FIREPROOF BUILDINGS.

The Boston Standard in its editorial comment on the report of the general adjustment committee on the Baltimore conflagration as submitted to the National Board of Fire Underwriters, remarks tha there is “much in it which may well be considered by underwriters in their leisure moments. The advantages from an educational standpoint which the fire gave the underwriters have been improved to the utmost, and data are now available which should be of material assistance in the consideration of risks in future. Particularly is this true of fire proof buildings. Fires have occurred in socallet fir-eproof buildings before, and a belief was expresset that the term ‘fireproof was a myth. At Baltimore however, the best types of fireproof buildings prove! that they had merit, the appraiser declaring tha structural steel proved all and more than was evei claimed for it. only about five per cent, daniagi having been suffered in this class of structures Among building material the oldfashtoned brie! again proved the best fire-resistant, followed by tern cotta, then by porous and semi-pottrous tile. Grattiti and marble are again condemned by experts, as it the case of every blaze of any magnitude in thi; country since the Chicago conflagration.”

A volunteer fIre department is eiIIg organised at Leeds, N. Dak.