Fire Proof Buildings

It has been the fasbion of each geaentiot) to jogalong alnjost ex;ictiy in the tracks ol the prcceding one ; and h ra very custornary to ridicula the person who proposes chnnge, liovvever reasonabio, osa vielonary fooi. Noisviilieianding, iunovations on oíd usages will slowiy creep imo use. Kvcry body knows, for insiancc. tlia: ihe destructivo firesof citics ond villoges spread chiefly by catching frorn roof to roof. Every chüd has obser%'ed it yet after haf a city or village lias been laid in ashes by this ve y tncans. t is often rebuilt in ihe same marmer, v.itlionihe slightest nquiry as to the best meaos of ubviating the dangcr. The consequenco 3 thot some plnccs are burnc over repeatedly during o ingle ufe time, and a vast omount of pruperty lestroyed. One would suppose thnt the organ of Acquisiiiveness, which is so largc n the American people, would lead them to devise ome covering for tho roofs of buildings less easiy igtíited ttíáñ dry pino shingles. Self-intereat ought to lead capitalista to look into the matter. We are not prepared to state what s the best and heapest material. Slatc, copper and stom?, ïave been used on paiticulor occasions ; and we ee in the papers a notice that Wrn. Beach, of ?roy, has invented and patented a mode ot' usng cast ron platee for covering roofa. They are bout one toot square, and are made to fit ono nto anoiher, so as to render the roof water tight y applying white lead to the joints, it can be lForded at 16 cents the square foot and comes al bout hall the cost -of copper. They weigh about hree and a half pounds a square foot. Jálate coste 8 cents per squaie foot. We knów not how well Mr. Bench'simprovement will work, but we have no doubt some enterprising rnechanic will yet makc his fortune by tuniiiig his attention to the sul-j :ct.