Fireproof Construction To Compete With Wood Residence, 807 E. Adams St., F. A. and E. C. Church, Contractors, 355 W. Colvin St., Syracuse, N. Y. “ $uilt Like a thermos pottle ” Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co. 718 Chamber of Commerce Bldg. Rochester, N.Y., U. S. A. Copyright 1914 by Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co. 4 PERMANENT EXHIBIT At Space 805 Craftsman Home Builders’ Exposition 6 East 39th St ., New York City Our Hollow Wall Machines may be seen there at any time and demonstration of Double Concrete Walls having a Continuous Air Space, also our Single Wall Concrete Partitions. All details of construction are in full view Fireproof Floor Construction is shown in full detail with Composition Surface in Colors, also plaster and stucco applied directly to walls and our new fireproof and waterproof color finish. When in New York do not fail to see this exhibit Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co. Craftsman Building From Ocean to Ocean Users of Our System are Meeting with Success SIX YEARS IN USE .-. FOURTH YEAR ON THE MARKET Congratulatory letters, some of which are printed in this catalogue, are pouring into our office from all sections of the country direct from the people occupying buildings erected by our method. The value of the Van Guilder System has been proved and the construction established in popular favor through the satisfaction it has given to owners and occupants. The Dream of Years Materializing This year, 1914, the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Company is bringing forward sanitary, fireproof con¬ struction to compete approximately with frame buildings. Our System is the first one ever devised to make this possible. We are waging a country-wide war against long established and firmly entrenched customs. We are imploring the people to build everlasting and fire-resisting dwellings, to safeguard life and property and stop the great waste of upkeep. Cut No. 1. Typical Fire Proof House. Rees & Ade, Architects, 344 East Avenue, Rochester, N. Y. Cut No. 2 The above cut illustrates the design of a residence modern in every appointment. The plan shows the general arrangement of first floor, and the cut of the exterior shows the predominating horizontal line effect, typical of concrete houses. The walls and parti¬ tions are designed for Van Guilder Construction. The first story is veneered with buff pressed brick, second story stuccoed. Roof, cornices, floors and partitions are of concrete. One of the advantages of the Hollow Wall concrete de¬ signed house is, that it will permit the use of a fiat roof, with¬ out injuring the appearance by having a commercial aspect. A flat roof costs about half that of a pitch roof, but flat roofs are not practical in the ordinary wood construction owing to the fact that there is not much opportunity to circulate the air between roof joists and ceiling and in summer it becomes in¬ tensely hot, causing the sleeping rooms on second floor to be intolerable. But, with the Van Guilder Hollow Wall system there can be a free circulation of air through the attic by inserting flues, marked “F” in floor plan, in the hollow walls running with¬ out obstruction from cellar to attic. 2 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. At the bottom of the flues, openings are left in the walls. These openings are fitted with shutters that can be operated at will and closed entirely in winter. There are also low, flat cupolas placed on roof with shutters. By this means free cir¬ culation of air can be had under the roof and the chambers kept cool. This concrete ventilating system, made possible only by the hollow wall, together with the abundance of light through large windows as the illustration shows, with all the other modern equipment, makes an abode second to none in the preservation and maintenance of life and health, and stands in the front rank of the hot pace set by modern designers for the best and most efficient construction. The architects are Rees & Ade, 344 East Avenue, Rochester, N. Y. Cut No. 3. We publish this cut to show the usual type of construction permitted in many cities and towns. The above cut shows a common type of apartment house which is better than all wood construction, yet the inside is a network of wood partitions and floors that by a slight accident may quickly become a raging furnace. If a fire should occur in the night whai chance would the 100 or more people sleeping among this inflammable material have for their lives? Why should you risk your hard-earned money and house your family in a building that can be destroyed by fire in a few minutes, when you can have fireproof construction for substantially the same money? Our fathers built with the material they had at hand and the best they knew, but how far short of ideal these methods are is shown by a statement of fire losses. Last year this nation’s fire loss was $250,000,000— $2.50 for every man, woman and child in America. European countries have long been forced to adopt more substantial building methods and their fire losses in 1912 were 3c to 54c per capita. The great advances made in the production of fire¬ proof material, combined with the growing scarcity of lumber, have removed the one excuse— cheapness — for buildings which can be destroyed by fire, and it is our purpose to educate the people to an appreciation of this fact. This book is in no sense a treatise on fireproof con¬ struction but the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machines have solved the two most troublesome problems, those of absolutely fireproof walls and partitions at moderate cost. Our concrete walls and partitions offer a greater resistance to fire than any other known construction, yet cost much less than any other fire-resisting mater¬ ial. This saving balances the extra cost of fireproof floors, roof, etc. Fireproof Floors Metal lumber is a good and economical material for floor joists and is not expensive. On these joists a re¬ inforced concrete floor is laid. Concrete was never intended for a finished floor. An elastic composition floor thick should be laid on top of the concrete and turned up the walls to form a sanitary base. This composition floor is very easy and warm to the feet. It is noiseless, waterproof, dustproof, sani¬ tary, fireproof and has a beautiful gray or colored surface, smooth but not slippery. This flooring has been in use in Germany and Eng¬ land for years and is rapidly gaining in popularity in this country. When writing to people whose addresses are given in our literature, kindly inclose a self addressed and stamped return envelope. