The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-06-27
FIRE-PROOF CONSTRUCTION.

A great Hre, resulting IN the Sacrlhce
of hundreds of human lives and the loss
of many million dollars worth of
property, is possible in every city of
the United States The calamities of
Chicago and Baltimore might be du-
plicated in New Orleans or st. Louis.
An earthquake in New York equal in
intensity to the one in San Francisco
would cause an appalling loss of life
and property. Investigations made by
three of the most competent structural
experts in the country have led them
to the conclusion that there are no alb
solutely re-proof buildings. Not that
fire-proof buildings are impossible, for,
according to these experts, structural
materials may be so selected and used
that adequate fire protection is practi-
cally assured; but in the effort to
cheaper construction in order to OBJ
tain greater interest on investments,
owners of buildings have neglected or
ignored perils to lives and fortunes.
Soon after the San Francisco earth
quake, the Interior Department at
Washington, through the United States
Geological Survey, assigned to Richard
L. Humphrey, Secretary of the Nation
al Advisory Board on Fuels and Struc-
tural Materials, and Prof. Frank Soule,
dean of the College of Civil Engineer
ing of the University of California, the
task Of investigating the action of the
fire and earthquake upon So-called fire.
proof buildings. At about the same
time the War Department assigned a
similar task to Captain John Stephen
Sewell, Engineer Corps, Z. S. A., whose
reputation as an expert on re-proof
building construction is international.
After thorough investigation these Of
ficials have prepared careful report,
which has just been submitted to the
Interior Department and will soon be
published by the Geological Survey.
The conclusions presented in this re-
port are Of great interest and value.
Mr.. Humphrey, emphasizing the fact
that the lessons of the Chicago and
Baltimore fires are still unlearned, de-
clares that remedy for existing con-
ditions can be had only by the enact
ment of strict building laws which will
compel fre-proof construction. Pro-
fessor Soule estimates that the earth
quake caused directly less than 10 per
cent of the total loss at San Francisco,
and that of the subsequent and indirect
etfects-the paralyZing of the water
supply and its distributing system, the
starting of a fire impossible to ex
tinguish with the means at hand, the
death of at least 500 persons, the de-
struction of S50O,OO0OOO worth of
property, and the remoter damages to
business, commerce, and labor-nearly
all might have been prevented by wise
foresight and provision. Captain Sewell
points out the fact that fires and fire
tests have proved conclusively the in
adequacy of commercial methods of
fire-proofing as at present applied.
The recommendations of the experts
as TO the essentials of fire-prOof con-
struction are definite and positive.
High, steel frame office buildings, pro-
perry braced, are declared to be stable
and reliable, and concrete and reen-
forced concrete structures are placed
high among materials well adapted to
withstand earthquake and fire, while
hollow tiles and hollow concrete, al
though not in the past universally sue
cessful, may be so employed as to yield
most satisfactory results. Concrete
floors with metallic mesh reinforce
ments are strongly recommended for
strength and fire resistance, and wire
glass, metallic rolling shutters, and
metal sash have proved such excellent
fire protectors that wise economy de-
mands their use in every important
building. Other materials and meas
ures equally important are enumerated,
and it is believed that their adoption,
while involving increased cost of con-
struction, will insure permanence of
structure and at the same time greatly
reduce rates of insurance.