Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/516

 494 THE BUILDING NEWS. trial. He accordingly prepared a design and plans for one block and subsequently com- menced its erection. The block measures about 54ft. by 28ft., and consists of three stories, with a flat roof. Each story is divided into living rooms and bed-rooms in such a manner that either two or four families can be accommodated in the same flat. The building is fireproof, and, omitting the in- dispensable interior wooden fittings, may be said to be constructed of concrete and iron, the latter material constituting the joists upon which the floor is carried. While this block was in course of erection, the attention of the Metropolitan Board of Works was drawn to it, and to the system of building adopted by Mr. Tall. The latter they pronounced not to be in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Board for the guidance of builders, and, after some preli- minary fencing between the two parties, the Board of Works took out a summons against Mr. Tall at the Southwark Police Court. The magistrate (Mr. Benson) who heard the case determined to make a personal in- spection of the building complained of, in order to possess some more reliable informa- tion on the matter than the mere testimony of others. Accordingly, on Friday last, the following gentlemen proceeded to East-lane, Bermondsey, to inspect the building in ques- tion: Mr. Benson, police magistrate, Mr. 3iron, Mr. F. Meadows White, Mr. Newall, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Dashwood, Mr. Newton, C.E., and a few others. The inspection, which was conductedina very fair, impartial manner, having terminated, the party returned to Mr, Tall’s premises, where some further examples of conerete construction awaited them, and demonstrated the numerous purposes to which the principle may be applied. ‘The summons was brought forward again at the Southwark Police Court on Saturday last, and the case adjourned for a fortnight. It is only fair to state that the general tenor of the evidence was in favour of the sufficiency of the prin- ciple of building adopted. There are two chief points to be kept in view with regard to this matter at issue. The one is, whether the system of construction employed in the Peabody block comes within the scope of the Metropolitan Acts—that is, whether this method of building walls and other structures was ever contemplated when these Acts were framed. We are strongly of opinion that it was not, and that there is literally no provision made in the Acts for the contingency which has arisen. ‘This is, however, more a question for those learned in the law than for us to decide. At the same time, if there really is no provision made in the Acts for the particular case, it is scarcely fair to wrest the meaning of clauses and attempt to adapt them to instances to which they are not relevant. The other point is the nature of the objection. ‘This is stated to be, by the Board of Works, the ‘‘ want or absence of bond.” The term ‘bond ” is of a strictly technical character, and by no means easy of definition. If the idea enter- tained by the Board of Works is that ‘* bond” must be either ‘* English” or ‘‘ Flemish,” and absolutely nothing else, then Mr. Tall’s system of building in that sense certainly does lack ‘‘ bond.” But the application of the term is capable of a far wider range than that which pertains to mere ‘“ headers” and “stretchers,” and éven were it not, it is absurd to imagine that the whole strength of a wall or building lies in the ‘ bond.” A large, if not the larger, portion of it is derived from the cohesion of the component parts. This is readily under- stood by any one who has seen the stringent manner in which mortar is specified to be prepared for large building operations. If so much depended upon the ‘ bond,” it would not signify what the mortar was like. The three desiderata to be sought for in con- erete construction are strength, durability, and wsthetical effect. The first may be con- sidered as proved, the second, arguing analo- gically, may also be regarded as proved, although it will require time to definitely de- termine this. The third has not been proved yet, but as the material affords plenty of scope for artistic treatment, it is to be hoped that it will before long. It will be remem- bered that some years ago cast iron was con- sidered not to be susceptible of ssthetical treatment, but no one will now venture to deny that it has been treated in this manner with great success. So, in future, may it be with concrete. In conclusion, we have a word of advice to give to all those interested in this method of construction, It is, notto be too venturesome, and not to fall into the error of supposing that any amount of ¢ohesion or bond will ever compensate for departing from the correct rules of construction. There are certain laws which must be adhered to, whatever material may be employed, and whatever may be its cohesive strength. When we hear of concrete walls being constructed 150ft. in length, 6ft. high, and 6in. in thickness, without a single buttress, we are not prepared to en- dorse that style of building. The parties who buildit will, no doubt, point triumphantly to the fact that it stands perfectly well. So it may, but at the same time no one knows how near it may be to falling. Those who are conversant with the principles of scientific designing and construction are well aware that a wall or any other structure is only safe so long as it suffers no deformation ; once out of shape and its strength is gone. Long walls, unsupported by buttresses or counterforts, are like long tie rods, weak and liable to sagging, which must be guarded against in both instances. Anxious as we are to witness the development of a style of building which | has already been carried out with marked success, and also which is likely to prove of great benefit in the erection of houses for our working population, we are