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 3 Fireproof Stairs In fireproof construction the stairs are an important feature. These are built practically the same as the floors. The metal lumber is cut to the right dimen¬ sions at the factory and is easily and economically placed. The treads are of reinforced concrete with polished composition surface like the floors. Roof The type of fireproof roof to be selected depends largely on the nature and size of the building. Our advisory bureau will be glad to take up the questions of fireproof floors, roofs and stairs or any other matters pertaining to fireproof construction with parties who contemplate building with our system. Windows and Doors Metal window and door frames for factory construc¬ tion can be installed at a price but little in excess of wood, but for dwellings, schools, etc., satisfactory ad¬ justable metal sash, doors, and frames cost consider¬ ably more than wood. They are of course desirable where cost is not too important a consideration. Fireproof Construction at Approxi¬ mately the Cost of Wood What we have aimed to show is that practical fire¬ proof and sanitary construction can be had at about the cost of wood, by using Van Guilder Machines for the walls and partitions. Where concrete materials are low in price our ma¬ chines will save about enough on the walls and par¬ titions to offset the greater cost of fireproof floors, roof and stairways. Where concrete materials are more expensive, the fireproof buildings may cost from five to ten per cent more than wood. But even so the saving in cost of insurance, repairs and fuel will soon cover the slightly larger first cost. The greater permanence of the buildings would in it¬ self justify the small extra outlay, and the greater se¬ curity and comfort are worth many times the cost. IN WHAT WE HAVE SAID REGARDING FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION, we have not in¬ tended to convey the idea that in order to take advan¬ tage of our machines it is necessary to build fire- resisting floors and roofs. There are great advantages in using our outside double wall machines with or without the inside partition machines even if all the other parts of the building are to be of wood consti uc- tion, as shown in the following pages. 244 Bandini Ave., Riverside, Calif. Built by W. H. Riley, 711 North Ave. 54, Los Angeles, Calif. 4 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. “Thermos Bottle” Construction zxn:=] VAN GUILDER DOUBLE WALL CONCRETE MACHINES What They Do and How They Do It Immediate Releasing System We are the discoverers of the immediate releasing system of concrete wall construction. There is no similar working system in the world. We manufacture machines which can be released instantly after tamping the concerte into the wall chambers. , The fresh concrete walls 9 1-3 inches high, remain intact and harden while working around the building, so there is no delay in the work and three or four courses are made each day. To those unfamiliar with our system this part of the work seems unbelievable, but that is what we do, and it is very simple when once understood. Cut No. 4. Double Wall Machine for Erecting Hollow Wall Concrete Buildings. While brick, tile and block manufacturers are mak¬ ing their units we are building the walls, and so save the duplication of high-priced labor and the cost of reshipping and many rehandlings. They make a wall of joints; we make a jointless wall. Thus our method supersedes the entire unit system. Our regular hollow wall machines build two—our ice house and cold storage machines three entirely sep¬ arate walls, with a continuous air space everywhere be¬ tween them. The walls are securely tied together across the air space by galvanized steel rods. Both walls are thoroughly reinforced horizontally through the center of each 9" course, with steel which entirely encircles the building. This effectually counteracts any tendency to crack caused by the expansion and contrac¬ tion of the walls. Cut No. 5. 3-Wali, 2-Air Chamber Machine for Cold Storage Plants and Ice Houses. Insulation It is a fact that a frost proof and damp proof con¬ crete building can be constructed only by means of a continuous air space entirely around the building from bottom to top. The well-known principle of the “Thermos Bottle” illustrates that point and our hol¬ low wall concrete buildings are in fact “Built Like a Thermos Bottle” and give similar results. No dampness nor frost can pass that air space and the insulation afforded by it reduces fuel bills from 25 to 40 per cent, with a corresponding relief from the hot weather in summer. We quote from the Concrete Cement Age of May, 1913: “A concrete double wall in general has unusual thermal qualities, arising from the fact that concrete responds very slowly to a change in temperature. If the belt of confined air between the walls is restricted as to circulation and connecting ties are few and poor con¬ ductors of heat, the inside wall will remain at a practically constant temperature the year around. This is a very favorable factor in dwellings, as its tendency is to equalize the heating conditions, an excess of heat being slowly absorbed, and as equally slowly given off when there is a deficiency.” THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 5 Fireproof Partitions We are now ready to announce the perfecting of our new Fireproof Partition Machines, made on the basic principle used in our hollow wall machines. This marks one of the most important advances in our whole