Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/160

 144 the board in committee by ballot. Alderman Bur- | gess explained the meaning of the report to be this: Supposing the board had under consideration the building of schools in Syston-street, it would be open to some member to moye the appointment of one architect, for a second member to move the ap- pointment of another architect, and so on. When all the architects nominated were before the board, the board would resolve itself into committee, and ballot for the architect. After the ballot had been taken the board would resume, and the architect chosen by that ballot would be the one appointed by the board. The report, after some discussion, was adopted. Aw Ancient Rose-nusn.—It is believed that the oldest rose-bush in the world is one which is trained upon one side of the Cathedral in Hildesheim, in Germany. The root is buried under the crypt be- low the choir. The stem is a foot thick, and half a dozen branches nearly cover the eastern side of the church, bearing countless flowers in summer. Its age is unknown, but documents exist that prove that the Bishop Hezilo, nearly a thousand years ago, protected it by a stone roof, which is still ex- tant. THEATRES OF PArts.—The theatre of the Porte Saint Martin, Paris, is to be rebuilt, it is said, in Classic style, with a grand pediment supported by eight enormous columns. A most extraordinary proposal, with respect to theatres, is made in connec- tion with the completion of the immense new Place of the Chateau d’Eau. Before the construction of the new boulevards in that part of the city, there was a whole row of theatres near the spot in ques- tion. An architect now seriously proposes to erect four or five new theatres at the Place, and the Com- mission of Dramatic. Writers, with M. Dumas at their head, warmly support the proposal. It is scarcely likely, however, that any Municipal Go- vernment will adopt such a plan. Srreer Accipents.—A machine, which has been patented by Mr. J. J. Ney, of Pentonville-road, is about to be put in use in the metropolis by the Street Accidents Prevention Society, also to be adopted, it is stated, by the Board of Works and the City Commissioners of Sewers. The machine, according to the Atheneum, is a box-like receptacle mounted on wheels, and having a sliding door in front, through which specially-prepared sand flows on to arotatory brush, which scatters it uniformly over the pavement. The machine can be worked by manual labour or by a horse, and the slipperiness of asphalte pavement will, it is considered, be com- pletely counteracted by the working of the machine. Working this machine, it appears a boy could cover the entire street from the Bank to Finsbury-pave-. ment with sand in less than an hour, Concrete.—The use of concrete imlien of bricks and mortar seemsto be gaining ground. At the last meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works an ap- plication was made by Mr. Alfred Bridgman, on behalf of Mr. Thomas Dimsdale, for permission to erect some model dwellings in Portland cement con- crete, in Fann-street, Aldersgate-street. Permission was deferred. On the same occasion an application by Mr. H. Goodwin, for leave to construct a ware- house in King-street, Borough, in Portland cement concrete, was granted conditionally, S. Arnan’s Anpey.—While some men employed in the work of restoring S. Alban’s Abbey Church were engaged on Thursday week in making excava- tions and researches, some exceedingly interesting relics were brought to light. In the south wall of the south choir aisle a beautiful Decorated doorway has been discovered, which is supposed to have led to an exterior chapel, now destroyed. Among the débris were found no fewer than 300 pieces of ex- quisite carving, composed chiefly of Purbeck marble and clunch stone. These pieces are supposed to have formed a portion of a shrine, being of the Decorated style of architecture. A large portion of it is richly carved, and four crowned and gilt lions are plainly distinguishable in a quatrefoil. A broken marble figure has also been found. The excavation work is still going on, and great hopes are entertained that the missing portion of the shrine of S. Alban will be discovered. Fumicarion Arrer SMALLPox.