122
THE BUILDING NEWS.
WORCESTER SCHOOL BOARD COMPETITION. Srr,—The School Board have decided that they are right in accepting Mr. Day’s plans any time on the 1st January, although their advertised date was De- cember 31. I am not, however, satisfied with their decision, and have placed the matter in the hands of my solicitor for ‘* Counsel’s” opinion. Thus far, I have endeayoured to deprive the question at issue of anything like personality, but Mr. Day’s letter to you, a copy of which appearedin the Worcester Journal of last week, compels me to adopt another course. He says, ‘Many of Mr. Witherington’s re- marks are erroneous,” and this statement I consider is, in effect, accusing me of stating what I know to be untrue, but considering that Mr. Day admitted that his plans were not delivered till the Monday, which was the chief subject of my ‘“‘ remarks,” and that I can thoroughly substantiate the statement, as to compara- tive cost, &e., Tsee neither the justice nor the truth of Mr. Day’s assertion. I entered upon the competition honourably, and with honour have carried it on, and I expected that every competitor would be actuated by similar motives, but I would ask your opinion upon the fol- lowing points, and court Mr. Day’s denial of the facts :-— 1. Inan anonymous competition is it honourable for a competitor living in the town, and named Day, to use such a motto as‘* De die ’—‘*from day”? 2. Inan anonymous competition is it honourable ,or fair to call upon various individual members of the Board, before the deposit of plans, to request and in- vite suggestions, and actually submit plans ? 3. In an anonymous competition is it honourable for a competitor, well known to the Clerk of the Board, to take his plans to the clerk’s house, inquire for him, and finding he is not at home, to leave them, and thus identify his name with his motto? Yourself and your readers can supply answers to all these queries without taking ‘‘ Counsel's” opinion, and Tam sure that no matter how the School Board may think, the verdict of the public will be in my favour.— Iam, &c., W. SECKHAM WITHERINGTON, 135, Cheapside, E.C., February 7, 1872. [Im answer to question No. 1 we say “No!” In answer to question No, 2 we say “No!” In answer to question No. 3 we say “No!” And we believe that every reader of the Bur~pING News will say the same.—Ep.] PLUMBING, Srr,—Your correspondent ‘‘ Prideaux, Clerk of Works,” surely imagines that the little corner of this sublunary sphere from which he hails constitutes the whole globe, and that as things are done in his ** Kail- yard ’’so are they done everywhere else ! He must learn otherwise, however, for there are often many ways of doinga thing, as also many different terms applied to the same thing. [admit that local terms are sometimes a little troublesome, but when once explained there is no further difficulty in the matter, and if “‘ rhone” and
- iron-eave gutter” both mean the same, when that is
explained, as was done at p. 64, where it says “iron rhones or gutters,” and ‘runs or gutters for the rain- water,” there is no necessity for finding fault, more es- pecially when a drawing of the thing referred to was given. ‘ Prideaux, Clerk of Works,” besides finding fault with the terms, takes the liberty to assert that “Such phrases are foreign, I am positive, to any work- ing plumber, and they are as muchan error as your correspondent’s terming sink a jaw-box.” Now this only shows the ignorance of ‘Prideaux, Clerk of Works,” for in the printed price list issued some years’ ago by the master plumbers of one of the largest cities in the kingdom, and a copy of which I have before me, the terms ‘“ rhones ” and “‘ rhone bolts ” both oceur, as also “jaw-box” in place of “sink.” And in the printed price list of a large iron foundry “ jaw-box” I seeis used in place of “sink.” He must also learn that the breadth of lead for ridges is regulated, in a great measure, by the size of slates, and that to put on lead ‘ ridges eighteen and twenty inches broad would, in’ many cases, simply be wasting the lead and doing no} good. While I am readyto admit that good lead is better than zine, yet I feel bound to say that when rightly ! put on and of sufficient thickness the latter answers the purpose very well, especially for platforms, ridges, hips, &c. I do not like it for gutters, however. Andas the question of expense is often avery serious con- sideration, good zinc does well, and it does not offer the same temptation to thieves. I put on about four hundred feet of No. 11 zine ridges in April, 1863, nine years ago, and I see nothing wrong with them yet; they were put on with straps as described at p. 65, the lead formerly on was being stolen. The idea that ridges put on in this manner leak at the nails is a pure piece of theoretical fancy, and miles upon miles of both lead and zine ridging are put on, as described at pp. 64 and 65, all around the little cabin from which I write. Ofcourse there are other ways of doing the work which I suppose will yet be explained. The great question in all styles is, which, taking every- thing into consideration, is the best for the purpose to be served, and the means at hand? As to “Prideaux, Clerk of Works’” dictum that “soldered joints should not be permitted in any instance,” that is simply a mistake, as in the class of gutters referred to at p. 95, they are both used and do well, as I daily see in my ownexperience. Where pro- yision is made for drips I of courseapproye of them, but drips either cannot be put on or are unnecessary in all cases,
We arealso told that all gutters should be of “ milled
sheet lead;” now I thought that good cast lead was best
for gutters, only milled lead is now more largely
used because of itsbeing so readily manufactured by
machinery.
