CHAPTER Fill. 

 STANDARD MILL CONSTRUCTION. 



This section illustrates the advantages of well-designed 

 buildings and protective apparatus in the prevention of heavy 

 losses by fire, as recommended by the Associated Mutual Fire 

 Insurance Companies of New England, and shown in Report 

 V, issued by the Insurance Engineering Experiment Station 

 under direction of Boston Manufacturers Mutual Fire Insur- 

 ance Co. Since this particular type of mill construction has 

 been developed mainly to meet New England conditions, it 

 follows that the references to the kind of timber apply more 

 directly to the New England market than to other localities. 



While modern practice as outlined in the earlier pages of 

 this bulletin may vary in some details, this section serves as a 

 summary. It also presents the subject from the standpoint 

 advocated by the insurance companies responsible for the 

 greater part of the development of this class of building. 



This plate (Fig. 18) illustrates the best practice in con- 

 struction of a storehouse more than two stories in height, in- 

 tended for storage of raw stock or goods. The important 

 features of the design, which should be kept in mind when 

 applying them to special cases, are as follows: 



Construction "The area of each compartment to be preferably 5,000 

 square feet but not over 10,000 square feet for non-hazard- 

 ous storage; 5,000 square feet is the usual standard for cotton. The height 

 of each story for cotton, or for other readily inflammable material, should 

 be such as to permit the storage of but one bale on end 8 feet from floor 

 to floor is generally sufficient. When designed for cased goods the height 

 should be sufficient to take two cases, with 10 inches to 12 inches under the 

 beams, in order not to impede the distribution of water from the sprinklers. 

 Ample provision for passageways should also be made. 



"The compartments should be separated from each other by solid brick 

 walls and be accessible only from the elevator and stair tower, with the 

 openings here protected by standard automatic sliding fire-doors. This 

 will confine damage to the compartment in which a fire may start. 



Walls "Brick walls should be at least 12 inches thick in the top stories 

 and increased at the lower floors to support their additional load. 

 The pilastered wall has many favorable features and may be preferred to 

 the plain solid form. 



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