New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-25
FIRE RETARDIyG CONSTRUCTION.

The most complete and authoritative discus
sion Of the lessons Of the Baltimore IRE VIII
doubtless be found in the report about to be
made by a committee Of experts to the National
BOARD of Underwriters That document viii
not be ready for publication, # is asserted, for
at least two or three weeks. While its appear
ance will be a welcome event more or less
light has been obtained already from various
sources. The fragmentary talks with engineers
architects and insurance men which we PRINT
this morning. together with those which have
previously appeared in The Tribune's columns.
are certainly instructive and Justify several
| tentative conclusions.
1t begins 10 look II the question about the
relative merits OF concrete and hollow tile re
mained where Il did a month ago. Equally com
petent experts viii probably continue TO diner
as they have in the past. Very little concrete
was used in Baltimore, but that little gave Il
good account of itself. Apparently, too. the
alleged superiority OF stone over cinders in the
preparation OF this material has found no fresh
demonstration. Both kinds We're represented
and both stood the test well
Terra Gotta was much more extensively en-
ployed both in hollow tile for floor arches and
in fiat tile for protecting steel members. The
behavior Of the terra Gotta was not uniformly
good. 1t seems probable. though, that all Of
the defects which were observed were due pri-
marily 30 a false economy or some change OF
plan adopted while building was under con
struction. The worst failure seems 10 have
been in the Equitable Building. Several eI-
perts have expressed the opinion that the tiles
there were too light and were not arranged
properly Had they been thicker and laid so
TO give a fat top, they might have with
stood the weight OF safes without yielding
Other buildings subjected to the same strains
gave better results. Again, though some fat
tiles were looSened from the steel frame, others
remained in place The Continental and Cal
vert buildings, for instance, gave better idea
of what might be expected from terra Gotta
than did the Equitable The floor arches were
left in fairly good shape, and the fat tiles on
the vertical members OF the frame were not
loosened. In one Of these buildings fat tiles
were secured below the hanges Of the I-beams
both with steel straps and by keying into the
adjacent hollow tiles OF the arches. IL looks a
If terra Gotta would act well when given fair
chance to show what it can do.
More buildings seem to have been invaded by
the windows than through the roof. II the
latter part OF "A structure is composed OF the
material used in the floor arches and has not
too many openings in It, it will generally prove
invulnerable. When II IS possible 10 leave a
wall unpierced, and when the latter IS built OF
brick, It forms a magnificent barrier TO fire.
This fact was freshly illustrated at Baltimore
by the O'Neill building. Experts are not alto
gether agreed regarding the sufiicency Of wire
glass 10 exclude fire, but II las just proved its
marked superiority TO ordinary glass IN the
Monumental City. When used with sashes and
castings that covered with metal IL will
often check fire, even without metal shutters
The latter have also justified some Of the con-
hdence that has been repOsed in them. For
drygoods stores no better protection can be
found for the windows than water curtain
/ There can be little doubt that the adoption of
this safeguard by O'Neill in Baltimore not only
saved his building and stock but stopped the
! advance Of the fire I'm that quarter Of the city.
Wise men no longer talk about "fireproof"
construction. No material known is absolute
| " proof against heat. Experts prefer 70 talk
about fire resisting" fire retarding" quail
ties. The distinction is a good one. The most
] that man can hope for is to put such obstacles
! in the way OF a fire jas TO delay its progress
until the combustible material on which It feeds
| is consumed. There can be no doubt that If he
goes at It in the right way he can do so eff
| fectually.