The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-11
TAKE ISSUE WITH . FIRE CHIEFS VIEW IF REAL F|REPROOF More Statements Made on What Constitutes Fire
 proof Building SEVEN BUILDINGS IN
 BIRMINGHAM SUCH Architect and Builders Point Out the Practical Elimination of Dan-
 ger in the Modern
 Constructions

Taking issue with the opinions ex- pressed in The Age-Herald yesterday morning by the chief of the Birmingham fire department that there were no fire proof buildings, W. Leslie Welton, one of the best known architects of this city, and Carroll Blake. local manager for tie Fred A. Jones Construction company of Dallas. Tex. have given out statements tending to refute the statements of the fire fighters. MT. Blake is experimenting the erection of the American Trust build- ing at present as the representative of the Fred A. Jones company, which has the contract for this structure.
 MT, Welton said, in speaking of the quotations given out by the fire depart ment, that the so-called fireproof buildings of this city were watched as closely as finder boxes, said:
 T have before me copy of The Age Herald dated January 10. in which l note several statements from the various en- glneers and firemen connected with the fire department of this city, which seem to me are calculated to create the impress sion that the various up to date fireproof buildings of this city are a collection of finder boxes, liable to burn down at a moments notice. As these statements do not seem to proceed from any author itative information, it occurs to me that something should be said to assure the tenants of office buildings that their lives and property are absolutely safe in any Of the up to date fireproof office buildings of this city. The low insurance ratings as established by the Southeastern Tariff as- sociation on the office buildings of this city should be assurance enough in itself as to their fireproof qualities.
 Examples From Big Fires
 'There is no example on record of a building which can be considered modern and fireproof that has Ren totally, or even partially, destroyed by fire. Balti- more and San Francisco are full of in- stances where up to date fireproof build ings have withstood eonflagrations, suf- fering only the smallest amount of dam age, but in no case resulting in such a loss as that experienced by the Equitable Life building. Fire losses in these instances have been so small that practically all that has been necessary to do was to clean down the buildings and do a little patching of plaster.
 "A comparison with the obsolete meth ods employed 25 years ago in the construc- tion of such buildings as the Equitable Life building, recently destroyed. is dis tinetly out of the picture with Birming- hams seven up to date, modern, fireproof office buildings. The layman has but to reflect a moment on the wonderful pro- gress made in all mechanical and eec- trical lines during the past 20 years to assure himself that at least some progress has been made in building lines For in- stance, the Park Row building in New York is built on pile foundations, whereas today nobody would think of building a skyscraper on anything except solid rock. where rock foundation is at all possible.
 Tn the days when the Equitable Life was built. steel beams with brick row lock arches between, without any protection for the under side of the beams except plaster, were considered fifeproof Nova days. every piece of structural steel in up to date office buildings is protected with at least two inches of fireproofing material, whether the structure be rein- forced concrete or steel skeleton con struction. The old system of constructing buildings was to leave a large rotunda running up through the center of the building with staid cases exposed and no protection whatever for the mechanical lines such a plumbing, heating and light ing. Nowadays the rotunda idea has be- come obsolete. Stairs are made abso- lutely fireDrOof and enclosed on Ill sides with fireproofing, and the space for me- chanical lines enclosed with fireproof par titions and metal doors, and the exposed sides ol buildings are glazed with wire glass. methods practically unknown 25 years ago.