G08 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



4,000 years have disappeared ; the wood, the soft brick, unburned 

 bricks, all have vanished. If they had been constructed of iron, 

 what mines of that metal ready for service? what rescues from the 

 myriads of conflagrations, destroying all the writings, books, 

 paintings, &c. 



President Pell commented on the importance of iron buildings, 

 and quoted the pamphlet of Dyott's patent, presented hj Mr. 

 Barney, Iron plates, resembling cut stone, to incrust brick walls. 



It claims the following advantages over other systems of erect- 

 ing remodeling or facing fronts : 



First, it is the cheapest of all methods that are durable. Fronts, 

 as handsome as any in the country, can be put up for one-fourth 

 the cost of brown stone, and so accurate in their resemblance as 

 to deceive a practiced eye, and warranted to retain their color 

 a«id appearance for years. It can be put upon the front of an old 

 building without disturbing the walls in the least, with as much 

 ease, and will be as strong and substantial, as upon a new wall. 

 No matter how rough and old the wall may be, it will be so 

 strengthened as to be as solid as a new one. The iron facing and 

 the wall are so firmly united together, as to form them into one 

 solid mass, so that all dampness and air are perfectly excluded 

 from between them, and, consequently, the iron cannot oxidize 

 or be defaced, A front put up on this plan is superior to brown 

 stone, because it is impenetrable, and is not affected by moisture or 

 Jire ; any amount of ornamental work can be put upon it without 

 increasing its cost. The sharp corners, edges and projections 

 always remain perfect, whilst those of stone become defaced by 

 time, external violence and accident^ and cannot he repaired. If 

 desirable, at any time, the appearance of the iron front can be 

 changed, at a small expense, to resemble any stone that may be 

 desired. 



This method of erecting iron fronts is superior to others, because 

 not more than one-fourth the quantity of material Is required, 

 and being of light weight, are cast smooth and perfectly free from 

 scale, therefore the paint and other substances .used to cover it is 

 in intimate contact with the iron, for which it has an aflinity, 

 and becomes so firmly united with it, that it will never blister 

 or peel off, as it does when put upon heavy castings which have 

 a scale upon them. It is also superior because a thin facing of 

 iron is used, which is backed by a non-tonducting cement on rough 

 walls of masonry, so that the interior of the house is not affected 

 by the intense heat of summer or the severe cold of winter. It 



