The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-16
Il zoorl<G 7o111o @1z7o~.
OBJECT LESSONS
FROM GREAT FIRES
Experts Report as to Defective
Fire-Proofing in Baltimore and
San Francisco.
HOW TO PREVENT ZEN BIG BIC: FIRES
Better Structural Material Must
Be Used in ies-Concrete |
and Steel.
HOW TO PREVENT BIG FIRES
DY WALTER EDWARD HARRIS

ny WALTER EDWARD HARRIS
WASHINGTON, d. c.. June 15.-That
q great conflagration. accompanied by
the sacrifice OF human lives. and the
loss OF property worth millions, is pos
sble In nearly every big city Of the
United Statcs,ais the opinion OF three
of tho best known experts In structural
materials In this country.
That the various municipalities OF the
country have not profited by the.
cnlamities in Chicago, Baltimore and
San Francisco, Is also claimed by
these OH ciala, whose Investigations
have brought forth the conclusion
that there Is no such thing as o fire
proof building.
Not that it is i1npos sible to have a
building tlreproof, for these experts
show the manner of constructing such
in report Just made to the Interior
Department. The fact that the build
ings are not nreproof Is believed to be
directly Straceable tofthe desire OF own
ers to cheaper. as far as practicable
the fireproofing and construction gen
orally, In order to secure greater i'm
tcrest on investments.
Richard L. Humphrey, in charge of
the structural materials division of the
Geological Survey and secretary Of the
National Advisory Board on Fuels and
Structural Materials. points out that
an earthquake in New York City Of
equal severity to that which shook
down San Francisco would result III,
an appalling loss Of lie and property.
These conditions prevail in every large
city, and it would not take an earth
quake to prove the con tentions of the
| experts.
/ or ho 49, 1,o f,,
| Francisco, Mr.. Humphrey visited that
city to investigate the havoc wrought
by the fire. the action OF the fire upon
so-called freproof buildings, and the
steps necessary to prevent con1lagra-
| lions in the future
Sun Frnnclsco object Lesson.
Professor Frank Soule, dean of the
College of Civil Engineering Of the
University of California, was desig-
mated by the technologic branch Of the
Geological Survey to proceed to San
| Francisco for the same purpose. About
this time the War Department assign
| cd Captain John Stephen Sewell, EN-
| gineer Corps, U. S. a., whose. reputa.-
/ ton as an expert on fireproof building
construction is international to .
similar task, After a thorough In.
vestlgation, these officials have com
pleted n careful report, which will be
4 published by the Geological Survey ir
4 the near future. From tho genera.
conclusions they draw, the present day
conditions are not encouraging
. Richard l.. Humphrey says 1.-THE Snr
Francisco disaster has demonstrated
i that the lessons from the Chicago
and Baltimore fires are still unlearned
The same faults in construction con.
tinue to, be repeated, The only sure
way to remedy grave defects OF TIL.
character is to enact strict building
laws which compel an observance o
the essentials for hreproof structures
1T Is quite probable that tho new
San Francisco Will be, to large ex
tent, a duplicate Of the former city q,
; previous defects of constructions"
! Fire Worse 'rlun Earthquake.
], Professor Frank Soule says: 9Th
; damage inflicted upon San Francisc
from the direct and immediate effec
; Of tho earthquake was relatively SINAI,
: being estimated at from to 10 pc
I cent, only Of the total loss; but sub
! sequent and indirect effect was t.
|paralyze the water supply and its al :
! tributing system, start u great con
ba<raton. render impossible Its cx
tinguishment with the means at HAND
, cause the death Of ut least 500 per
; sons, burn approximately $500, 900. 90,
worth of property, render housoloss
! homeless and miserable 100000 people
, and !nfiict remoter damages to bust
ness, commerce and labor. only to Is
8 estimated In the future, When we, Ca
I, SEQ plainly as we may. looking back
s ward, that nearly all OF this destruc
) ton ana suffering might have bee zee,
t prevented by wise foresight and proyi
. sion, we feel that we must send
. warning to all the cities OF the worlt
"Any city that disregards this warn
CONTINUED on Twelfth Page.)