New-York tribune., 1905-07-09
FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION
STATE OF THE ART.
Great Progress Shosrn, But Certain
HindraRces VII Hare To
Be Removed.
Be Removed.

A4it ell4ces or builCing science.
AND II added. las The Tribune represents
cltenteIe that contributed large proportion of the
se1."'teD expended in Manhattan In building opeF-
stons last year, MS readers will probably be
ested in calm, temperate and dspassionate pres
entaton of the arguments for and against
crete-s1eeL And it is thought expedient too, 10
furnish descriptions OF the various leading rein
forced concrete construction systems, and TO cite
notable instances Of their use. that the said argyll
rents may be better understood and their value
determined" So
To refresh the readers .-aeInory and enable them
the bettsr, to grasp what follows. it may be well
% prirr again the arguments OF the anu-concrete
The opponents OF coricrete.steeI make the follow
Ing charges against its efficiency; , -
1al Crushed stone, or gravel Iorpeoo sane 1 ano
Portland cement make an everlasting concretS,
Iaat w stand great tssIo. ,I geN rs si9
Is NOT true arch the least weight applied 70 II
ID Clnder-concrete is. in most cases. a con-
and dirt unless -cinoers are unlrorn-anc II is
dif3cuIt TO procure such-good results cannot be
1c] As materials OF ."(a)" deterforate when sub
ly Il OF locomotive sinders "Cb)' would be trans
over a biowpipe Of a blast furnace. and SO would
ruin any woodwork. steel members, piping in
ldl concrete-steel construction does not protect
Eltai points such as noor beams and girders, rein
OF floor slabs; and the mixture is frequently OF
formly mixed, and not properly rammed and
tanped 10 prevent voids, or air spaces, being left
ge) The weight Of either stone or cinder concrete
edos largely TO cost OF bearing members of build
ings, as these must be greatly increased in
strength TO carry it
favorable weather conditions. and requires a year
70 tnoroughly dry cut; Il occupied within a month
wares ana health Of occupants OF building un-
lgl Cinder concrete absorbs moisture; in case Of
roof or cold storage place above and warm story
below. continual stream from condensation drips
on the arches
take the moisture from plaster and 10 leave latter
-'dead'-any shock the floor viii cause the plas-
% Pipes cannot be taken out of concrete floor
arches. for repairs. or exchange, without great
Dense.
0z) Vibration causes points OF contact between
steel member and concrete mass TO work loose.
ID C-nder concrete corrodes steel members and
jn5 The National Board Of Fire Insurance IN
cerWT1ters adds further encouragement TO the gen
win fhe statements fhat .ar Affords too much
room for bad workmanship. and that there are so
a. which IL would have TO be watched, IT would
be practically impossible 10 give il proper super
vlslon-such as would secure satisfactory results.
Under the subhead
WHAT CONCRETE-sTEEL AUTHORITIES SAY.
The Tribune quoted the answers OF certain we'll
known professionals experts 10 the above, and gave
TENS Of cOncrete-steel construction, the practice
of the latter, as shown, effectively demonstrating
Il viii present cumulative evidence of like char
here. after which IL viii proceed TO further
discussion Of The state Of the art in freproof con
struction and protection.
Ross F. Tucker, II. Am Soc. c. E. answering
the graver charges Of the opponents OF concrete
steel, says. in relation 10 (c) that:
In the first place locomotive cinders are not
pure. and are not used Second. at the end Of
i've hour test, 200 degrees T. all the time with
seen conerete-steel floor arch 50 hot thai you
inspectors were unable walk around on IL td) If
% Can be safely ana successfJlly done under any
conditions I have been doing il all winter. The
seh9ylerviIle Dam was built this past winter.
tm) No more inspection necessary than on ordinary
work; and II expanded metal IS used. less"
Thomas II vinton. ASSOC II. Am. Soc. c. E, re-
plies 10 Co) thus:
The poor stuff Is usually found in the terra Gotta
Gotta 'her' is three-quarters OF cent an inch II
cinder concrete arch mixed and ready 70 go in
where there have been opportunities Tor seeing
steel which has been imbedded in cinder concrete.
for steel Cg9 false ceiling viii remedy this.
Hollow tile cannot be used Tor cold storage con-
USES ALL SYSTEMS.
AIessrs. Tucker and yinton. the former the presi-
dent and the latter the secretary and treasurer Of
the Tucker q NintOn Corporation. have been asso-
ciated in business for the past ten years. While
they are both graduates Of the famous Massachu-
institute OF Technology. the formers expert
latter some two years or more. for Mr.. Tucker be-
San his career in 1925 as lecturer on the Ran
the United States. afterwa-ds-In sS-organizing
srrucred the stadium at Harvard, the largest piece
OF concrete work IN the country he came mere IN
s5 with the rights. for this territory, 10 all the
hansome patents, though the present corporation
now owns only that to the vault light system,
which II used in all the subway stations Here he
was Joined by Mr. Vinton. their maiden effort in
the field being the Mills Hotel No !. the first build
panded metal concrete floors. The job was given
them because they we're al that time the only con-
For the next two years the history Of expanded
they relnquished the drepnoofng business and
nnec themselves 10 such special propositions IN
power plants. using all the leading concrete steel
Muck OF their work has been Of q kind TO attract
the attention Of experts-the dam at Ithaca, par
IlclaIly Lh!s 1elng nnIg4e N qesign II Is placed
O. the principles OF dome and arch. and IS Forty
feet high with thickness az the bottom of eight
feet and al the top OF eighteen inches, strength
and economy Of material being thus secured:
have erected here are the Mills Hotel No. l. the
New-York Sugar Refinery. and the main power
house OF the Interborough r R.-using expanded
metal n AL.
litter. ~ Cornell University the slow SAND mira
ton plant, AZ Eonkers- the Melan Arch Bridge at
Vile the car and insDecfion shops for the Inter
borough; the yault-Aght construction for all sta
nel. and the power house OF the ST. Lawrence
Power Co.. al Aasseaa, New York, may be men
toned among the corporations more recent and
Their work is 10 be seen In all parts OF the coun-
try and any competent List OF It would Ill cOnsid
residence Of Mr. James A Scryrnser at Seabright
is q specimen Of their handiwork, and an evidence
OF the adaptabilty Of concrete 10 architectural
The thorough technical education OF these gentle
% men their vast and varied practical experience.
cretesteel construction Of every description.
Ger their opinions OF peculiar value n this discus
engineers, builders and owners
n \. Shoemaker. Assoc; n Am. Soc c. z, says
In answer (ct Competitive tests between g hol-
a teel errh In TOrlx