UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



i^ 



BULLETIN No, 801 



"■^ll'^-^EC^ ^''"''''''"'*'''" from the Bureau of Markets •^i 



!^i^^^ GEORGE LIVINGSTON, Acting Chief ^^f^'^^ui. 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



December 15, 1919 



CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE PROTECTION OF 



COTTON WAREHOUSES/ 



By J. M. Workman. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

 Primary factors in v.-arelioiise do- 

 sign 1 



Fire-resistive construction 16 



Slow-burning- construction 41 



Scmi-slow-lmrning construction 50 



Frame construction 57 



Iron-clad construction 1_ 57 



Auxiliary structures 58 



Fire protective equipment 61 



Precautions against fire 75 



Selection of warehouse design 76 



Appendix. Standard warehouse 



plans 79 



PRIMARY FACTORS IN WAREHOUSE DESIGN, 



The construction and fire protection of warehouses for cotton 

 has sutferecl much from the apparent simplicity of the subject. The 

 majorit}^ of cotton warehouses do not combine the essentials for real 

 economy of construction and fire protection with advantageous in- 

 surance rates largely because of inefficient planning. The design 

 and construction of the cotton warehouse should be handled by a 

 competent engineer having a thorough understanding of construc- 

 tion, fire protection, insurance requirements and rates, together with 

 some knowledge of warehouse management. 



' Defiuite suggestions iu regard to construction of buildings and fire pro- 

 tection based on desirable principles and practice are presented in this bulletin. 

 A'ery detailed information, of interest cbiefiy to the designer of warehouses, 

 is printed in small type as footnotes. 



These recommendations as to construction are in general harmony with 

 the Building Code recommended by the National Board of Fire Underwriters. 

 Acknowledgment is made of valuable assistance rendered by Prof. Ira H. 

 Woolsou, iu the preparation of this discussion. 



128983°— 19— Bull. 801 1 