In conclusion, I am ready to admit that there are
many things in connection with this subject which I
have yet to learn, and I should not be astonished al-
though there were many things done here daily which
your correspondent never saw; yet instead of quarrelling
about that, as it appears to me, it would be more
sénsible to work upon the mutual improyement
system—you telling what you know, and I what I
know; by this all are benefited and our sphere of
knowledged enlarged. Before closing permit me to
ask your correspondent where he got his “third”
term “ bilb curve” ?—I am, &c., PLUMBER.
WORK FOR LEISURE HOURS.
Srr,—Mechanics included, we all want some amuse-
ment for our leisure. This was neyer, I think, better
illustrated than in the various local exhibitions held
during the last few years. _When at one of them, I
recollect trying to find something worth remembering,
and coming away with the impression that waste of
time was) written upon almost everything. Of the
many hundreds there was not one which I could call a
thing of beauty, and how the wretched things ever
came to be admitted no fellow can understand, unless
he was one of the committee of “taste.” Industry
there was, for one exhibited models which he had been
years (of his leisure) making, but which no one would
give 2d. for. A score or two exhibited needlework or
embroidery with so many hundred thousand stitches ;
others daubs—awful things ; others pieces of furniture,
without proportion, hideous in all respects, but com-
prised of so many hundreds of pieces of wood, and
having occupied so many thousand leisure hours, spread
over sO many years. It occurred to me then, and has
often since, that if these very industrious people had
made something either useful or beautiful, much good
would have resulted from these exhibitions; but I
could not help contrasting the work of foreigners with
natives, much to natives’ disadvantage. Now, if we
cannot make any of those little useful and beautiful nic-
nacs which Swiss, Germans, and French make a trade
of, we could do something, if we had the taste, which
could be taught, although the imagination is not in us;
and as most mechanics show veneration for antiquities,
I fancy if you were to suggest the making models (to
a scale) of some of our most beautiful timber roofs,
the idea would be caught up by hundreds, and useful
lessons would be taught in construction, proportion,
&e. Of course details to a scale would be necessary,
and then in most localities (though not in this) there
are persons connected with Mutual Instruction Socie-
ties who could and would set out working drawings
to that or any other scale required.—I am, &c., W.
FOUNDATIONS.
Srr,—You were kind enough to insert some remarks
of mine as to defects in practice while dealing with clay
soils. One correspondent, in answer, thinks that per-
fect drainage would meet the case. A friend of mine,
a builder, thought the same several years ago, and as
he had a villa to build, he laid a thorough good drain
all round bis foundations, and where he thought pro-
per; before the roof was on, the walls began to split in
all directions, and a deal of piecing and patching up
was required to make a tolerable appearance. This
house was designed by an eminent London architect,
and he was so disgusted that he could never be got to
come to look at it. But still no remedy suggested. A
few years after, the same builder built a parsonage
house, and he thought he would be safe, at any rate, for
that time; he took every precaution, plenty of good
concrete, plenty of depth, &c., but before the contract
was finished the walls split in all directions. Some
think we ought to cover the whole area with concrete,
but this would be generally rather expensive. To a
young architect's letter in your last number I would
say: Last year I took down a school-room on a clay
soil one mass of ruin, but that had no concrete at all;
I then Duilt a new residence and school-rooms; the
trenches were 4ft. deep, 2ft. Gin. wide, for a 14in. wall,
and well-filled with good concrete; indeed, the builder
said he had never seen better foundations. Before the
contract was finished ugly cracks appéared in the school-
room walls nearly opposite to each other; before I saw
them, I would have scarcely believed it possible, but,
however, facts are stubborn things, and if I had my
time to come over again, I would make the foundations
a little wider and deeper, and use nothing but gravel
moderately rammed; and I think I could not haye been
in a worse position, If every one in the building line
could give his experience we should see what an old sore
this annoyance of settlement is, and how apathetic, asa
body, we are about the remedy, each man hiding his
own sore, and hoping for better luck next time.—I
am, &c.,
H. G. Evrorne, Architect, Cambridge.
HOT WATER AND FIRES.
Srtr,—Referring to Mr. Seddon’s letter in your last
number, if steam boilers are cased and lagged with
wood, and the wood, as he states, never ignites, what
becomes of the statement made in your issue of the
26th ult., that there is great danger of fire when hot-
water pipes are in contact with wood, in consequence
of some peculiar state or action of oxygenation? Is
there not in boiler casings of wood an intervening
thickness of felt >—I am, &c., R.N.