system of building. These machines not only do fireproof work, but so materially reduce the cost over all other methods, that no one can afiford to build without them. A Self-Protecting Construction Our System is self-protecting. It has a unique ad¬ vantage in that it is impossible to slight the work. The contractor to make satisfactory progress, must use good materials and enough cement to make a strong concrete. Otherwise he can make no headway. The work is at all times open to inspection and test, an'I poor work cannot be covered up as in set forms. We find that the majority of builders do not realize the importance of changing their methods to meet present times and conditions. When the public un¬ derstands the advantages of our “Thermos Bottle Construction” (literally a building within a building) they will demand a change to more substantial and economical ways. Cut. No. 6. Section of Hollow Wall Four-Foot Span Supporting 15,147 Pounds. Test by Glenn M. Rees, Architect and Engineer. Cut No 7. Window frames removed to show air space. We plaster directly to inside wall without furring or lathing. We stucco directly to outside wall, which is the most economical, durable and up-to- date finish in the world. Strength and Permanence Concrete walls erected with our machines have been tested and are actually one and one-half times the strength of brick work of the same thickness. They may be used with entire confidence in the heaviest type of buildings. We plaster directly on the inside wall and stucco directly on the outside wall. (See cut No. 7.) Lathing is absolutely unnecessary, which makes a very appreciable saving. Consider, too, the sanitary value of having the plaster applied direct to the concrete walls; there is nothing to decay and no lodging place for dirt and vermin. Concrete is the only building material that will not deteriorate. Our walls will stand for centuries, need¬ ing no repairs or painting. The railroads have furnished a valuable lesson in construction. Strength and permanence are their slogans. They build once and do it well. They have abandoned other building material for concrete, which lasts forever and costs nothing to maintain. 6 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER N. Y. Adaptability and Beauty Our system is adaptable. Your buildings can be designed as you want them, and there are practically no limitations as to style of architecture. Stucco ap¬ plied* to Van Guilder Walls, as directed in our In¬ struction Book* penetrates the concrete, becomes a part of the walls, and will not drop off or crack. The beauty and dignity pf stucco work needs no description. Most of the finest residences of to-day are being finished with it. It blends -perfectly with every* type of architecture, dignifying the simple home or workman’s cottage, giving a most wonderful field for expression in more imposing residences and con¬ veying in appearance as well as in fact the permanent character of our construction. It may be varied effec¬ tually in texture and colors, and the only limit is the skill of the builder; it does not attempt to imitate other building material, and is therefore used by architects in the best class of work. (See Instruction Book, Pages 29 to 35). Cost of Walls Where concrete materials can be purchased at a reasonable price, the walls and partitions of a build¬ ing erected with our machines will cost less than FRAME, yet will be worth more than BRICK. When compared with BRICK, BLOCK, or TILE construction, there is no competition, as our cost is much lower, yet our walls are stronger and more en¬ during. They will stand for ages, needing no repairs. (See comparison of cost, pages 35 and 36.) Ideal Homes If you build your house the VAN GUILDER WAY you will have an ideal home—cool in summer, warm in winter. Wind and storm will not rack it—you will hardly hear the tempest. The rooms will be dry and sanitary. Vermin cannot enter the walls or partitions. Coal bills will be much smaller and you will not worry about painting or other repairs. The walls will never decay and your home will be age-proof. Financing and Insurance Insurance is reduced or eliminated entirely on this type of building and bankers who have become famil¬ iar with this method of construction will make larger loans on buildings erected with our machines than on frame construction. Buildings for Sale or Investment To those who build to sell or for investment our construction offers many advantages. Better selling prices and rentals are obtained be¬ cause of greater safety, permanence and beauty, and on account of the saving in repairs and fuel, all of which are obtained at no greater construction cost. Steam Curing in Cold Weather Greatly Extends the Season for Building To the builder The Van Guilder double wall con¬ struction offers one great advantage over concrete used in any other way. It is well known that solid walls cannot be erected in cold weather without a large expense to prevent freezing. Our hollow walls, however, can be protected at small expense by turning steam into the continuous air chamber which will not only keep the walls from freezing, but cure the concrete rapidly. This extemls the season for building operations to the same length as for other construction work. (See Instruction Book for Details.) Schools, Churches, Factories, Picture Theatres, Etc. The Van Guilder Hollow Wall Construction is peculiarly adapted for schools and other public build¬ ings. Great solidity, permanence and freedom from vibration are wanted in that class of structure, and our walls are eminently so. The insulation produced by our continuous air chamber eliminates dampness and keeps out the ex¬ cessive heat of summer as well as the extreme cold of winter. Fleat will be more evenly distributed and cost less. Hollow wall partitions may be built that will be both sound-proof and fireproof. All of These Advantages at Less Expense. Cold Storage Plants and Ice Houses The saving in cost of cold storage plants and ice houses by using our three-wall machines is remark¬ able. (See page 1 .) Cut No. 8. Our Curved Silo Machine Building a Silo. