ally faded and with it has faded the present glory of the Newport edition of the Rhode Island State-House. Even while the City by the Sea was the second capital of the State, the chief and almost the only glory of the State structure there was the fact that annually the Governor was inaugurated there on what is colloquially known as “ Lection day. ” On that occasion, which takes place late in the spring, the overworked legislators have always found it pleasant to spend a few days at the summer capital. These few days have come to be designated as the “May session, ” and as they were usually accompanied by more or less of the coltishness of human nature combined with a willingness to assist in all kinds of wicked legislation conducive to private snaps and other bad things, the May session has come to have a bad name in the State, The first day, however, has always produced an attractive spectacle and excursion-boats have been run from Providence to carry the crowds that desired to became spectators.
Newport’s decline as an important city has been laid at the door of the Revolution, The ravage’s of the fierce struggle affected the commerce of the place and the community never recovered from the effects of the British invasion. The State-House itself suffered during the war, and when the last battle had been fought and peace had been declared it was found to be pretty badly in need of repairs. Both the French and British troops at different times used it as a hospital, and, because of the poverty of the public treasury in those days of industrial
stagnation, not much could be done to fix it up until a few years afterward.
Although Newport is no longer a capital, it has its place to fill as a summer-resort and as the site for a unique collection of millionaires’ palaces. As such it is known the world over, and under the circumstances it can afford to give up its old distinction of playing second fiddle in the capital business in the smallest State in the Union. The building, too, will not lack for uses, for the First District Court of the State meets there every morning for the arraignment and trial of the violators of State laws, and the offices of the clerks of the courts of Newport County and of the Sheriff of the county are located there. The Common Pleas and Appellate division of the Supreme Court have stated times when sessions are held in the historic place. — Boston Transcript.
Action of Sea-water upon Concrete. — Investigations conducted into the causes leading to the failure of concrete in dock works have abundantly established the fact that when Portland cement concrete is sufficiently permeable to permit sea-water to act continuously throughout its mass, the cement will become disintegrated and ultimately be destroyed as the result of chemical action. Mr. J. Watt Sandeman, M. Inst. C. E., is an acknowledged authority on concrete, and a pamphlet recently written by him possesses special value for the reason that it contains, in concise form, directions for making concrete capable of retaining permanent stability in docks, piers, and
other structures exposed to the action of sea-water. The essential quality of concrete to be used under such conditions is impermeability. Mr. Sandeman now gives clear instructions for insuring this essential. We do not propose to quote figures here, but can sum up the points necessary for success in a few words. First, the proportion of the cement in the mortar must be such that all voids in the sand are entirely filled; and, second, the proportion of mortar to aggregate must be sufficient to fill the voids in the aggregate and to surround all the particles. To satisfy the first point the percentage of voids in the sand must be ascertained. To satisfy the second point the percentage of voids in the aggregate must be known, and the reduced volume of mortar, as compared with the original separate volumes of cement and sand, must be ascertained. Those who wish to save themselves trouble will find the tables prepared by Mr. Sandeman of service; they contain standard proportions for qualities of concrete, with and without “displacers, ” for special parts of dock and pierworks, for ordinary marine-works and reservoir-walls, and for land-works where impermeability is not essential. Altogether fourteen different types of concrete are tabulated, and the pamphlet concludes with a convenient method of ascertaining the weight and cost of various mixtures. — The Builder.
Herbert Spencer as an Artist-Decorator. — In Harper’s Magazine appears an article on home life with Herbert Spencer,
ANNOUNCEMENT
Catalogue 1906 Edition
Corrugated Bars for Reinforced Concrete
Will be sent to Architects and Engineers
upon request.
EXPANDED METAL AND CORRUGATED BAR COMPANY
(Formerly St. Louis Expanded Metal Fireproofing Co. )
FRISCO BUILDING, ST. LOUIS, MO.
Newport’s decline as an important city has been laid at the door of the Revolution, The ravage’s of the fierce struggle affected the commerce of the place and the community never recovered from the effects of the British invasion. The State-House itself suffered during the war, and when the last battle had been fought and peace had been declared it was found to be pretty badly in need of repairs. Both the French and British troops at different times used it as a hospital, and, because of the poverty of the public treasury in those days of industrial
stagnation, not much could be done to fix it up until a few years afterward.
Although Newport is no longer a capital, it has its place to fill as a summer-resort and as the site for a unique collection of millionaires’ palaces. As such it is known the world over, and under the circumstances it can afford to give up its old distinction of playing second fiddle in the capital business in the smallest State in the Union. The building, too, will not lack for uses, for the First District Court of the State meets there every morning for the arraignment and trial of the violators of State laws, and the offices of the clerks of the courts of Newport County and of the Sheriff of the county are located there. The Common Pleas and Appellate division of the Supreme Court have stated times when sessions are held in the historic place. — Boston Transcript.
Action of Sea-water upon Concrete. — Investigations conducted into the causes leading to the failure of concrete in dock works have abundantly established the fact that when Portland cement concrete is sufficiently permeable to permit sea-water to act continuously throughout its mass, the cement will become disintegrated and ultimately be destroyed as the result of chemical action. Mr. J. Watt Sandeman, M. Inst. C. E., is an acknowledged authority on concrete, and a pamphlet recently written by him possesses special value for the reason that it contains, in concise form, directions for making concrete capable of retaining permanent stability in docks, piers, and
other structures exposed to the action of sea-water. The essential quality of concrete to be used under such conditions is impermeability. Mr. Sandeman now gives clear instructions for insuring this essential. We do not propose to quote figures here, but can sum up the points necessary for success in a few words. First, the proportion of the cement in the mortar must be such that all voids in the sand are entirely filled; and, second, the proportion of mortar to aggregate must be sufficient to fill the voids in the aggregate and to surround all the particles. To satisfy the first point the percentage of voids in the sand must be ascertained. To satisfy the second point the percentage of voids in the aggregate must be known, and the reduced volume of mortar, as compared with the original separate volumes of cement and sand, must be ascertained. Those who wish to save themselves trouble will find the tables prepared by Mr. Sandeman of service; they contain standard proportions for qualities of concrete, with and without “displacers, ” for special parts of dock and pierworks, for ordinary marine-works and reservoir-walls, and for land-works where impermeability is not essential. Altogether fourteen different types of concrete are tabulated, and the pamphlet concludes with a convenient method of ascertaining the weight and cost of various mixtures. — The Builder.
Herbert Spencer as an Artist-Decorator. — In Harper’s Magazine appears an article on home life with Herbert Spencer,
ANNOUNCEMENT
Catalogue 1906 Edition
Corrugated Bars for Reinforced Concrete
Will be sent to Architects and Engineers
upon request.
EXPANDED METAL AND CORRUGATED BAR COMPANY
(Formerly St. Louis Expanded Metal Fireproofing Co. )
FRISCO BUILDING, ST. LOUIS, MO.