The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-04-23
FireprOOf Building Tests.

The disaster in Chelsea, Mass. has
prompted an unofficial re nort on
the investigation the Federal
Government is making into the
comparative fire-resisting values of
various kinds of building material.
The Government owns buildings
worth at least $5OO,OOO.OOO. and
every year spends in the vicinity of
S20,00o,OO0 on new structures here
and there Before the fire the post
office in Chelsea was situated in the
Odd Fellows building. In this case
the Government loss is compare
lively slight; but if fire had swept
over larger city the Government
might be a heavy loser. for it does
not insure its buildings against loss
10y fire. 1t prefers TO do what it can
10 make them fireproof.
The first series of elaborate tests
in connection with this policy has
just been completed under the di-
Teetion Of the United States Geo
logical Survey, which had the assist
ance of the National Board of Fire
Underwriters and the National Fire
Protection Association. the tests be
ing conducted in the Chicago labora-
tories of the former organization.
Thirty panels Of divers building ma
1erial were used-concrete blocks,
all sorts of bricks, several kinds of
tile. and sandstone, granite, and
marble. The tests were severe. The
temperature attained. about LOO
degrees Fahrenheit. was above that
of the ordinary. blaze, but probably
81 was not higher than that reached
during certain periods of the con-
hagration at Chelsea. None of the
materials passed the trial perfectly.
but, nevertheless, the results were
promising. The director of the
Geological Survey reports:
The brick ranels probably wItnstooc
TIE tests better than any other ma
Ierials. There were two iotE OF common
y manufactured brick. and the other 2
brick that had been in an engine foum-
darion for some years. The latter seem
cd 10 Withstand the test the be- ter
Fifty per cent OF the new bricks were
split. while SO to 20 per cent Of the ole
bricks were not damaged. The brick.
st the hack OF the panel were entirely
unaffected.
The hydraulic pressed bricks stood tn,
test better than amy other material y,
damage was apparent whatever aftel
the firing and before the water was afr
piled. and although 4 number OF tn
tricks era cked. 20 per cent OF them wer.
found TO be intact after the Qucnchin.
or the flames. There was auparcutir
little difference iu the strength of INT
brick before and after firing
The natural building stone behaves
the = crst Of all the ma erial tested. TIL
almost complete destruction Of thes
tween them. The sandstone panel on
tirely collapsed soon after the test WI
started.
OF the concrete panels, that wifi
a granite basis appears to hav'
done best. However. when drenchet
after being subjected to the intens
heat. this concrete cracked rattle
badly, suggesting that it would b
well to have metal reinforcement
"The tests. we read, "als
brought out most clearly the loy
rate It which heat travels through
concrete. This is one of the desi1
able qualities in materials intende,
for freproofing purposes" In tn
granite concrete panels a compare
lively low temperature was foun
Immediately after the test at
depth of only an inch and 4 hal
Linen tags placed in the hollow cor
crete blocks were found undam
aged: and it was noticeable that tn
"wetter. richer mixtures stood Oh
apparently Undamaged in contras