The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-15
UHILHUHU MWO.
Increased Use of Concrete i'm
Modern Rail Work.
Better Results Than Any Other
Known Material.
THE COST Is LARGE
But Pays for Itself in a Few
Years.
Other Items of General Interest
i'm Traffic World.

New York, May Isl. P. H. Perry
presented a paper on Concrete for
Railway Work." at the meeting of the
New York Railroad club.
The points in which concrete offers
better results than other materials, he
said, are rightly, load carrying ca
pacity, elimination of maintenance
and depreciation charges, sanitary
qualities. fireproofness, waterproof
ness and cost. With regard to water
proofness he said that with reinforced
concrete construction, there is a sur
plus of moisture at the time of de-
posting the material and instead Of
having to absorb it from the atmos-
phere to complete its capitalization, it
gives off during the finishing of the
building such water as it does not
need, and this results in the finished
structure being impervious to moist
ure. OF 200 concrete factories within
the knowledge of Mr.. Perry none is
dampproofed above the basem ent.
On the question of cost, Mr.. Perry
stated that where building codes do
not unduly restrain the design com
crete skeleton frames are fast replac-
ing steel cages for buildings not ex-
ceeding eight stories in height. 1t is
safe to state, he added, that a rein
forced concrete building, approximate
ly square in shape, with floor area
5000 up to 10000 square feet per
floor, with a height of from to 10
stories (story heights IL feet IS feet
floor to floor, with maximum window
area on all sides protected with hollow
metal window frames and sash and
glazed with wire glass, with stair and
elevator wells enclosed in fireproof
partitions, cut off with automatic fire
doors, with, board of fire underwriters
equipment throughout, with the ex-
ception of a sprinkler system, will cost
a sum not exceeding 10 cents per cubic
foot of contents, equal to $1.25 per
square foot of floor space. This figure
includes building complete with ele-
vators, plumbing, electric wiring and
steam heating. There is no other form
Of fireproof construction which can
equal this proposition.
As to the effect of oils on concrete
there is much evidence on record. Mr..
Perry said, to show that mineral oils
do no harm. Locomotive smoke and
gases also apparently do not have a
harmful effect. There is tendency of
concrete floors to dust. The best pro-
lection against this is a good hard
troweled finished of proper mixture.
Mr.. Perry dwelt upon the Bush Ter
minal development in Brooklyn as a
practicable lesson and demonstration
of the value of reinforced concrete
construction and as representing the
latest design and execution. In clos
ing he expressed the opinion that it
would profit the railroads of the coun-
try to use concrete more freely, and
that with the magnificent future be-
fore this country, and the great growth
that must inevitably take place, it is
almost criminal to build non-fireproof
or temporary structures.
The fire loss per capita of $3.50 in
the United States against a mean loss
of seven European capitals of 5000
stands forth as blot on the CONNER
cia1 reputation of the land.