What Buildings Are Fire-proof

The ashihgtoa correspondent of tho 3incinnati Commercial bas " intorvie wed " lv. Mullett, tho Government architect, n the subject of fire-proof buildings, and ïcro are his opiniona : Mr. Mullett says tliere are very few fireroof buildings in the United States. He ught to know, for lic bas had all the govrnment buildings in tho country on his iiiii-ls for aeveral vean, and hsa built hu best of thern, and it is probable he tas devoted as much time, study, and inostigatiun to tlie subject as any architect o befonnd. ' Wli y, my friend," said he " don't you cnow that granito, wben subiected to a trong beat, orumbles liko dry piaster? he beat building stone in tiic world ; t v. il 1 resist time, and heat, and damp indrain, and everything els.;, but it voa't ï'osist lire. Marble is not muoh ; letter, but it is Borae; marble will not! jurn up as soon as granit i. ne is ibout the same, with some few oxoeptionil Viuieties. " Now, a good many blessed idiota think ;bat it' a vault is built of granite it is lire n i bu ■;. -ï prooi'. Nothing of the sort. '.f I wanted to inake a secure vault, I houldn't make it oí' granito. A skilfull jurglarcan get into a graaite vault in no inie." "IIosv:" " Why, with a blow-pipo. With alargo ilow-pipe, and a smnll, sharp blaxe well ïandled, a buvglar oan orack i block of granite t" pieces, before you'd know it. WUiii subjeoted to a severe heat it oracks ui'l splits off in flakos, and you 6an o it into Band with your fingí rs. Olí, no, a jranite building is uot flre-proof." "Well, what sort of a building is fireproof 'i " ' A granite building," he answerod, without app irontly aotioing the question, 'will stand heat a great while; bo will marble a great wbile. Bul a wooden eupola, or stccple, or towor, must mt be put on top of it, likc th.it on the " Court House. . . . Granito isn't fire proof," he continuod, " but, as I sail bofore, it will Btaod 't gopd ii:ú. It is p:obable that the Court House would have stood had it Dot been for tho wooden cupola and the opon Windows. The Tribune would probably havo stood it ithad had iron shuttors outudo and inside on all the windows. Yet it Í3 by%o means cèrtain, if the fire ragod with the intensity that is describèd. "Whiit, then, is to be dono," I asked, "if graaite and marble and sandstone are nut nre-proof? Is not tho Capítol, tho i'ic.isury, tho Pátei 1 01 Ico, the Posfcoffice Department - are not these live proof.'" "Why, bloss your soul, no! No ono of thcin. Jiut tbey are probably safo, fov all that, beoause they stand away from othex buildings - allexceptthe Postoffice If we should hnve sueh a flre in WasbiDgton as that in Chicago I should fp.ar for the Postoffice building, Why, my dear üir, li continued in :i more snappish tono thau evor, "do you know there is but one Bre-proof Ghvernment building in the country 'i That's the Appraisera' Stores, in Philadelphia" "Is it possible ? And that is tho ouly "It's the only ono I know of." " Wlmt's the material ?" "Why," b ed, "fflt brick. Brick I's Hui only absolute fire-proof building material 1 know ot'. They 8 ■. the S stone is flre-proof, and it bas :-t mi! some wondevfiil tests, but none of the Govemnient buildings have been built of ifc. Of courso, granite and marble aro good enoueh, it' buildings are ap n't from othors. That'sthe trouble. Government buildings oagbt to have big nounda around i. Then here would be no danger. But I have great faitb in irou sbutters." li-ili-le. This raakos not orf.y a very dela sivuce, but is vory healthful, a tho nourighinent oLth (er is m kde i.s retained, oni stmuiliith] ör iilcoholio proporties avo lied Sy boiling befo :e, and we the ahatp, bi.ing of the oíd apple buttor mudo froiu boilod cidor.