The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
ASBESTOS, ITS USES,
COST AND QUANTITY
A Substance Whose Qualities
Were Known TO the
AncientS.
PERFECTLY FIREPROOF
The Making of Worthless Imita-
tons Should Be Pro-
hibited.

Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.

IN the latter's own locality Human lives
and property, being in constant danger of
fire. Providence placed its antIdote-asbestos
within reach Of all.
Asbestos is found in Vermont California.
IN the Joaquin valley and the Sierra Ne
vada mountains; this district, Black Lake,
Toleraine. Thedford. Danville etc. is full
OF successful asbestos mines; the implac-
able enemy OF fire exists in the Russian
steppe and in hundred places in the
United States and South America, the
Swiss Alps. the rockbOund fOrtresses of the
Himalayas, the mountains of Siesia, the
Saxon lowlands, NOrway's fjords. Spain,
Italy, Greece and the islands Of the Medi-
terranean. The world IS full Of asbestos,
and the United States Asbestos Trust, in
combination with the United Asbestos
Company of London. controls 1t all.
In 1879 this Canadian district produced
less than 800 tons of asbestos. worth 10000.
while $500 tons were mined here in 1895 at
selling price Of 1858 O01. Two years ago
million dollars worth was exported. name
~ nearly 10000 tons, and the industry is
still growing. The last figure means that
Canada is now producing in the neighbor-
hood of IS per cent of all asbestos mined.
The United States is sending per cent of
countries supply 10 per cent more.
Why about $1,000 tons of the mineral, in
tended by kind nature to protect it's chill
dren from awful deaths and fearful loss,
are mined. though abundant in all parts of
the world. Is a question for national econo-
mists to solve It is fact, though, that
the output and sale are controlled by
handful OF capitalists. who gobbled up
this natural treasure as kerosene coal and
other products OF the earth were appro-
priated by certain financiers. Under the
circumstances, Of course, prices are
severity regulated and kept at a figure
prohibiting the general use of the only
known protection against fire. This means
death for msny-we have just 1t in
Chicago.
BY the proper use OF asbestos several
great New York hotels, the stamping
grounds OF the miIlionaires and would-be
mtllionairieS from all over the Union, are
rendered hreproof, nearly so; and IL
only nearly so'' IL is the owners fault. as
the material TO make them absolutely fire.
proof can be had for the money-big money
1t must be admitted, for the Asbestos Trust
Is as nint-hearted a corporation as ever
was conceived.
Some people have a notion that buildings
cannot be made entirely ffreprOof even with
iron, concrete and stone used throughout.
This view is partially correct, for asbestos
Is needed, in fact absolutely essential TO
finish the construction, and, as pointed
out, the finishing asbestos touch has been
applied in a few millionaire hotels.
1t Is not my business purpose to go
into the matter of the Troduois asbestos
curtain, whether IL was the real thing" or
fake. whether its lowering was possible or
not; In fact IL matters little, for one cur
tain does not make q theater freproof In
order 10 render theater or any building
fireproof all iron parts. walls. decorations.
ETC., must be covered with asbestos. The
New York hotel chamber recently set on
hre on purpose was thus equipped. Its
contents OF inhammable material burned up,
but its walls, wall decorations, ceilings,
doors, mantels, panels, floors, etc. re-
manned intact
POSSIBILITIES OF ASBESTOS.
And this brings up the issue of the day
The possibilities OF asbestos with respect
to the preservation of life and limb of per-
sons assembled in a place of public resort
The overwhelming majority of American
theaters and hotels throughout the States
have walls very prettily hung with silk
stufs paper-materiaI calculated to
cause fire to spread all over a given sur
face with lightning rapidity. That such
inhammable material is allowed TO jeopar-
die the life and limb of vast audiences is
as soandaious as it is unnecessary, for
every conceivable kind of wall covering
and wall decorations can be made of asbes-
toS fiber In endless variety. The decorations
OF our ocean greyhounds are certainly as
any theater OF hotel in the world-and they
are asbestos few years ago the Asbestos
Trust started to manufacture asbestos wall
coverings, and so great was the immediate
demand by rich people and hotel keepers
catering to the wealthy classes that the
works had TO be doubled and trebled within
the first twelve months. Strange to say
single order.
The architect of the Inflated Iroouois
was quoted as saying on the morning after
the catastrophe that never again would he
allow particle Of wood TO be used in the
construction OF a theater. Ii IS doubtful
whether so sweeping a promise can be
kept, particularly regarding the stage and
accessories, but all infsmmable material
can be rendered harmless by asbestos paint
Asbestos paint can be had in all shades. can
be made TO produce ''veritabIe dreams" of
decoration. AS to asbestos wallpaper there
is some able to withstand a temperature of
500 degrees. At recent test l wrote my
name on a piece of the paper, and after
the test my signature could be as easily
read before. The ink l used was com
posed of ultra-marine, color formed OF
the mineral called lapis lazuli.
- Well-to-do men in America and Europe
have long used asbestos writing paper for
important documents, because il is indie
structible. Gaspard Meyer. of Paris. / be-
Heve, invented the first asbestos writing
paper, socalled, placed on the market 1t
stood the fire test very well, but crumbled
into dust as soon as touched. The asbestos
writing paper now used is prepared ac-
cOrding to the Ladenzig method. and so
perfect In every way as 10 allow its use
IN photography. II you want your photo
graph admired by your great-great-grand-
children have it done platin-asbestos
paper.
Asbestos for building purposes is worked
into forms Ike plaster of paris. Smooth
as glass, hard as marble. and beautiful TO
look upon, there is no reason. outside OF
the increased cost. why all buildings OF
public resort should not be constructed of
this material within and without
When dampened asbestos NAV be
handled like felt and placed around pillars
cornices. staircases, etc. rendering them
fireproof soon as the mass hardens
The iron pillars supporting balconies in
playhouses and stories in skyscrapers be-
come. in case OF FIRE. by their very nature
sources OF grave danger If uncovered by
asbestos For the heat is liable 10 render
them red hot, bend and eventually melt
them. so that one story after the other
tumbles I'm. Asbestos and does prevent
this tremendous danger, as fire cannot
penetrate 10 the iron parts. and conse-
quently their usefulness pillars and
bracers remain unimpared.
TEST WITH WOODEN HOUSE
In proof Of the above a test was arranged
some little time ago IN this neighbOrhood
for the benefit of some visiting asbestos
magnates We bought an old house and
divided II into two equal halves by part-
ton reaching from roof 10 cellar. Then
one half was covered. partition walls.
floors and ceilings doors stafrcasae man