and broken stone or gravel in proper
proportions. The value of concrete for
building purposes consists in its property
| of changing from a soft condition into one
OF great hardness by the setting and hard
ening of the cement paste. 1t is said to be
superior to brick masonry in strength hard
ness and durability. and cheaper. The foun-
dations of the new terminal station build
/ ing are entirely of concrete