—Dr. Moreau Morris, Sanitary Inspector of the city of New York, reports to the Board of Health of that city that 805 deaths from smallpox were recorded in the Bureau of Vital Statistics in 1871, and that the percentage of deaths {0 cases treated at the Smallpox Hospital was 20°46, but was much larger among cases treated at home. He adds, ‘So soon as the Bureau is in- formed of the removal of the patient from the sick room, the work of fumigation is performed by the corps designated for that duty, and it is done in the following manner :—The doors and windows being THE BUILDING NEWS. tightly closed, after the bedding and clothing have been suspended in such manner so as to allow free access of the fumes, from one to three pounds of sulphur are placed upon some metallic vessel so as to avoid the danger of fire, a little alchohol poured over it and then set on fire, the operator immediately leaving the room and closing the door tightly, so as to prevent the escape of the fumes as far as possible. This is allowed to burn out, and thus liberate large volumes of the fumes of sulphurous acid. After two hours the doors and windows may be thrown wide open, and the room thoroughly ventilated by the free admission of air. Experience has taught us that these means were proved, when thoroughly done, to have destroyed the infection which has been in the apartment. Carbolie acid and sulphuric acid seem to have the property of utterly destroying the germs of this particular poison, while chlorine, so much relied upon as a disinfectant heretofore, does not prove to haye the same power.” ———_>—_——_- CHIPS. It is understood that, owing to the failures which have taken place in theconstruction of new barracks in India, the Governor-General in Council has decided to place the whole of the public works and barrack-master’s work of the stations in the Bengal Presidency, occupied by European troops, under the control of the Inspector-General of Military Works. The correspondent of the Leeds Mercury contra- dicts a rumour, mentioned by the Art Journal, to the effect that General Scott is about to sever his connection with South Kensington. The same writer also states that Gencral Scott has lately dis- covered a means for conyerting deodorised sewage into Portland cement! It is likely that a company will be formed shortly to bring this patent before the public. Mr. Thomas Parker, the inventor of a new hot- water apparatus, was described in our last number as of Neweastle-under-Lyme; it should haye been Newcastle-upon-T yne. Sir Lawrence Peel states that in place of the old elm tree which has been removed from Fountain Court, Temple, half a score of plane trees are about to be planted on the spot. The parish church of §. Peter, Limpsfield, was reopened on Saturday week, after undergoing a thorough restoration, under the direction of Mr. J. L. Pearson, F.S.A. A new Freemasons’ Hall, costing between £7,000 and £8,000, was opened on the 2nd inst. at Bristol. The marble statue of the late Lord Farnham, erected by his tenantry at Cavan, is the work of Mr. Samuel Ferris Lynn, of Buckingham Palace-road, London, brother to Mr. Lynn, architect (Lanyon, Lynn, and Lanyon), Belfast. The return of Mr. Ruskin as Rector of the Uni- versity of S. Andrews has been declared illegal, on the ground of his holding the Slade Professorship of Vine Art at Oxford. The colossal group, “ America,” for one of the angles of the Memorial of the Prince Consort in Hyde Park, is to be placed in situ next month. Mr. John Bell, the sculptor, is now engaged on a portrait (in marble), of the late Earl Clarendon, for the new loreign Office in Downing-street. The new building for the Library and Museum of the Corporation at Guildhall is to be opened in June or July. The rebuilding of the Church of the Ascension at Chicago, one of the structures wholly destroyed, together with every house in the parish, by the recent conflagration, will cost £8,000 ; a sum which Canon Street has come to England to appeal for. Mr. Walter Montgomerie Neilson has been elected to the chairmanship of the Technical College for Glasgow. £50,000 will be required to start the insti- tution, and to establish chairs in connection with the principal industries carried on in and around Glasgow. Mr. Locke, of the Caleutta School of Art, is en- gaged in taking casts of the Buddhist Caves at Khandagiri, for the International Exhibition. The famous Ecole Polytechnique, of Paris, which has hitherto been both a military and a civil college, is about to undergo a change. It is to become, it is said, a part of the Public Works Depart- ment, and will only in future train pupils as civil engineers and chemists, while the young men in training for the army will be transferred to the Eeole de 8. Cyr. Sig. Strazza, the sculptor, has been commissioned to execute a marble statue of Donizetti, which will be placed in the vestibule of La Scala, at Milan. 8. Andrew's Church, Holborn, is about to be deco- rated under the superintendence of S. S. Teulon, architect, a sumof £750 having been decided upon by the trustees to be expended. The specified sug- gestions of Messrs. Phillips & Son, of 10, Baker- street, have been accepted for the execution of the same. Fes. 16, 1872. MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. MonpbAy.