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 7 Silos and Farm Buildings A frame silo will last but a few years and during its short life must have constant attention and repairs. Our Double Wall Concrete Silos cost no more and. will stand for centuries without repairs, ox attention. No insurance is needed as they cahndt burn.' The ensi¬ lage will be kept from freezing and from vermin. , The same is true of other farm buildings. The air space between the double walls keeps out dampness, cold, and heat. Farm stock will be more comfortable both summer and winter and will thrive better on less food. You will save the perpetual paint bills and all cost of repairs to the walls. Co-Operation We co-operate with all our machine owners in every possible way. In addition to our printed detailed instructions, we maintain an advisory bureau, and are glad to assist prospective builders at all times. v We also have a corps of experienced operators who will go anywhere to operate the machines. They will start in your men with correct methods and at a pace that will procure immediate results. If you have no contractor in your vicinity using our machines you can be your own builder, as our men are capable of taking FIRMAN, WEBB & JOHNSON INSURANCE 110, 111, 112 Wilder Building Rochester, N. Y. Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 31, 1913. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., 718 Chamber of Commerce Bldg., City. Gentlemen :— In reply to your query as to what we consider the difference in the fire risk between frame dwellings and those of con¬ crete, erected with your machines, would say, for the past five years, we have been insuring buildings erected with your entire charge of your work when desired, and will relieve you of all responsibility as to working methods. This arrangement has proved very satisfactory as you will see \vhen reading the letters published in this catalog that refer to our operators. (Terms for oper¬ ators given on page 37.) .. r -r— - If you have not a copy of our 72-page instruction book entitled “How to Build with Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machines,” it will be sent' free by mail on re¬ quest. ... >v A' When writing to people whose addresses are given ‘in our literature, kindly inclo&e a self-addressed an! stamped return envelope. When in New York City do not fail to see our PERMANENT EXHIBIT in the CRAFTSMAN HOME BUILDERS’ EXPOSITION, (Space 805), Craftsman Building, Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Streets, east of Fifth avenue. See pages 33 and 34 for comparison of cost between our double concrete walls and other methods of building. machines at about 20% less than frame buildings in the same localities and consider them far better risks. Our losses on concrete buildings erected with your machines are rather limited, only two losses of any account and these were caused by fire starting in frame additions, destroying frame work, floors and roof of concrete building and leaving walls in first-class shape, so that the repairs were quickly made and business resumed. On these risks the loss on frame work was total but on the concrete about 10%. Yours very truly, FIRMAN, WEBB & JOHNSON, GWJ/A Per G. W. Johnson. Fireproof Residence of R. W. Pumpelly, Samarcand, N. C., (near Eagle Springs). Charles G. Loring, Architect, 7 Water St., Boston, Mass. 8 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. No. 9. Gilpin Hall, Berkshire Industrial Farm, Canaan, N. Y. Cecil Evers, Architect, 184 Montague Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. BERKSHIRE INDUSTRIAL FARM. Canaan, N. Y., Dec. 30, 1913. The Van Guilder Hollow Wall Company, 718 Chamber of Commerce Bldg., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— Last Spring we suffered a heavy loss at the Berkshire In¬ dustrial Farm when fire destroyed our chief building, Gilpin Hall. When the time for reconstruction came we consulted a friend, Dr. E. M. Santee of the Department of Agriculture of the State of New York, for the purpose of deciding upon the best material to use. This gentleman had assisted us the previous year in the remodeling of our barns and the construc¬ tion of a new dairy, laundry, and greenhouse. The material used at that time was concrete, and the machine was that of the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Company. Eminently satisfac¬ tory results were obtained, and Dr. Santee urged us to use the same system in the reconstruction of Gilpin Hall; nor did we regret this step, for now that the building is complete I fail to see how a more satisfactory building could have been constructed. Gilpin Hall, as it stands to-day, combines beauty, inside and out, strength, durability, and warmth. Mr. Chas. DeGroat, your expert who was engaged to take charge of operations, has done a splendid job. The dimensions of the building are 48x80. In the basement are three store-rooms, boiler room, two rooms for detention, common room for the boys, and bath-room with six shower baths and other toilet arrangements. The first floor contains four dining-rooms, seating thirty boys each; a sitting room for the staff, and kitchen and bakery. The second floor contains a large, airy dormitory for twen¬ ty-five beds, with toilet appointments. On the same floor there are six rooms for workers and one for guests, sewing room, and bath-rooms. The third floor has a bath-room and four rooms for the staff. We wish to express our satisfaction, too, with the mixer which we purchased at your recommendation. We mixed all the concrete with it, and did the hoisting above the first floor. It will prove a valuable addition to our school’s equipment for future work. I take pleasure in inclosing, under separate cover, photo¬ graphs of our new building. Yours very truly, EBH/ELC. (Signed) E. B. HILLIARD, Supt. ST. FRANCIS MISSION St. Francis, S. D. Erected under direction of BROTHER HARTMAN School building 130 x 80 ft. Fireproof throughout. Double Concrete Walls. Kahn System Floors and Roof. