Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30

a season hotel is possible by this method,
and We already have a few examples.
hotel built of concrete does away
with all plaster and lathing. Paper can
be put right on to the walls. or they can
be painted Or frescoed. Building such a
house does not require expert labor. The
army OF meta! workers, bricklayers, car
penters and other artisans necessary in
wood or steel construction is almost en-
trely done away with on a concrete
building. All that is needed is an EXPERT
to superintend the making of the con-
crete, which is the most important part
as it is absolutely essential that this work
be properly done, and a carpenter and
staff to construct the molds or frame
work into which the soft concrete is
poured. Once a concrete building is fin
isheo the WORK is done and done to stay,
according to all natural laws.
For instance. witness the examples of
concrete construction in Rome and vicin-
itE, one OF the most notable being the
famous Pantheon and its immense dome
said to be built entirely of concrete about
20 b. Z. In a century, therefore, a build
ing ought to be in as good shape as ever.
There is nothing to decay or fall into need
of repair. and the building does not have
TO be painted yearly. as in the case of
wood, or gone over for rust, as in the case
OF steel. The foundations and pillars
never need replacing. Another great ad-
vantage for this material is that the
supply is practically unlimited.
In the construction of concrete proper
ties great care should be exercised to de-
termine the correctness of the mixture
and to allow enough time for hardening
before removing forms. 1t is we'll known
that concrete. when properly mixed, be-
comes SO hard that it takes longer to saw
a given distance through block than
through equivalent granite. Failure to
accomplish this proper mixture and hard
ening has resulted in the structure COL
lapSing, with loss of life.
A tourist hotel has had an accident Of
this kind. This is the new Hotel Bixby''
at Long Beach, Cal, which was to be one
of the finest hotels in Southern California,
1Io by 43S feet, and with 276 guest cham
>bers This collapsed in November last
when one hundred and fifty men We're at
work on the structure, and several were
killed or seriously injured. The cause
was stated to be that workmen removed
the supports from the concrete on the top
floor before it was set, and the dead
weight collapsed and crowded the sup
ports below. This hotel had been under
construction for several months, and four
stories of reinforced concrete had been
completed.
well-known authority on fireproof
construction has stated that the archi-
seS' 10 NSiS idi Scly W uidHle lot poor con-
strueto on from Interpretation stand
point. As general rule the architect
lacks the conservative instinct. and the
architects of both the new and the Old
schools know less and care less about the
fire-protection element which enters into
the construction of a building than about
any other feature. Carelessness and ig-
noranca in the matter of inspection are
also largely responsible for the kind of
work that is being put into modern fire.
proof buildings.
Another feature which is being criticised
is the lack OF systematic tests of methods
and materials, the only one made in this
country being those by the New York
Building Department. the Underwriters
at Chicago. and at Columbia
University. In the old country the British
Fire Prevention Society is doing good
work in this direction.