New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-17
By Provost Hubbard
Chemical Engineer

No building is more weather-proof
or fire safe than its roof. Any struc-
sure that is rooted with materials sus-
eeuptible to fire or weather conditions
is not only an uncertain investment
hut an actual menace 30 health and
life. Fire plots Its course from one
inAammable roof to another. and unless
there are roofs that raise barrier ia
the progress of the flames the property
owners of the neighborhood are car
rying big FIRE risk and the buildings
constitute great menace to the
community.
That realization of these essential
facts has been driven home in recent
years to real estate dealers, housing
experts, home-owners, architects and
contractors is shown by the tremen-
dous increase in the production of nat
emit roofing during the past twelve wears
as contrasted with the production of
wood shingles in the same period. Dur
ing this period patent roofing advanced
from 100000 squares in 1908 to so
100000 in 1919, while red cedar shin
giles slumped from 100000 to 7.4o0. 600
squares. The roofer's square equals 10o
square feet.
shingles Tor 1000 Roofs
There are in the United States over
forty factories engaged in the manufac-
ture Of asphalt shingles and prepared
roofing. representing with their allied
interests an investment of more than
s150000,00 1t has been conservatives
~ estimated that the daily output of
feet of finished material This dailv
output, if rolled into one sheet three
feet wide, would stretch from Chicago
to Buffalo, distance of more than 500
miles, and would be sufficient to roof
1000 dwellings of average size. This
material is shipped not only to all
parts Of the United States, but to
South America, Mexico. China. italy.
Austria. Germany, England and Russia.
twenty-five years ago comparatively
small quantities of asphalt roofing
we're manufactured. Many roofs Of
this material, however. have lasted for
over twenty years. Time has demon
strated the durability of asphalt and
its propensity to ste alive" and not
TO harden unduly through loss of VIOLA
tile oils. AS compared with other BIZ
luminous rootings it shows less soft
ening in hot weather and more pliabil-
ity during cold weather. Contraction
and expansion under changing weather
conditions have been found to give
practically no trouble, and there is
little danger of cracking and breaking.
The introduction of asphalt into the
manufacture of prepared shingles has
made the rapid advance in the use of
the new roofing possible.
Shingles Made of Rags
Asphalt shingles are usually manu-
featured of rag or asbestos felt, thor
oughly saturated with asphalt. On top
Of this is placed heavy coating of
harder asphalt. which thoroughly
waterproofs the sfingle and into which,
while hot, is rolled mineral matter,
such as crushed slate or feldspar, col
ored green, gray, red or brown as de-
sired
When an asbestos felt is used in the
manufacture of asphalt shingles they
are extremely fire-resistant and mon
cumbustible," and take the same rate
Of insurance, as slate, metal and tile.
Slate weighs from $50 to 500 pounds
per 100 square feet, while tile weighs
between $50 and 1900 pounds. The
asphalt shingles average 220 pounds
per 100 square feet, or about the same
weight as that of wooden shingles.
Prepared roofing in rolls varies from
IS to 100 pounds. The asphalt shingles
wear for ten 90 fifteen years and do not