Year: 1871




Charles Reade protests against the
thing we call house" The following
is a part of the general remedy which
he proposes:


1t is sure sign man is not an artist
it, instead of repairing his defects, he
calls an intellectual superior to counter
act them. The fire-escape is creditable
to its inventor, but disgraceful to the
builders. They construct a fre-trap
without an escape; and their fellow
citizens are to cudgel their brains and
supply the builders want of intelligence
and humanity by an invention working
from the street. The fire-escape can
after all, save but few of the builders
victims. The only universal fre-escape
is the rational roof.


To be constructed thus: Light iron
staircases from the third floor to top
floor and rational roof. Flat roof or
roofs, metal covered, with scarcely per-
ceptible fall from center. Open joists
and iron girders, the latter sufficiently
numerous to keep the roof from falling
in, even though fire should gut the edi-
fee. An iron-lined door, surmounted by
a skylight; iron staircase up to this door,
which opens nationally on to the rational
roof. Large cistern or tank on roof,
with force pump to irrigate the roof in
fire or summer heats. Round the roof
iron rails set firm in balcony, made too
hard for BARNS to climb, and surmounted
by spikes. Between every two houses a
partition gate, with two locks and keys
complete. Bell under cover to call
neighbors in fire or other emergency.


Advantages offered by 1.-THE rational
roof y:


|. High chimney-stscks not needed.


2. Nine smoking chimneys cured out
Of ten. There are always people at
hand to make the householder believe
his chimney smokes by some fault of
construction, and so they gull him into
expenses, and his chimney smokes on
because it is not thoroughly swept. Send
faithful servant on to the rational roof,
let him see the chimney-sweep' brush
at the. top of every chimney before you
pay a shilling, and goodbye smoking
chimneys. Sweeps are rogues, and the
irrational roof is their shield and buckler.


3. The rails painted chocolate and the
spikes gilt would greatly improve our
gloomy streets.


4. Stretch clothes lines from spike TO
spike, and there is a dryingground for
the poor, or for such substantial people
as are sick Of the washerwomen and
their villainy. These heartless knaves
are now rotting fine cambric and lace
with soda and chloride of lime, though
borax is nearly as detergent and Injuries
nothing.


8. A playground in purer air for
children that cannot get to the parks.
There is no ceiling to crack below.


6. In summer heats blest retreat.
Irrigate and cool from the cistern; then
set four conyerging poles, stretch over
these from spike to spike few breadths
of awning; and there is delightful tent
and perhaps a country view. Ii the |
Star and Garter at Richmond had pos
sessed such roof they would have made |
at leastt two thousand year upon it, and |
perhaps have saved their manager from |
a terrible death.


I. On each roof little flagstaff and |
streamer to light the gloom with sparks
of color, and tell the world is che master
at home or not. This would be of little
use now; but when once the rational
roof becomes common many q friend
could learn from his own roof whether
a friend was at home, and so mems eyes
might save their legs.


8. In case of fire, the young and old
would walk out BY a rational door on to
a rational roof, and ring at rational
gate. Then their neighbor lets them on
to his rational roof, and they are safe.
Meantime, the adult males, if any, have
time to throw wet blankets on the sky
light and turn the water on the roof
The rational roof, after saving the family
which its predecessor would have de-
stroyed, now proceeds to combat the FIRE.
1t operates as an obstinate cowl over the
FIRE; and il there are engines on the spot
the victory is certain. Compare this
with the whole conduct Of the irrational
roof. First it murdered the inmates;
then It fed the fire; then it collapsed
and fell on the ground floor. destroying
more property, and endangering the
fremen. am yours, very truly,


CHARLES REAnr