Fes. 9, 1872.
THE BERLIN COMPETITION. Srr,—I had the particulars of the Berlin Parliament House translated for my own use, and intended sending it to you for publication, but as the “ Institute” has had a translation made I think it better to recommend this latter. It no doubt will prove valuable to many of your readers. I beg to observe that the meaning of the preliminary clause is very obscure, and the mean- ing of the word “profiles” in the ‘ conditions” passes my understanding completely. I have referred it to several non-professionals (not knowing a German ar- chitect), and all the meaning they can give is, that “profile” means profile—an architectural sense I cannot arrive at. It may mean details, but then the scale is so small; if may mean sections, which are not otherwise specified; but then why have them a different scale to the other drawings? Besides, the German name for section is schnitt. Possibly it means portions of the fronts, &c.; but then the ‘instructions ” state that drawings of the construction are not required! Can somereader of the BUILDING News throw light on the subject ?—I am,&c., P. E. M. INITIALED CORRESPONDENCE. Srr,—I hope that the well-invited rebuke you last week gave to Mr. Boutell will prevent the recurrence of such requests as gave rise to it; and I would recommend Mr, Boutell, and all who hold similar views to his, to read the Evening Standard of Tuesday the 6th inst., where, in a review of the new publica- tion, ‘‘ The Academy,” they witl find your own views upon signed articles very interestingly enlarged upon. —I am, &ce., Ww. W.
ASPHALTE: ITS USE FOR ROADWAYS AND OTHER PURPOSES. S1r,—To your remarks ashort time since condemn- ing asphalte as a failure when used for paving roadways, I was at first inclined to demur: the adyan- tages of the new pavement as regards noiselessness and cleanliness were so manifest as to driye into the background its disadvantages, especially as I had, up to the time your remarks appeared, never seen it ex- cept under the most favourable circumstances. From careful observation, however, since that time, I am compelled, though regretfully, to endorse your con- demnatory remarks, In the face of such incidents as have been related by yourself and your correspon- dents, and by the correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, whose remarks you quote in the ‘ Office Table” of your last impression, I hope, in the interests of the citizens (as ratepayers), no less than in those of the equine race, that the City authorities will decline to lay out any more money fer the paving of City thoroughfares with asphalte. I see that several appli- cations have been made to have it laid down, the applicants being, doubtless, enamoured of the material on account of the noiselessness of the traffic over it as compared with that over granite setts. But the main considerations as regards a material for road- way paving in such a city as London is that it should be of such a nature as to allow ofa very heavy traffic being carried over it with safety, economy, and des- patch, at all times and in all seasons; but even on the showing of Mr. Haywood’s report on the subject (which you recently published in extenso) asphalte does not fulfil this condition. I had noticed the state of the asphalte paving in Holborn, referred to a fortnight ago by “A ’Bus Driver,” and certainly that did not say much for the durability of the new material. In my own neighbourhood, the material (Val de Travers) has been tried in conjunction with the tramways, the northern end of the Walworth-road (from Hampton- street to the Elephant and Castle) being laid with it, also the western half of the New Kent-road. Along both these roads tram-cars run, there being double lines in each case. The asphalte in the Walworth- road was laid some months’ prior to that in the New Kent-road; in the former case, the wheels of the omnibuses and other vehicles haye worn grooves for nearly the whole distance on both the inner and outer edges of each of the four rails, which grooves, having served for some time to collect the rain-water, and resembling eight miniature canals running along the crown of the roadway, were filled up by the Asphalte Company. but the road presents a most uneven and patchy appearance. Additional repairs are now being carried out on this bit of road. The New Kent- road has far less traffic than the Walworth-road, and the asphalte haying been laid down much more recently, the wearing away of the material along- side the rails is less apparent. As to slipperiness, the state of the New Kent-road one dark night in De- cember last was such that not a driver would venture upon it, and all the traffic, includinga line of omni- buses, had to make a tortuous défour to avoid travers- ing this ‘“‘improved (?) road material.’ It is not practicable at all hours of the day and night (for there is a good deal of night and early morning traflic over London-streets to and from markets, railway stations, newspaper offices, &c.,) to have “street orderlies * on duty in sufficient numbers to at once render safe for traflic (by means of sand) the glassy-like surfaces which these asphalte roadways present after being subject to a slight shower of rain of perhaps only a minute or two’s duration. Experience thus showing, as I think, the utter un- suitability of asphalte for the paving of London road- ways, still, this material would, I believe, be of great value from a sanitary point of view if used for other pur- poses ; for instance, those who have seen the footpaths of | the new S. Bride’s-street and S. Andrew’s-street (leading
