Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-14
THE BALTIMORE FIRE
LESSONS DRAWN FROM OBSER
VATIONs ON THE GROUND
Inspector Ashford's Suggestions for
Future Safety of Washington
An Official Report.

Building Inspector Snowden Ashford to-
day submitted to the Commissioners his
report on the results of his inspection of
the ruins of the Baltimore fire, which was
made few days after that confia grafton.
Mr.. Ashford was accompanied on the in
spection by Computer Sommerville. Inspec-
tor of Elevators Lawson and Assistant In
| spector Conner Of the District building de-
partment. Among other things in the
pert is the statement by Mr.. Ashford that
in the abseEce of attending cyclone
Washington, in his opinion, can never suf-
fer such a loss by fire did Baltimore.
He states also with respect to the dynamit
ing of the buildings that such heroic treat
nent was the only saving for four-ffths of
the burned area. Mr.. Ashford states the
conditions found, and suggests improve
ments in regulations for fire protection in
Washington buildings.
The officials of the District building de-
partment directed their attention especially
to fireproof buildings within the fire district.
Generally speaking Mr.. Ashford states
that all the stone within range of the fire
was seriously damaI1ed. Continuing, the
report says in substance:
Where granite blocks were used for bond
stones and piers. or for bearing blocks
under beams, they crumbled into particles
like coarse sand and let down the piers and
beams. Limestores and marbles were
changed to soft material. such lime
which could be broken up with the fingers
The mosaic and thing il the once hand
some corridors were destroyed. The only
stone capable of standing such intense heat
seems to be the bikes or blue stone varie-
ties which are limited in their application
and only used in few buildings. The
solid brick walls of several warehouses are
in perfect condition, and if the fire shutters
had proven more effectual the contents of
such buildings would have been unframed.
The Fire Shutters.
but great improvements must be made in
fire shutters. Rolling metal shutters, with
the roller protected by a slot in the brick
work or a cast-iron frame, would appear to
be better than a solid hinged shutter, which
warps out of shape and admits the flames.
Wherever wire glass was used il served its
purpose well, unless broken by fallen bricks.
The heat was SO intense that ordinary glass
in windows and the fronts of bookcases and
mail chutes was melted and ran down on
the Sills and fioors
In speaking of his inspection of one large
fireproof Office building, Mr.. Ashford calls
attention to the failure OF metal ties to hold
the bricks in place. In this connection he
says: The question of tieing in the veneer
ing of press face brick deserves some
study and Improvement. The difficulty in
practice is that the variation In size of the
outer and inner bricks and joints makes the
courses vary in height. and the metallic tie
or anchor has to be bent slightly up or down
when built into the rough brick, thereby
giving some play when a movement takes
place from any cause such as settlement or
vibration
Mr.. Ashford states ttat he considers the
combustibIe buildings entirely wrecked and
this he believes should be given careful con-
sideration by architects. inspectors. insur-
ance men and owners. With regard to ma
terials to be used the report says:
There may be different opinions concern
ing the efficacy of rival materials. but all
hat iS nj to xxyifI,
brick walls for resisting fire, and the means
of safe construction for limiting fire in COM
bustible buildings lies in the erection of
thick enclosing walls of brick, with as many
partitions or cross walls as the subdivision
or interior arrangement will allow. The
scarcity of cross-walls was evidently ac-
countable for the complete demolition of
buildings. These walls and croSS-waliS
should be carried through the roof at least
foot. 1t is evident that we use too many
stud-partitions and not enough interior
walls to brace the side walls when ROOFS
and floors burn away.
"Our Washington regulations requiring
thicker walls and complete separation OF
roof surfaces will undoubtedly prove their
usefulness and ultimate economy. Even
in combustible buildings security against
fire from without may be obtained by thick
walls. -combustible roof covering and
wire glass windows in iron frames when
windows are within the range of fire from
other combustible buildings
Origin Of the Fire.
"As this Office is charged with the super
vision Of the installation of all motors. in
GLIDING gasoline and storage tanks for the
supply special efforts were made to dis
cover the origin of the fire at the wholesale
clothing house where 1t started. We were
informed by the inspector connected with
the Baltimore building department that no
gasoline engine was in the building. was
first reported, and that no gasoline was
stored there for any purpose.
This condition Of affairs, taking into
consideration that the elevators Ia the