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. No. 11. Store and Office Building, Lancaster, N. Y., on Main Street, Opposite Bank of Lancaster. Henry A. Safford, Owner and Builder. Rees Sc Ade, Architects, 344 East Avenue, Rochester, N. Y. Lancaster, N. Y., July 16, 1912. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— I enclose herewith a photo of the store and office building at Lancaster, N. Y. To say that I am well pleased is not half expressing it. You may remember talking with me at the cement exhibition at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Well, I have been a builder and contractor for over 25 years, and when examining your system, it appealed to me strongly, and I could not get it off my mind. You know the rest. I am equipping myself for heavy construction, having pur¬ chased besides your machines a Blystone Mixer, and am thor¬ oughly satisfied with the results. I am keeping close tabs on the cost of the concrete work and up to date I have made a saving of considerably over one- third the cost of hollow tile or brick, and for strength and durability there is no comparison. I shall send you an order for more machines soon. Contractors who may be in doubt about the practicability of this construction, and who are hesitating as I did for some time before adopting your system, will later regret the loss that each month’s delay costs them; for they must in¬ evitably purchase your machines, and will do so as soon as they appreciate the saving in cost of construction and in¬ creased value of results. Very truly yours, (Signed) HENRY A. SAFFORD. Miami, Ariz., March 26, 1913. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— Please find photos of Miami Townsite Building constructed with your machine. It works fine and every day gets better. The machine now almost runs itself on the long wall. You should have heard the remarks passed as the crowd looked on when I first started. Some said the walls would fall down, others said they never would get hard. Several of the best people in town tell me they are the best wall here. I run the machine myself. With best regards, I remain, Yours truly, (Signed) E. L. SIGNOR. No. 12, Miami Townsite Building, Miami, Ariz. E, L, Signor, Builder. 10 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. No. 13. Residence of H. C. Pomeroy, Lake Bluff, III., Designed by the owner. 28 ft. x 50 ft. Lake Bluff, Ill., Dec. 21, 1913. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Company, Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— Referring to your inquiry concerning my building made by the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machine, I am very well pleas¬ ed so far, but do not know anything relative to cold weather for as yet we have had none. I have no reason to think the house will be anything but warm, as it presents the appearance of a close built, strong and beautiful building, and admired by everyone passing. Yours truly, (Signed) H. C. POMEROY, No. 14. Residence of Edward N. Bruel, 22 Halcyon Terrace, New Rochelle, N. Y. Brutus Gunderloch, Architect, 249 W. 104th St., New York City Many Beautiful Effects Easily Obtained In the upper picture note the belt course at the bottom of the second story windows built by a simple adjustment of the Hollow Wall Machine. Roof covered with asbestos shingles. Cost about $8,000. 22 Halcyon Terrace, New Rochelle, N. Y., January 6, 1914. Mr. W. H. Van Guilder, 348 Main St., New Rochelle, N. Y. Dear Sir:— I take great pleasure in stating that nry house, in which I have now lived two full years, is in every way comfortable and that I am well content to have used your method of build¬ ing. The house is easily and economically heated in winter and in the summer I find no difficulty in keeping it cool. Except for the fact that there are windows and doors it seems quite like living in a thermos bottle. As you may know, I carried out your idea to its full extent by having the roof built with asbestos shingles which adds to its non-conductiveness ; but the main reason, no doubt, why my house is so warm in winter is that the walls are constructed with your hollow wall machine. Trusting you will have continued success with your method of building, I remain, Yours very truly, (Signed) ED. N. BRUEL. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N Y. 11 No. 15. Residence of H. C. Lawrence, Binghamton, N. Y. S. O. Lacey, Architect. Powers-Snyder Co., Builders. POWERS-SNYDER COMPANY, Contractors and Builders. 411 Phelps Building, Binghamton, N. Y. Binghamton, N. Y., January 5, 1914. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Company, 718 Chamber of Commerce Bldg., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— We are mailing you under separate cover to-day floor plans elevations of the hollow wall concrete house just completed. All during the course of construction this house has attracted a good deal of attention as it is the first hollow wall concrete house built in this city, and we have secured several contracts from people who have become interested in the development of this one building. A practical man sees at a glance that your method of hollow wall concrete construction is far su¬ perior to any other method. The interior woodwork is of clear basswood finished in white enamel with mahogany doors throughout, except in kitchen and pantry which are finished in North Carolina pine. For the outside trim we used No. 1 clear cypress stained with Tobacco Brown Creosote stain and wiped. In stuccoing we used cement paste applied with a whisk- broom in such a manner as to give a very pleasing effect. Roof is covered with unfading green slate. The cost of this house is about $4,500.00. We have four more of these houses under way which we hope to complete by Spring. Yours truly, (Signed) POWERS-SNYDER COMPANY, JHP/NMH. J. H. Powers. House eoc? Ms? HC.La w/te/vce //M *S.O l ace y; /?