The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-08
MINIMIZE DANGER
OF EXTENSIVE FIRES
Suggestions From Manager
of Board Of Underwriters.
CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS
Precautions to Be Observed in Internal
Arrangement and Providing Means
to Extinguish Flames.

IN NGW OF the IdCI LnaL the NaLOlaI !
Board OF Fire Underwriters is urging /
a general advance of insurance rates /
upon risks in the congested districts Of
large cities. it is interesting TO know !
THAI the suggestions contained in this /
circular are not likely TO have any bear
ing on conditions in Washington What |
ever justice may underlie the sugges- |
lions made by the national board as
applied 10 cities Ike New York. Chi
cage, Baltimore. and others with large
commercial interests. washington is eN-
empt from their application. because,
fortunately, this city contains no such
congested districts as are TO be found
"a commercial centers. Not only this,
but our exceptionally wide streets and
the absence of skyscrapers relieve
Washington is an eminent degree of the
danger Of such CONGREGATIONS as that
which recently laid the business portion
of Baltimore in ashes.
Nevertheless. il is TO be noted that
here, as elsewhere, the Baltimore hre
has given rise to an investigation by
the local boards Of underwriters. con-
corning the conditions which should be
observed to minimize the danger of fires
and also the spread OF flames. a. y.
Hamilton, manager OF the local board
Of underwriters, has indicated in re-
Spouse 10 q request from The Times,
what. in his opinion, is necessary in the
construction of buildings used for mer-
camille Office. or hotel purposes 70 mini
nize insurance rates. He lays down
the following conditions:
Details of Construction.
in buildings of ordinary construction, a
one~story- building should not have walls
OF less than twelve inches; two-story
buildings. sixteen inches for the first floor
ard twelve inches for the second; three
story buildings. sixteen, sixteen, and
twelve inches; four-story, twenty, sixteen,
sixteen, and twelve inches and five story,
twenty-four. twlnty, sixteen, sixteen,
and twelve Party walls should be four
Inches thicker at each floor Parapet
walls should rise not less than eighteen
inches above the roof and be capped. and
should not be less than twelve inches
thick Chimneys should be built from
the ground up OF brick and their walls
should not be less than eight inches in
thickness and lined with terra Gotta.
Roofs should be Of metal. tile or slate;
c6rnices of brick, terra Gotta or stone;
floors not less than two thicI1nesses Of
Es-inch tOngued and grOOved material. or
one thickness of IA inches.
No wood finish should be allowed on
hcors or ceilings. Elevators should be
Inclosed in brick shafts with walls rising
above the roof and with standard FIRE
doors and openings. Heating should be
steam or hot water, the pipes being
supported on iron brackets. or furnaces,
or stoves properly Installed. Boilers for
furnishing power TO be installed IN a
Grepvoot room connection with which
ought TO be cut of with a standard au-
touatic fire door. For lighting. coal gas
or electricity. properly Installed under
the rules OF the national code should be
used. SlzyHghts should be of wire glass
set in metal frames. or glass not less
than one-haIf of an inch in thickness
set in metal frames and covered with
ware netting not less than four inches
above the glass and TO extend not less
than four inches over an. the wire 10
be not less than No. j. gauge and the
mesh not over one inch.
Internal Floor Protection.
For internal floor protection there
should be stand pipe, pals. and extin-
guishers. The stand pipe should be not
less than two inches IN diameter, under
constant water pressure and equipped
with hose not less han ore and one-half
inches at each story and OF sufficient
length 20 reach any part Of the floor.
as an alternative six pals and one filed
cask for each 500 square feet Of floor
area, or two approved automatic fire
extinguishers
These are some OF the. many things 20
be considered IN buildings. but there are
others Of equal Importance not 10 De
overlooked All electrical installation
should be made under the national code
OF rules. properly inspected and certified
befo-e the current is turned Ou. Swing
ing gas brackets should never be allow
ed ia any building; they have proved 10
ice one Of the worst curses ever invented
not only for owners but for insurance
companies. Stationary brackets should
he used at All times. and so arranged
as not 10 come nearer than twenty
inches to any wall or ceiling or indam-
rrable fabric without being protected
with a metal shield. To protect build
ings from unnecessary exposure an win
doWs should be protected with what is
known as fire shutters made OF tw,
thickncsses Of zs-mch matched material
and covered with tin as prescribed by
The rules Of the national code GOVERNS
fire doors and shutters. Pine same rule.
should apply 90 larger dwellings OF more
than two stories in height except thai
fire shutters are Dot needed on windows
unless exposed by some special hazard
The Importance Of the suggestions her,
advanced by Mr. Hamilton viii be APP
parent 90 an persons having large prop
erty interests OF character touched by
him. and they viii be Interested t,
know that Mr.. Hamilton promises to de
roJ9 some further attention 20 the ques
lion Of providing proper facilities for ia,
cNtingEishiug OF nrcs.
Permit for Apartment House.