Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-13
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
New Buildings in Progress
of Construction.
RESISTANCE TO FIRE
BRICK WALLS EXPOSED TO THE
RUSH OF FLAMES.
Transactions of Various Kinds Const1-
tuting Part Of the Midsum-
mer Market.

Drama avenue has been made by Mr.. James
B. Winner real estate broker. He has sold
to Henry H. Ward and Walden Meyer
two lots each 80 by 1862 feet. The price
paid for each was $40 125, which is at the
rate of % per square foot. The ground
fronts the south side of Kalorama ave-
nue. just west of Connecticut avenue and
will overlook the circle which is to be laid
out at the entrance of the bridge which Is
being erected over Rock creek on the line
of the avenue. 1t is not the intention OF
the new owners of this ground to make
improvements at this time.
Charles H. Clark's House.
A house is being built for Mr.. Charles H.
Clark on the north side of Massachusetts
avenue between 18th and 18th streets north
west from plans prepared by Mr.. Frank H.
Jackson, architect. The front of the house,
which will extend through three stories,
will be built of brown stone, and the de-
sign, while plain, will be effective The
entire first floor will be finished In hard
wood and that material will be used in the
finish of the library, which will occupy the
front of the house on the second floor. On
the first floor will be the parlor sitting
room, dining room and kitchen. The house
will be heated by steam. The builder is
Thos. J. King.
Mr.. Sleman's Residence.
The same architect has designed a house
which Mr.. John B. Sleman, jr.,' will build
on 10th street just north of Kenesaw ave-
nue.. In addition to the unusual frontage
Of forty feet, there will be a side yard.
The spaciousness of the building site which
is, of course, exceptional in city lot, will
enable the architect to bring out with ad-
vantage some of the best features of the
colonial style of architecture which he has
adopted In the trea tmant n
Across the front will be a broad porch
which will suggest the country more than
the city. The walls, which will be built
of red brick laid with black headers will
be finished with high pitched roof, COW
cred with slate On the first floor will be
parlor. reception hall, dining room and
kitchen. The latter room is provided for
use If 1t is desired but in the basement
there Is kitchen and also a laundry The
feature of the dining room viii be a large
pr1ck mantel, while the room itself will be
hnshed in paneled oak.
Fireproof Construction.
The best method of preventing the spread
of fire and the most effective devices for
resisting the power of the flames are of
much interest and Importance to practically
all classes that have to do with building
This Is especially the case, because in these
Gays there Is SO much in the way of ma
terlal that is claimed to be fre-resisting it
is necessary to keep posted when tests are
aforded, In order to learn whether s,ch
claims stand the actual trial. For this rea-
son .ne bal1lmore fire effects have been
subjected to much examination by all
classes that have to do with building and
what are known as the lessons of the fire
nave been rather extensively drawn.
one of these observers of the effects of
the fire is Capt. John S. Sewau who iS tho
army engineer In charge of the extensive
building operations at the Washington bar
racks rack" Before entering upon this work
hnd oh
the new part of the government printing
once. what he learned by examining the
runs of the Baltimore fire was given in a
paper read before the national board of
nre Underwriters, who. a class are anx-
lous to know about fire-proof construction
or what Is held to be such, as the rates of
nre insurance are made dependent upon
supposed to be guarded against the ~,
ages of flames.
Brick Walls the Best.
To deserve the name ''fire-proof" Cant
sewall asserted it is submitted that the
building should be so constructed that II
will stand in any fire that is liable IN r.oo
around 1t. not only protecting It's own con-
tents from ignition, but acting as nos;-
tive barrier against the spread of tho oon
hasratlon. II a fire is started within If
should be confined, by the qualities Of the
puiiolhg Itself to the unit of space in
Wmch II begins; In either or both events
the parts of the buildings exposed to fire
snouid Suner no material damage excent
to renewable finish, and this finish shM1ld
cost of the building o
capt Sewall reached the conclusion tbo+
the 5ait1more fire proved that the only mn.
terlal that fulfills all the requirements or
na' 1 ecu is good brickwork laid in
states, that no building stone OF anv .inS
is even reasonably freproof The amount
or stone used in building. he adds. should
be Kept down to minimum and n shouI,
not be used at all in stories above the Sec
ond, except possibly for window stills,
Cement a Suitable Material
Portland cement, he thinks, is quite suit
able material for outer walls as far as fire
resistance goes, although not so good as
brick. He is further of the opinion that
the time is at hand when in order to Sc
cure the proper protection of openings all
windows should be glazed with wired glass
and with frames of cast iron or sheet
metal stiffened. The external openings Of
buildings should also have some means OF
being absolutely closed. Whether the tin
covered wooden shutters are ADEQUATE
seems open to debate, he states, but 1t
would seem that a good form of a shutter
would be steel plate about three-six-
teentns OF an lnch thick stiffened around
the edges and hung like sash
Concrete, he states gave an excellent ac-
count of itself in the Baltimore fire. It ia
not equal to brickwork, nor as good as hol-
low tiles would be If they were always
of good porous materials at least one and
one-half inches thick; but 1t Is better than
any commercial form Of hollow tile and
better than the best plaster of Paris COM
positions.
Effect on Cinder Concrete.
1t has been urged, he continued, that the
condition of certain cinder-concrete parti-
lions and filling between floor sleepers at
Baltimore proves this material to be ut
terly worthless. The fact is that this con-
crete was probably worthless from the be-
ginning, as any one knows who has seen
the average cinder-concrete gang at work |
Cinder-concrete. well made from clinkers |
and ashes and free of combustible matter, |
Is one of the best fire-resisting materials |
we have. But 1t is not safe to indorse GIN
der-cOncrete in general terms, because so |
much worthless trash is paraded under |
this name.
Hollow tiles gave poor account Of them