*•(# ‘r 77>t Hwers-dirryderCojSui/ders. No. 16 12 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. No. 17. Hollow Wall Concrete Stable and Granary at Union City, Pa. Designed and Built by the Owners, Merrell-Soule Co., Syracuse, N. Y. MERRELL-SOULE CO. None Such Mince Meat PLANTS—Syracuse, N. Y.; Arcade, N. Y.; Little Valley, N. Y.; Frewsburg, N. Y.; Fayetteville, N. Y.; Chittenango, N. Y.; lies Moines, la.; Union City, Pa. Engineering Dept. Syracuse, N. Y., Dec. 17, 1913. The Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen: Having made a trial of your machine and the method of concrete construction in the erection of our Stable and Gran¬ ary at Union City, Pa., we are now prepared to state that we are pleased with the results. The use of this machine readily suggests many new ideas and ways in which concrete can be satisfactorily used, l'wo large grain bins in the above-named building, holding over a carload of grain apiece, are walled entirely with your Hollow Wall, and are proving perfectly satisfactory. The hollow wall fulfills its purpose in the construction of the stable, producing a fireproof wall which is warm and dry, and presents an in¬ terior surface which can not be damaged by a blow such as is likely in a stable where heavy horses and wagons are kept. We are now using this method of construction wherever we find it feasible. Yours truly, MERRELL-SOULE CO., (Signed) O. E. MERRELL. No. 18. Fireproof Smelting Works of L. C. Robinson Lead Co., Pacific Street, Cambridge, Mass. W. J. Treethy, Architect, 85 Water Street, Boston. F. O. White Construction Company, 183 River St., Cambridge, Builders. The walls of this building were laid in ten days. Size 45' x 90'. The floor is concrete. The roof is laid on 2x8 rafters 16” O. C. The rafters are carried on purlines supported on a double row of columns. The roof is a 2" concrete slab reinforced with “Self Centering” making form work unnecessary. The building is finished with stucco inside and out. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 13 No. 19. Store House of the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Co., Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. Building 35 ft. x 120 ft. Designed and built by their own Engineering Department nova Scotia Steel $ Goal Co., cimiuo Sydney mines, n. $. Sydney Mines, N. S., Oct. 14, 1913. Messrs. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Dear Sirs: Mr. Gilbert is leaving here to-night after spending the past ten days in setting a pace and instructing our men in the use of your Hollow Wall Machine. While the machine is quite simple to use, we believe we have gained considerable by having Mr. Gilbert with us as he was able in a day to put up 562 feet of 6 and 4 in. wall on a build¬ ing 120 feet long and 35 feet wide, but without openings at this elevation. We are greatly pleased with the work done by the machine and would recommend its use on this class of concrete con¬ struction work. Yours truly, (Signed) Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co., Ltd., John Preston, Mechanical Supt. 4 No.-20. Fireproof warehouse at Rockfall, Conn. 143 ft. x 48 ft. Concrete floor and roof. Stores 20 car loads. E. J. Cowling, Contractor. Note the Pilasters built with our Combination “G”. 14 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. l % f i v 1 'h IHl. LI Hum. ClSj 4 -u' ■ ** 1 SI No. 21. Fireproof Hollow Wall Concrete Building, 100 ft. x 200 ft. 40 ft. to Ridge. Corrugated Iron Roof on Steel Trusses, 100 ft. Span. Supported on Reinforced Pilasters. Rees & Ade, Architects and Engineers, 344 East Ave., Rochester, N. Y. No. 22. Detail of Frame No. 23. Detail, End of Building THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY ROCHESTER, N. Y. 15 No. 24. Storage Warehouse Built with the Van Guilder Three-Wall Double Air Chamber Machine by the White Elevator Company, Pulaski, Wis. Chemically Cooled Cold Storage Plants In no type of building is the remarkable insulating value of the Van Guilder walls so pro¬ nounced as in Cold Storage Plants. Three walls are built at once, giving two con¬ tinuous dead air spaces and, although more sub¬ stantial than any other construction, cost much less and nearly or quite eliminate the expensive insulating lining usually required. The Saving is Extraordinary Commercial Ice Houses Are built with our 3-wall machine for less than Pulaski, Wis., June 25, 1913. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— We are mailing you two different pictures of our cold stor¬ age which were taken after we received your telegram, and we made a rush order to get it out. The building as you see is 70 by 80 with asbestos roof. It is used exclusively for cabbage and potatoes. In the part where cabbage is stored, no heat with stoves was used last winter at all and the temperature which we experienced here last winter of 20 below zero did not affect the inside of the storage appreciably and we were able to keep the 32 tempera¬ ture without any difficulty. While the potato part is partition¬ ed off and for that we have a chimney and use stoves, we did not use stoves very much for the potato storage. The building cost us in the neighborhood of $3,800.00. We cannot replace this one for the price in wooden frame build¬ ings as one was built last year a couple of stations above us, practically the same size, and it cost a little over $4,000.00 and we would not trade, for we practically• have to carry no insurance on the building. Any other questions you would like to know, we will be glad to answer. The gravel used was somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 yards and the cement used was some¬ thing like 450 barrels. Yours truly, THE WHITE ELEVATOR CO. wood construction. Insurance charges are entirely eliminated and shrinkage materially reduced. The life of a wooden ice house is short and the up-keep expense very large. Our walls are age-proof with no cost for maintenance. Private ice houses are usually built with a 2-wall machine. No. 25. Farmers’ Cold Storage House at Roches¬ ter Junction, N. Y. F. E. Lord, Owner and Builder. Shown under construction with three concrete walls and two continu¬ ous air chambers; refrigerator doors No. 26. Residence, Under Construction, at Sharon, Mass. Matthew Sullivan, Architect. CHARLES F. RIORDAN, 5 Globe Bldg. Boston, Mass., Dec. 29, 1913. Van Builder Hollow Wall