The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-22
TALKS 0N USE OF
 METAL SHINGLES Harry Fulenwider Says They Are Growing In
 Favor Every Year

.'Jt is inevitable, following out the old law of the survival of the Attest, that the wooden shingle be replaced by the me tai shingle, for many. many reasons said Harry Puenwider, president or the Last Birmingham Iron Roofing and Cor rugating company, commenting on me movement inaugurated a few days ago by Chief A V. Bennett of the local fire de- Ia rtment to have an ordinance adopted by this community requiring that only metal roof coverings be used in all construction hereafter
 ''This decision made by Chief Bennett continued MT. Fulenwider, lis an exceed
 ngIy wise one, the wisdom of which IS realized by every house owner, by every house occupant, by every builder ana architect in not only this. but every other city in the entire south.
 birmingham will join the very front rank of the most progressive municipan- ties in the United States when such rec ommendation becomes legal ordinance, as many northern, eastern and western cites decided years ago not to permit the use of anything but metal roofing in the city limits.
 "For 9 years we have been anticipating the gradual growth in the use or metal shingles, having been manufacturing them
 in this city continuously for that pe- rioo, and we have noted, from year to wear the tendency to drop the wooden shingie and adopt metal shingles. until 1t has become established that the wooden
 is old sogyish and the metal is the most
 modern and the best of the two
 Metal shingles have every advantage p hich superior quality can give, possess ir,. more resistent qualities to the rye eather. being far more durable, and also enabling artistic effects impossible for we oden shingles to give. In fact, metal shingles are made in numerous designs.
 in excellent limitations of terra cotta and slate tile, and can be painted any color de sired.
 "As to durability. our own experi- ence extends over a quarter of cen tury. and we can say that shingles made by us and used 10 to 20 and 25 years ago are still in use, still doing service and in excellent condition.
 Besides, when compared with wood en shingles, metal shingles are much cheaper and possess the many advan- tages enumerated apove which the latter do not
 From the data which we have com piled we have ascertained the average life of roof put on with No. 1 cypress shingles is 12 to 1b years. while No. 2 cypress only lasts to 10 years, pro-
 vided 1t is kept painted at certain periods. Against this we know metal
 shingles, laid 25 years ago. some which
 have never been painted but once. are
 as serviceable as they ever were. ITO any objection which might be ra sed as to excessive heat caused by the use of a metal roof covering, we maintain that this causes no discom- fort, metal having tendency to de-
 fleet the rays of the sun. rather than
 being a heat conductor. However. even the slightest trouble from this feature
 may be absolutely obviated by the use of almost any kind or building paper. The highly combustible nature of woden shingles, as. is most correctly outlined in Chief Bennetts report make them a menace to life and prop erty. besides increasing the rates o1 insurance and the burdens placed upon the fire departments.
 Against these great disadvantages ia the non -combustible nature of metal shingles and the fact that when they are adopted on a larger scale, that Is
 N lien their use has become more wide ly disseminated. insurance rates will be reduced, an obvious fact to every one. "A very heavy percentage of fires are caused by wooden roofs, or wooden shingles, and every fair-minded citisen is willing to admit that were metal
 shingles more universally adopted gen. eral conditions in many respects would be better"