THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

The prospect for a large and interesting exhibition of fire extinguishing appliances and apparatus and fire protection construction methods and materials at the Columbian exhibition looks bright. W. A. Alexander and Louis N. Geldert will, it is stated, be granted space for the erection of a building for the exhibits, and Mr. Burnham, chief of construction, has reported favorably upon the proposition. It is understood that if the gentlemen who propose the scheme will furnish the material for the house the authorities of the exhibition will defray the cost of construction. It is to be hoped that manufacturers, architects and inventors interested will join in making this fire protection exhibit one worthy of the occasion. We are fond of telling foreigners of the wonderful superiority we have gained over the rest of the world in the matter of means for fire extinguishment. The Chicago Exposition will offer the best chance we have yet had of letting them see these with their own eyes.

There will be no more sky-scraping buildings put up in Chicago for the present. The city council is considering the question of limiting the allowable height by ordinance, and, pending the decision of this question, the building commissioner has been ordered not to issue anymore permits. Under this order he has refused an application for a permit for a fifteen-story office building, and all other would-be builders will have to wait a while. The Builders’ and Traders’ Exchange favors such limitation, and Chief Swenie unhesitatingly expresses his opinion of the dangers presented by the exceedingly tall structures now going up. To a council committee he said recently that, from a fireman’s standpoint, the height of buildings should be limited to one and a half times the width of the street.