The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-21

e1en n0or We make Q ground plan
showing the position OF every Bit of
ironwork. with each BIT numbered.
Now, when that beam comes to Us
numbered II 4. ia, we look at the II
ground plan, ind member ia and
that's where the beam goes
And 81 how about M"
THAT shows the foor. We number
the members and letter the floors, so
that II means the thirteenth floor.v
The reporter was about to comment
frivolously on the regrettabiy small
number Of letters In the alphabet and
its effect on the future OF tan build.
ings. but the superintendent continued:
4 SO Tar the system seems perhaps
comparatively simple, but 1t Is when
we come to consider the aesthetic va
carries In the way OF outside stonework
which the architects sensitive soul
emands that many complex problems
have to be solved. It is when we are
confronted with turrets. towers, bal
comics and bow windows and gargoyles
and ponderous coplngs and cornices
that delicate figuring must come into
play. While 1t is easy enough to cal
erlate the weight Of the sheer walls
the uniform blocks OF stone between
stories-the curved stones forming or.
nate projections must be considered
Individually. so that each win rest up
on ironwork Of proper strength to sus-
tain It and Of proper construction to
hoId 1t in place, and this, too, must en-
ter into the computation OF the load to
be carried on its particular floor. In
this way many iron members will en-
ter Into the support of a single stone
whose only use is 10 satisfy the artistic
cravings Of the architect"
Why is it that one often sees the
stonework going forward on, say, the
fourth story. while the floors below
show only the iron skeleton?"
There are various reasons for that.
Nearly always there, are huge boilers,
engines. pumps and the like which
must be put in before the ground floor
stonework begins. Sometimes there Is
delay in the delivery, so we start the
stonemasons in at some story above.
This Is easy enough, as all the loads
have been computed long before, Then.
again, the door beams OF one story
may reach US sooner than those Of an
other. so we put the masons on. that
story, or perhaps there is much cary
ing to be done ona third story stone
coping and little on the second. So as
not to delay this we jump the stone
masons from the tirst to the third
story.
You see" pursued the expert, "the
plan. idealized. is to keep the stonema.
sons, housesmiths and plumbers one
door behind the ironworkers, the ear
penters one floor behind these, the
plasterers one floor behind the car
penters. and SO on till the top story is
finished"
Would 1t be possible to erect a
twenty storyN building in the old
way OF brick aud stone construction?
asked the reporter.
Possible. yes, but 1t would take so
long that in these days of quick for
tune building the proposition would be
commercially absurd. You can't as
semble stone or a brick building.
You've got to start at your foundations
and raise your walls to your first floor
before you can put in your girders and
beams. and 50 on to the top. Now, lay
Ing stone Is slow process, and By the
Did method everything had to wait for
The masons aud bricklayers. Today we
don't have to wait for anything after
the calssons are sunk. We can keep all
hands busy, no matter how slowly an
individual part of the work may be
forced to progress. We can put ON a
stone tower before we touch the stone
work Of the sidewalk floor"
rs an iron construction. building
| safer than one Of stone?"
mo, simply cheaper, but inst as safe.
Another thing. too. saves time in mod.
srn building. and that Is the abundance
Sf available labor. An ronwbrker who
is capable Of helping to rivet a. big bat
tleship together or assisting In tunnel
or subway or bridge construction is
quite as much in his element when he
lakes part In the assembling OF
great building. This fact OF inter
changeabIe labor makes 1t possible to
work at the very top limit OF speed
when occasion requires. At the pres,
snt time we have one building under
way on which we employ 1,6O0 men
simultaneously.
AS said before, putting up a build
ing today is just like making mod
srn watch. The various parts are made
separately, but to ct into each other to
hairs breadth. These are turned
over to the skilled mechanic, who sim
ply puts them together = assemblies
:hem."-New York Herald.
HMan With the Branded sand.s