—Royat InsTiTuTE OF BRITISH AR- CHITECTS.— Practical Hints on House Building, &. By Mr. E. Roberts, F.S.A. 8 p.m. TUESDAY.—INSTITUTION oF CIVIL ENGINEERS.— Discussion upon Mr. Leslie’s paper, ‘‘ On the Gorai Bridge, Eastern Bengal Railway.” 8 p.m, WEDNESDAY.—SocreTy or ArtTs.—‘On Prison Labour as an Instrument of Punishment, Profit, and Reformation. By F. J. Mouat, Esq., M.D., late Inspector- General of Prisons in Bengal. 8 p.m. ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION. — Meeting of Elementary Class of Design ; subject: ‘‘ Full-size Details of Mouldings of Choir Stalls and Canopies.” 8 p.m. FRIDAY.—ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION. — ‘On the Abbey Churches of Caen.” By Mr. R. Phené Spiers, A.R.I.B.A, 7.30 p.m. Grade Hefvs, WAGES MOVEMENT. Tue Ipswich BurtpinG TrApE.—The building trade in Ipswich is now on the move, and a meeting of the men was held on Tuesday night atthe Wellington Inn, Carr-street, for the purpose of adopting measures to secure the concession by the masters of nine hours asa working day. THe NINE Hours’ MOVEMENT IN THE METRO- POLITAN BUILDING TRADES.—On Saturday last a meeting of carpenters and joiners, consisting of dele- gates from the various societies, shops, and jobs, re- presenting about 5,000 society and non-society men, was held at the Brown Bear Tavern, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, to ascertaiu the opinion of the trade as to the propriety of memorialising the master builders in favour of the nine hours. There were 200 delegates in attendance, and nearly the whole of the large firms were amongst those represented. Mr. Hawkins, a member of the provisional committee, occupied the chair. The delegates having given in their reports, a discussion took place, which resulted in the following resolutions being adopted, with one dissentient:— That a circular be sent to the master builders of the metro- polis on the Ist March, informing them that the car- penters and joiners in their employ would, on and after the Ist of July next, require that the working hours be nine per day, or 51 hours per week, with pay- ment at the rate of 9d. per hour, and to respectfully re- quest that a reply to the circular be given at the ex- piration of six weeks from its being received.” The questions of overtime and piecework stood oyer for further consideration at an adjourned meeting. BARNSLEY.—The masons of Barnsley have pro- posed a new scale for working, which they wish to come into operation on the Ist of May. They also de- sire that the rate of wages shall be 30s. insummer and 28s. in winter, work to commence at seven o'clock in the morning, and terminate at half-past five in the evening, except on Saturdays, when work shall cease at twelve o'clock. They also ask that where sheds are not erected the masters shall pay one-half of the time lost in wet weather by the men. There are several other de- mands relating to the time to be allowed for walking to jobs in the country, &. The masters have held a meeting to consider the claims, but separated without coming to any resolution with regard to them. ALNWICK.—The nine hours’ movement has been conceded by the principal builders, contractors, and cabinet-makers of Alnwick. DuNDEE.—The Dundee painters met on Monday, and resolved to demand the 51 hours weekly limit, commencing on the Ist of March. Hawrtck.—The workmen in the building trades of Hawick have resolved to apply for the fifty-one hours system, with a rise of 4d. per hour from 8th April. JOHNSTONE.—The operative slaters in Johnstone, N. B., have accepted the nine hours’ limit from Ist March, the wages to be 64d. an hour, and overtime to be paid as time and quarter. EprnpurGu.—A meeting of the Edinburgh and Leith marble and slate masons was held on Monday evening, to take into consideration their employers’ answer to the request that the working time might be reduced from 57 to 51 hours per week. From the very unfavourable ansiver received from the masters, it was unanimously resolved that the workmen give in their notice on the 24th inst. to leave work, unless a satisfactory agreement was come to before that time. ALLoA.—The joiners of Alloa, Clackmannan, Alva, and Tifficoultry have agreed to ask the employers to re- duce the hours of labour to 51 per week, and that the wages be at the rate of 54d. per hour, from 1st Jupe- TENDERS. CATFORD BriwGk.—For additions and alterations to house at Catford Bridge for Major Forster. Mr. W. H. Fletcher, architect. Quantities supplied by Mr. T- Ladds:— F. J. & J. Wood ... Staines & Sons ... Willicombe & Oakley SOYTATD sc ccn.. Allpress...... Stimpson € Co. ,,, £4424 4296 4150 4072 3955 8785