Company, Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen : Your request for story of the residence at Sharon, Mass., re¬ ceived and I hesitate about giving it to you on account of the advertising, as already we have been overtaxed answering ques¬ tions on construction and doing personally conducted tours over the house with visiting architects, engineers, and prospective build¬ ers of homes, factories, business blocks, etc., etc. I am going to take a chance, however, as I already have a soft spot in my heart for the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Form. Our former residence was destroyed by fire February 15, 1913. This house stood on a hill covering seven acres in the center of a fifty-acre lot and is such a sightly location that we never hesi¬ tated for one moment about rebuilding on the old foundation. The first thing we settled upon was that the new house should be fire¬ proof. The setting of the picture, to our minds, demanded that the outside finish be of white stucco, with a roof of hard baked tile. On one corner of my property I had dressed stone, field stone and rough stone sufficient for the building of ten houses. A few hundred yards away to the rear of the foundation, I had a sand and gravel pit. These things suggested that the construction should be stone walls, stuccoed outside and furred inside or else reinforced concrete. It seemed wrong not to use the materials the Lord had placed on the job. We knew exactly what we wanted and then turned over the job of producing the picture to Mr. Matthew Sullivan of Ponkapoog, Mass., a man with thirty years’ experience as architect and engineer and enjoying a reputation second to none. Now then, the nearest freight station to the job is East Wal¬ pole, Mass., about a mile and a half distant. Plans and specifica¬ tions were sent to twenty odd reputable builders and the resulting bids were so high I was convinced the only way I could ever build a fireproof residence demanded my going on the job as gen¬ eral contractor. The bids sure did take on the appearance of black hand letters. I studied thoroughly all the types of con¬ struction that would give me what I wanted beginning with stone and then going through brick, concrete blocks, hollow tile, etc., etc. The real trouble was how to get a builder who wouldn't demand more than three times what the job was worth. The fact that we were more than a mile away from a freight station and that the reliable constructing organizations were several miles beyond that again seemed to deter these organizations from making any sort of a fair bid. About this time Mrs. Riordan returned from Boston one day with a copy of a magazine in which your ad appeared. There was a write-vip in that magazine which, after its careful perusal, resulted in my sending to you for your pam- hlets. There to my surprise, I learned of some buildings having een erected with your forms in the adjoining town of Walpole • I looked these houses over, talked to the occupants thereof and then made up my mind that the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Form was the solution of my problem. I then interviewed the builder of these houses. Mr. (’has. A. Smith of Walpole. Mr. Smith had been recommended to me in the highest terms and to him 1 de¬ livered the plans and specifications for a bid. At the present time. Mr. Smith is putting in the standing finish. He built the walls, the floors, and the rough roof. I have been in close touch with him for the past five months and I feel that I owe a debt of gratitude to my neighbor who recommended him to me as being without a peer, as a conscientious, reliable builder. To-day I know that neighbor of mine spoke nothing but the truth. The walls of the house in Walpole I learned were built of the 1-2-4 mix. Instead of running the four parts all gravel, they mixed it up two parts gravel and two parts clean cinders. On mv job. I wanted the four parts of gravel and this is the way the walls were built. The sand and gravel came from my pit. The cement of which we used 300 barrels stood me $1.00 a barrel in cloth bags on the job. When it became known that I was to use your form for the construction of the wall, you’d be considerable amused to hear the dire predictions as to the result. Everyone felt that at a certain Charles F. Riordan, Owner. C. A. Smith, Walpole, Builder stage 1 would wake up some day to find the walls on the ground. The outside walls are built with your form, the floors are of steel I beams and four-inch slabs of reinforced concrete. The partitions are United States Gypsum block and the roof is Cherry Red tile. The outside of the walls is white slap dash stucco. All the outside trim is painted an ivy green. Your forms leave on the outside of the walls an actual scratch coat which the stucco eats into, forming an integral part of the whole. No need of chiseling the walls or using the stone for a bond for the stucco. We plas¬ tered with gypsum ivory cement directly against the inside walls. Competent engineers and builders have assured me that they have never examined more powerful or better walls in their experience. We cold chiselled down several of the window openings and it was sure one strenuous job. The cold chisel disclosed as solid and powerful a wall as the most exacting could desire. I am mailing you blue prints of the first two floors that you might get an idea of the style of house I built. In the living and sun rooms we built in two tapestry brick fireplaces that run from floor to ceiling. The floors in the service end of the house and all baths and toilets are of the sanitary type with base to match. The floors of the sun room and vestibule are of tapestry tile. The floor of the sleeping veranda is granolithic with sanitary base. Whitney casement windows in sunroom and sleeping veranda. I feel now I have a house as near fireproof as one could desire without eliminating the homey effect. Notwithstanding the ex¬ treme weight on the walls, no crack has appeared in the latter to date. I don’t believe it possible to put up a more solid edifice than I have now. It is a fact that the entire cost