Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-10-11
BILLIONS GET INTO
NEW BUILDINGS
BUT CAREFUL METHODS OF CON.
srRucrioN ARE URGED.
CONCRETE MUCH USED
Yet II is a Treacherous Material un.
less Mixed In Proper Proportions
Allowed TO Harden Right-Fire
Associations Active for Safety.

New York, oct 9.--Never before
In tho history OF the world has there
been such n boom In building con.
struction rs is now taking place In
the United States. From all parts OF
tho country reports are coming In
which show that billions OF dollars
arc being spent in the endeavor to
provide homes for population which
Is increasing by leaps and bounds.
Chicago is enjoying boom without
parallel In tho history OF that city.
Baltimore has just been celebrating
its remarkable rise from the ashes
of the great fire. San Francisco bids
fair TO excel BaltimoreS record New
york is constructing new slIyscrapers
representing Investments amounting
to $lO0,000.OO0, while In the city and
outlying boroughs builders arc OK.
pending an average of $3.50, 900, 900 a
year In hotels, apartment houses,
dwellings, etc, The total number OF
buildings throughout the country "a
close to 100000, valued at nearly
$4,000, 900. ".
me materials used In many of tho
new buildings are of such n nImsv
character that, In spite OF all efforts.
tho terrible fire waste Of this country
M" continued unchecked, until It
now averages s2O0,O00,00 yonr
| The National Fire Protection aasocla.
ton, In an endeavor to reduce theae
losses, makes an urgent appeal to all
Interested to cooperate In bringing
about better conditions by adopting
/ improved methods of construction,
| II also recomonds that municipalities
pass ordinances involving tho adop.
Ton of an improved building code
along the lines Of the building code
recommended by the National board
of fire underwriters.
The need for such ordinances was
traglcally shown in the recent col.
lapse of concrete garage while In
course of construction at Mlneola. l..
l. Five men were killed and eight
Dndly Injured, II was learned after the
collapse that some of the mon mixing
ihe concrete refused to go on, saying
thhL the proportion Of cement mixed
with the gravel and loan was not
enough TO solldlfy II. Workmen said
that the work was being rushed with
such haste that sufficient time was
not allowed for the concrete to hard.
on.
People are beginning TO ask When
Is this sort Of thing going TO stop?
since the collapse of the Darlington
hotel In March 1904, the exceedingly
treacherous nature of concrete. un.
less mixed In strict accordance with
the formulas OF standard engineering.
has been shown In similar col,apsea
all over the country. The situation ia
becoming 80 serious. especially in
view OF the vest amount of money be.
ing put into new buildings. that tho
international congress OF architects,
at recent meeting IN London adopt.
ed the following resolutions:
That an inquiry into the cases Of
failure Of reinforced concrete and
their causes would be most desirable
mat where reinforced concrete "a
Intended to be firereslsting the great.
est possible care must be taken as 10
the nature OF the aggregate and tia
size, and also as to the protection Of
the steel