183 
INCOMBUSTIBLE ARCHITECTURE, 
Or Fire Proof Buildings of all Finds, 
BUILT AS CHEAP 
AS ANY COMBUSTIBLE BUILDINGS. 
BY C. S. RAFINESQUE, 
Professor of many Sciences, Architect, Draftsman, &c. 
The constant deplorable loss of property and lives 
by the conflagration of public and private buildings, and 
even whole towns all over the United States, calls 
loudly for a remedy or a change in our style of building. 
This remedy is found, and the only objection to a 
change by the greater expense of fire-proof buildings 
will be obviated by the discovery that such buildings 
may be constructed on a new plan quite as cheap as 
any other common stone arid brick buildings. There- 
fore this new' style of Incombustible Architecture ought 
to be immediately adopted for all our new buildings. 
Several additional advantages are connected with 
this new style of Architecture, such as enabling to 
warm the buildings at one third the usual expense, and 
to insure them for a mere trifle. Nay, these additional 
inducements are of such importance that they might of 
themselves decide to employ this new way of building. 
At any rate, I am ready to contract to build any edifice 
or house, for the payment of the saving in fuel and in- 
surance, besides the actual cost in the usual style. 
Let us reflect that ever since 1800, the United States 
have suffered a loss of fifty millions of dollars at least 
by conflagrations, besides several thousands of lives 
lost also; with many millions for wasted fuel, insur- 
ances against fire, keeping engines, hoses, and firemen. 
Let us reflect that all our colleges, libraries, muse-, 
urns, public offices, stores, factories, theatres, &c. are 
yet liable to be destroyed, with all their contents, re- 
cords, books, wares, machinery, &c. and judging from 
what has already happened, they are all doomed to be 
burnt down in succession, and the contents lost, 
