CONSTRUCTION AND FIEE PROTECTION OF COTTON WAREHOUSES. 41 



Disconnected ]:)lutforms afTordin*^ no serious fire Inizard to the 

 warelioiiso arc discussed under the head of ''Independent phitforms 

 and sheds." 



The surface of a concrete phitform, for any use where subjected 

 to constant trucking, should be of such hardness as not to wear 

 rapidly. This is secured primarily by a top-dressino;, or surfacing, 

 of concrete mixed with a liberal quantity of cement; or b}^ the use 

 of sand which is not excessively coarse. Sand having grains of 

 graduated size is preferable. Such a mortar is dense and presents 

 a surface that wears clown slowly and evenly. Further hardness 

 may be secured by the use of special preparations which are on the 

 market. Some of these are mixed with the mortar and others are 

 penetrating liquids for application to the surface after the cement 

 has set. The comparative merits of these preparations should be 

 determined before they are purchased. 



FLOOR OPENINGS. 



P'loor openings never should be j)ermitted to form a direct com- 

 munication between two inclosed floors or compartments. Elevators 

 and hoist should be located on the platforms and isolated from all 

 openings into the compartments. Where bale chutes and stairs are 

 required, they should be placed in a similar manner. 



SLOW-BUHNING CONSTRUCTION. 



ADVANTAGES AND DISTINCT FEATURES. 



Slow-burning construction is well suited to the requirements of 

 the cotton v/arehouse, although this construction does not afford such 

 a high degree of protection as fire -resistive construction. The stor- 

 age house for cotton, however, presents a combination of values of 

 distinct contrast to many buildings in that the value of the cotton 

 stored so very far exceeds the value of the building which protects 

 it. Although the building of reinforced concrete will remain prac- 

 tically undamaged after its contents have been entirely consumed, the 

 building of good slow-burning design will retard materially the ac- 

 tion of fire and provide very favorable conditions for extinguish- 

 ment. With acceptable designs for warehouse compartments of this 

 construction, fire frequently can be confined to the section in which 

 it originated. Hence the compartment is still the unit of the ware- 

 house, as it is in case of the fire-resistive construction. The same 

 general influences control its preferred size and proportions except 

 that its limitations must be fixed entirely by walls, the floors not 

 serving to separate compartment units, in case of multiple story 

 construction. 



