CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE PROTECTION OF COTTON WAREHOUSES. 57 
FRAME CONSTRUCTION. 
Frame construction for the cotton warehouse may be used in some 
cases. Such buildings should not be of the ordinary joisted construc- 
tion, with very light rafters and thin sheeting. The roof should be 
of the same construction as that described for semi-slow-burning, and 
the walls should be the same as those used for the " wood end." It is 
essential that such buildings be well separated, a distance of 100 feet 
being required between each building and any other building. Such 
an arrangement generally is not economical except in case of very 
low value of real estate. The cost of yard hydrant piping is increased 
very much by this necessary scattering of buildings. 
If conditions warrant the frame construction it is well to arrange 
the buildings in a straight line in order that possible expansion of 
capacity may be effected by closing in the intervening space, thus 
forming additional compartments in such manner as to be divided 
by fire walls suitably placed. Therefore it is well to adjust the area 
and height of the buildings in such manner as to give for them and 
the future additions the capacity advised for compartments. Like 
the semi-slow-burning design, one story is most desirable and two low 
stories should not be exceeded. Where two stories are used, an in- 
clined runway, or platform, may be provided in order that cotton 
may be trucked to the higher level. 
The construction of the roof — and floor, if there is an interme- 
diate, or second, floor — should be of the heavy slow-burning type as 
this will greatly facilitate the extinguishment of fire and limit ex- 
tent of damage. Moreover, such construction is but little more ex- 
pensive than the light frame construction when the element of labor 
cost is considered. 
"IRON-CLAD 95 CONSTRUCTION. 
The type of construction commonly known as " iron-clad," or the 
warehouse built of a light wood frame having sides and roof cov- 
ered with sheet iron, fulfills its greatest usefulness in the case of 
isolated small warehouses and is used largely on account of the 
economy with which it can be constructed. This construction is 
practically proof against exposure to sparks. However, the thin 
metal affords but little protection against heat to> the framing and 
therefore the spacing of the buildings with reference to each other 
and surrounding exposures should be the same as is recommended 
for the frame warehouse. 
