El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-16
4 RC H 7 { 81
ADVANCES
PLANS
Says Add a Little Bit More
to Cost of Building and
Make It Fireproof.
WIRE GLASS FOR.
THE WINDOWS
Would Then Have Automat-
ic Sprinklers Inside and
Over the Windows.

Fireproof building construction is the
ultimate solution Of the fire insurance
situation according to B. W. Reeser, .
structures Of concrete with all of the
necessary attachments for making a
building absolutely fireproof, Mr.. RAAser
says that the insurance can then be car
ried by the property ow ner and the risk
reduced to a minimum. One OF his
strongest recommendations regarriiag
the construction Of such buildings -
the use of wire glass for the windows.
thus preventing the cracking OF glass
by the heat from adjoining buildings
Mr. Reeser's communication 20 The
Herald in which he deals with this phase
of the fire Insurance situation follows:
Ell Paso, Tex, July 13, 1910.
Editor Ell Paso Herald:
Referring to the item in The Herald
of July II, regarding the fire insurance
at the old rates and canceling those ex-
piring on or after July IL, I think it
time that property wners, who contem-
plate erecting buildings OF any descrip-
ton, should find ways and means OF
overcoming this or any like contingency.
This can easily be done, If the owner
will give the matter a careful consid-
Grafton.
BY building with the right material
and in the right way he would be able
with but a slight increase in the first
cost of the building to carry his own in
surance on both the building and the
stock, which in 9 few years would Off
set the yearly premium, he has TO pay
at the present rates should the build
ing be erected in the usual way.
Buildings do not necessarily have to
he al Of ar il
TO be strictly fireprOOf. The skeleton
should be built of that material. prop
erly reinforced of steel enclosed in
concrete, while the walls may be built
Of brick or some grade of stone not
susceptible to deterioration by fire.
One Of the main points, that has been
so often overlooked is the prevention
of fires entering from the outside. The
window and door openings have not been
properly protected and have usually been
constructed Of wood with plain glass,
when these are exposed to a fire, the
glass cracks and falls out: the fire IS
allowed to enter the building unham-
pered and it is seldom that fires thus
caused are placed under control until
all the merchandise on that floor and
probably the floor above has been de-
stroyed-
The frames and sash should be mads
of metal and the glass should be wire
glass, polished if desired. Should fire
strike this, it may crack ii. but ths
wire would hold the glass in place and
prevent the fire from entering tba
building. The doors may be constructed
Of material of which cement IS ths
main feature, thus preventing all OMEN
1ngs from being burned or allowing
flames TO pass them The whole of +ha
inside finish may be made Of con-
modify, IN which asbestos is the prin-
ciple ingredient, thus leaving nothFrS
combustible in the building but the
merchandise and this may be protecSsd
Dy having an automatic sprinkler svs-
TEN Installed which at the first hes.
created by fire will open the fused
valves, set the sprinklers in opera+foo
and put the fire out in most cases he
fore the arrival of the fire department.
This sprinkler system may be also IN
stalled on the outside over the WIN
dow1s, forming a water curtain and
thereby giving double protection from
the outside.
To protect windows in offices. ansrt
ment houses and the like where WIRE
glass might be Objectionable to TIE
tenant. steel rolling shutters nav be
installed. that will close automatically.
being provided with fusible links: such
shutters would protect both sash and
frames Very truly yours