not blind to the fact that there is a limit to its capabilities. Public opinion is turning more and more towards the value of building in concrete, and it would be a great pity if the whole system received asevere blow by some ill-advised and unscientific attempt at construction, of which any competent professional man could detect the inherent weakness at almost a glance. ns CHICAGO. A LTHOUGH only eight months have elapsed since the disastrous fire which laid the principal part of Chicago in ruins, considerable progress has been made in the rebuilding of the city, and lofty, commodious, imposing, if not elegant structures are re- placing the more primitive buildings destroyed by the fire. The newspapers are filled with advertisements from what are there called real estate agents and architects, and it is to be presumed that just now these two profes- sions enjoy a lucrative amount of business. One architect mentions in his advertisement (which looks very much like a dentist’s card in an English provincial newspaper) that he refers by permission to the Supervising Ar- chitect to the Treasury and others; a firm of architects warrants “all work practical, correct, and on reasonable terms,” reminding one of the caution of Autolyeus— There are cozeners abroad ; therefore it behoves men to be wary.” Another gentleman, who describes himself as ‘architect and superintendent of buildings,” intimates that he gives ‘special attention to public buildings.” To judge from the illustrations given in the Land Owner, a Chicago paper, devoted to land and buildings, there is very little art in new Chicago. Size and expedition in build- ing appear to be the grand requirements in building, and very little attention is paid to grouping or detail. In fact, in America it seems that the man who builds the largest buildings in the smallest space of time is accounted the greatest architect. Great stress is laid in the newspapers upon the June 21, 1872. of stories it will contain, and the thousands of dollars it will cost, but nothing is said as to its design or its adaptability for its purpose, and it is evident that little interest is felt in the science of building, except in so far as it contributes to the extension of trade and the acquisition of money. Nearly the whole of the new buildings in Chicago are in the Classic style, and in the large edifices the vicious redundant type which became popu- lar in Paris during the Second Empire has been generally followed, with variations which cannot be regarded as improvements. The most extensive building is the new Grand Pacifie Hotel, now being rebuilt upon the old foundations, which were but little injured by the fire. The cost of the structure will be one million of dollars, or £200,000 sterling, and it will contain 500 rooms. The works ave being pushed on with great rapidity, and itis intended to open the hotel on the 1st of March, 1873. The exterior, as far as can be judged from an imperfectly drawn illustration, bears some resemblance to the Charing Cross Hotel, but the mass is more skilfully treated, and there is con- siderable variety in the elevations. The hotel appears to be entirely isolated, and if the detail is well treated it may turn out to be a very creditable building. The archi- tect is Mr. W. W. Boyington. The First National Bank, at the corner of State-street and Washington-street, has been partly rebuilt. and reopened for business. ‘This building went through the fire with compara- tive safety, the vaults, with their valuable contents, remaining uninjured. A feature of the new-building is a sate deposit vault fur- nished with a large steel safe subdivided into compartments each with a separate lock and. key. ‘These compartments are let to the eus- tomers of the bank for the safe deposit of their securities. This is no uncommon thing in New York, but it appears to be a novelty in Chicago. Another large block—which has been re- built and was reopened on the 1st of May last—is that belonging to the Republic Life Assurance Company. It occupies a command- ing situation at the junction of two streets, but no advantage has been taken of its position in an architectural sense, and the design is of the most meagre description. The only attempt at anything like composi- tion is at the entrance doorway, where two enormous lions, each apparently about 12ft. in height, erect, one on each side of the door, appear to be in pursuit of an eagle, which forms the key-stone. Itis difficult to see the application of this to an insurance office ;. but the group may possibly have a wider signifi- cance, and the lions may be intended to typify the Northern and Southern States hungering forthe destruction of the Republic. Lions are troublesome animals to introduce on alarge scale into an architectural composition ; butthose who haveseen the cortile of the palace of the University at Genoa will remember the startling and yet delightful effect that may be obtained by their judicious combination with the leading lines of a well-designed building. The Chicago papers are extremely sanguine with regard to the prospective value of land in the city and its suburbs, and it is asserted that the value of land has increased as much as 5 percent. during the month of May, on account of the influx of immigrants. Land is sold by the foot frontage and not by the superficial foot as with us, and consequently it is difficult to compare the values given in America to those obtaining with us. On the Wabash Avenue, which is in one of the best districts, land has advanced from 1,000dols. (£200) per foot frontage to 1,200dols. (£240), and even as much as £300 per foot frontage freehold. A plot of ground in Adams-street, near Wabash Avenue, was sold in April last for 25,000dols.; the depth of this plot is about 60ft., which would make the cost equal to about £2 a foot superficial, which is about the value of the land in Moorfields and its height or extent of a building, the number | neighbourhood.