OCR Text |
Show MAKE IT FIREPROOF That Is the Consensus of Public Opinion. IT WOULD NOT DELAY THE WORK The Half-and-Half Idea a Piece of Architectural Folly False Economy Econ-omy at the Bottom of It Will the Wishes of the Tax Payers Ite Ignored? It begins to look as though the committee having the matter in charge would go on with the construction of the city and county building without making any change in the plans until it will be too late to properly pro tect the structure against fire, 'lhe sentiment senti-ment of the taxpayers and of disinterested architects and experts is that it is a piece of monumental folly to spend some $'25,000 in miking two stories of the building fireproof and leaving the rest of it absolutely without protection against fire. So far as can be laarned, the committee has not even given the matter serious consideration, although the expressions of opinion from members of both the city council and county court show that both bodies are almost solidly in favor cf making the building fireproof through-cut. through-cut. Some action should have been taken in this important matter weeks ago, but the change can still be made without delaying the construction in the least or involving the needless expenditure of a dollar. As to . the cost, it will be a saving of some 450,000 feet of lumber to offset the cost of the iron. If there is a man who does not favor the Change, The Times' reporters were unable i to find him today. Councilman Folland said that in his opinion opin-ion a structure of this kind should be made fireproof throughout. That was the modern idea, and it seemed almost ridiculous to ' make two stories fireproof and make no provision whatever against fire in the basement base-ment and two upper stories. I Frank E. McGurrin Public buildings can-i can-i not be made too secure against fire, not alone because of the loss in money which a I lire would involve, but because the building will be a repository for valuable records", which, if destroyed, could not be replaced. The los of these records cannot be estimated esti-mated in dollars and cents. But the plan as it now stands is a ridiculous one. Two stories in the center of the building have been made fireproof, and the money spent for this will simply be thrown away unless the rest of the structure is protected. I am for the change. J. K. Gillexpie It certainly ought to be made fireproof throughout. The additional cost would be light, and when insurance and other items are taken into consideration, it would be false economy not to make the change. By all means, let the city and county building be fireproof. J. G. Bechtol, of the Walker House It will bo a mistake not to make this structure fireproof. fire-proof. The extra expense would never be ielt. Foxf hiaxtsr Benton I say made the city and county building fireproof from tbe basement to the top of the tower. In my judgment the matter is a very important one and action should not be delayed. It will be money j saved to rjske the change. ! John Sufi I strongly favor the change, j providing it will not delay the construction of the building. A. II. Nash It will be a great piece of ! folly if this building is not made fireproof. The fact that a couple of stories are protected pro-tected doesn't count for , anything. I remember re-member that a few years ago the Santa Fe built a magnificent hotel at Los s Vegas, and they made this ame blunder of having the lower part fireptoof. Well, the verv first year after it was ctjipleted, a fire -, broke out in the top story, ail the whole ', structure was utterly destroytV. This half t and half idea cannot be indJyed on the ' ground of economy or anything Vise. It's a I piece of folly, that's all, and hoAld be recti- tied right now. I 5 Secretary Sells What is tb un 0 making ' a prt of the building firiroof y Tkjt ought to be all fireproof. J E. A. MciJaukt I do ndirein s, t Lake, F but if that building was f fferecteq 'n Og-. Og-. Ja t, den, I can say that it mid be fireproof wov from top to bottom. Vl |