New-York tribune., 1906-11-17
rFTTERS TO THE EDITOR
CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.
Accident Shows Need Of Adherence
wv =. Primer Plans to Secure Safety.
- TrIhnne.

EfAnrN
70 the boi'o- ,,o ~ concrete construction IN the
sir: =, p;yb,. a+ Long Beach, Cal. reported In
rev boz - November 10. by which dozen men
YOU - lives and score more were injured
isst I-.~,o,,s thought. Unexplained II becomes
Gust ..,,sl reader an unanswerabie indictneht OF
&c -..s concrete. II not q ah concrete oohsuuc-
erroneous impression should not be al
ion - a" obviously. II one concrete structure
loWea " - all Will be = built in precisely the
Is So So ,,5 of equally good materials Thou
ssne s,cb structures scattered throughout the
sanOa enask coucusively for themselves
oo-'' ,-n,6 ~ public favor toward concrete Is
IHe .rs Increase Of the Portland cement pro-
So ~ the United States from 100000 barrels IN
Ha - g GOO 900 in 1905 and about 45'OOOeoo IN
1ss' -. s,rerIor freproof character, greater du-
} s,a less cost and the advance in the
iSD1s ,-nber and skilled labor are factors which
~ nse the demand for concrete 10 continue its
o,s growth. But the interest OF the public
g. :, ooncrete itself demands plain discussion of
&, e. ..f,res that their recurrence may be avoided.
fac4 :. -. various systems" use individual
., ts-s o- rJeces-plain. twisted. corrugated or
'..s5-irnbedded in the concrete for its reinforce
-. Tf.hrough false economy or ignorance INSULT
for the load IS used or Il the steel IS put in
,,,v SO as 70 leave one weak spot failure is GER
-. This makes necessary the presence constant
:. careful and thorough expert 1t Is i'm
S,ssle 70 find enough experts 10 man the multi
Re ~ big and little concrete structures now build
- r0nse0uentlv foolish economy puts much
ng n he care Of novices and with inefficient or
srsjess Inspection by public officials 1t sometimes
rsy.lts IN accident -,
- nethe ma tieal basis as steel and brick
e-~-tion with COncrete-steel engineers or arch!-
s.-s 70 prepare plans and specifications which any
t~lider can read and follow without deviation. and
.srs obtain the inFaluble results IN every detail
desired a1q s-eG CS - ,e,3es oaI;not sa few he
- n be laid the concrete in separate pieces in
q H1ts,,teEard manner by unsupervised and unskled
These steel bars and rods should be fabri-
sS;sd together into structural units, as IN steel
- hrick construction, with sizes according 10
=, possiDe amount Of metal q sufficient and uni
- strength viii be insured at every point
g-ehitect doing TINS must nave MS craftsman
r-e-are one set OF blue prints TO guide the shop
Tca fahr!cates the steel pieces into me designed
-snf5rc.rs members, and another set for the
trlEer showing thesc various members suitably
-rrbere5 so JIev car nc quickly set IN their pre-
rse positions with relation 10 one another IN the
s-idug ready 10 be inlbedded in concrete, with
- re constant supervision of q trained expert
T5e1 The building IS completed the steel therein
3 all tied together and each piece related TO the
rters as scientifically as in a steel and brick
-gature, and thirty stories can be built as easily
rss the steel reinforCes the concrete ana the con-
4 reinforces the steel and protects II absolutely
r. orIv ofher method OF concrete construction
which seems suited TO insure absolute safety and
certainty Is 70 form the ordinary vet concrete INTO
'-cks and blocks Of desired sizes and shapes with
fssvv automatic machinery. and when set or
Hardened and thoroughly tested, lay them UP in
Th-s does away with expensive forms and de-
isvs Incident 70 hardening OF the walls and insures
:.ore beautiful Uniform and imperyious structure
!; also o5vtates the danger from an occasional
barrel o. bad cement. which II II does not harden,
urier the load when the forms are finally re-
moved thereby allowing the entire structure TO col
!spss with loss Of lie and pT2PgerTT- =, -sozrpp
Little Falls, X =. Nov p. 1865