The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-11-19
A Reinforced
Concrete Talk
SPECIALIST RYAN BROUGHT BY HONOLULU
TELLS LARGE AUDIENCE SCIENTISTS AND
TRACTORS ABOUT MATERIAL
LARGE STRUCTURES

dust coming from the floors. Now
tile-like finish can be applied which
does away with this objection alto
gether.
The question had otter been asked
why are there failures in reinforced
concrete buildings? Why do they oc-
casionally fall down? Iu every case
of such failure, the speaker reclared,
the trouble could be traced to ignor-
ance or negect OF some or the import
ant yet simple rules. Reinforced con-
crete must be properly designed and
constructed and the forms taken down |
easily ind carefully so as not to jar, |
or trouble may follow. OF all failures |
nine out of every ten was caused by
taking out the form work too soon or
removing them in the wrong way. Oc-
casiOnally the trouble was in the de-
sign, sometimes in the sand and some
times in the stone; but usually in the
cause first noted.
At this point the steropticon was set
going and a number of fine concrete
buildings in the east were shown up
on the screen and described by Mr..
Ryan.
Contractor j. L. Young, OF Fort
Shafter, was called upon and referred
to the cost of concrete construction be-
ing much less than any other in large
buildings. In Hawaii it would be
cheaper than either stone or brick,
and it's durability was we'll understood.
Marston Campbell, superintendent OF
public works, stated that local fail
ures in concrete construction had been
due to error in placing the material.
Concrete is one of the grandest ma
terials we have, because it is the most
honest. 1t VIII not initiate; will not
try to be what it is not. Under all
circumstances it remains-concrete
There was no question of the desira
bility or concrete in these islands,
where there was an abundance of ma
terial for it nothing TO import except
steel. The speaker hoped to see the
day when all the plantations were us
ing it almost exclusively.
Civil Engineer James T. Young stat
ed that reinforced concrete was the
best material that could possibly be
/, used in building, and when the struc-
ture cost over 100000 it was the cheap
est and safest. Earthquake and fire
tests in San Francisco and New York
had amply proved the superiority and
desirability of reinforced concrete. 1t
had been the speakers observation that
failures had invariably been due to
carelessness and usually to failure to
put up the forms properly.
e. H. Gere, county engineer, des-
cribed his system of concrete work
speaking particularly of bridges ana
culverts. The concrete was all right,
but he had had trouble in getting it
properly placed.
Here followed a number of questions
. and answers between Messrs. Gere,
! Ryan, Marston Campbell and others
on the character of material used in
the making of concrete and the method
of using it.
AlCuiJeCJ H. Il. AeTr deemed the SUD-
iect of vital importance locally espe-
cially as reinforced concrete was about
: the only building material that could
be made up here. He regarded it as
far desirable for building purposes
, than anything now in sight.
Mr.. Smith, of the U. S. Engineers
department, stated that concrete had
come to stay.
Contractor John Walker spoke of ms
, concrete work and the success he had
, made with it.
Mr.. Ryan, in answer to a number
= of questions, again took the floor and
spoke of concrete fumes tanks reser-
yoir and stand pipes pipes as being the
, most economical and serviceable
known.
Mr.. E. Kopke proposed a vote OF
o thanks to Mr.. Ryan for his interesting
o and valuable address, which was una
nimously carried
For several minutes questions were
+ fired at the principal speaker of the
evening and answered in his quiet but
convincing way. 1t was after 1885
= O'Clock and the very interesting and
instructive meeting came to a close.