of this residence is less than a first-class joh of wood construction would have been. You come nearer to the solution of the building problem with your form than does anyone on the market to-day. Sand and gravel are easily obtained in all parts of the New England states. Cement can be * secured at a reasonable figure. Whether it be a small house, or a large house, a factory, or a business block, your form will do the work and the result will be at least the equal of stone or brick, and from what I know the cost would never run much above a wood frame construction. I know there is a lot of missionary work ahead of you. All around me I see small houses of wood going up for the reason that the people building believe they are employing the cheapest construction. It is really too bad that they don't know the truth. A wooden house begins to deteriorate the day it is finished. Houses built with your construction will grow better and stronger with the years. In conclusion let me say, I fully appreciate the strength of the statements I make. My real reason for making them so is, I would like to heip would-be builders of homes as I myself have been helned. Very truly yours. No. 28. 12-Family Apartment House, Corner Bellevue and Summit Avenues, Syracuse, N. Y. E. T. Braunfeldt, Box 231, Syracuse, N. Y., Builder E. S. BRAUNFELDT Material Agent P. O. Box 231, Syracuse, N. Y., Jan. 7, 1914. Mr. Edward L. Pond, Treas. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., 718 Chamber of Commerce Bldg., Rochester, N. Y. Dear Sir: 1 he three-story apartment building at the corner of Belle¬ vue and Summit Avenues, this city, providing high-grade suites for twelve families, operations upon which have been under my direction during the past summer and fall, is now nearing completion as will be evidenced by plates soon to reach you. I am congratulatifig myself for having discovered and tried out a mode of concrete construction so serviceable and satis¬ factory, and this upon a scale considerably larger than any other example in Syracuse. I recognize and endorse the spec¬ ially advantageous features that go to make the Van Guilder Hollow Wall method a unique type; that is to say, one stand¬ ing in a class quite by itself for efficiency and economy. The building in hand was erected upon an extremely diffi¬ cult site. On account of this condition, I expected to have at least a slight settlement or movement make an appearance, but as yet have been unable to note any variation due to sink¬ ing or depression of walls, a fact attested by my carpenters who have been fitting in some 150 windows and nearly as many doors. I regard the walls as substantial as stone and more substantial than brick, and without a doubt a long series of years will confirm my opinion that walls erected after this manner will be practically age-proof so far as maintenance ex¬ pense is concerned. My present building, is as you know, four stories high in the rear, and I am contemplating another four-story 30-suite family hotel to be erected with your machine during the present year. The Bellevue Avenue example of what can be accomplished by utilizing the advantages possessed by the Van Guilder system of Concrete Construction is attracting much attention and developing considerable comment favorably di¬ rected, especially in banking circles, and it is usually conceded that the entire proposition has been successfully engineered. Perhaps almost any newer process or mode of doing a given thing first meets objection, then is discussed, and finally is adopted. Knowing by practical experience what I do about the sub¬ ject of steel reinforced concrete structures, I would employ no system other than your continuous air-chamber double wall method, and would specify always Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machines as being best adapted to achieve the most sat¬ isfactory results. Very truly yours, (Signed) E. S. BRAUNFELDT, Material Agent and General Con¬ tractor, Specializing Concrete Construction. New England Concrete Construction Co. Stamford, Conn., October 10, 1912. I he Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— Enclosed please find the photos of the three-story Apartment House, dimensions 36 ft. x 60 ft., which we are constructing at 53 Henry Street for Mr. R. Kleemichey, with your ma¬ chines. We ran four machines (two 5 ft. and two 2 ft) with pilaster and chimney attachments. We used an Eureka mixer which does it work to perfection. Our walls are 4 in. outside and 6 in. inside with in. steel rods as reinforcement both horizontally and across the air chamber. Our mixture was 1-2-4 or 1-6 and used quite wet so that the water would show when machine was removed. We did not wait for it to set but kept right on working with the machine around the building. We. laid three courses per day and have laid four in good drying weather. We can safely recommend the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machines to anyone who is desirous of building and is look¬ ing for good and durable construction. We can outbid all others and give the best satisfaction to owners as up-keep and repairs are next to nothing and the buildings will last as long as the ground on which they stand. Yours very sincerely, New England Concrete Construction Co. P. S.—We beg to say here that the walls of this building were put up in thirty days. (Signed) Theodore Metzger, Mgr. No. 29. 6-Family Apartment House, 36 ft- x 60 ft., at 53 Henry St.. Stamford. Conn., owned by Mr. R. Kleemichey. Built by New England Concrete Const. Co. H. F. Abbott. Arch't. 18 THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. Residence No. 30. Estate Dr. Charles R. Pullen, Rochester, N. Y. Cottage, Garage, Stable HOUSE. FOJG- DIO O PULLEN • GREECE. • N-Y- CLEMENT 5G NEWKUUC-ARCHITECT • CUTLEIG B'LDd * IUDCHE5TE1GN-Y* CHARLES R. PULLEN. 187 Main St., E., Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 18, 1913. The Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen:— Thinking that perhaps my experience in the use of the Van Guilder Hollow Wall Machine might be of interest to some poor “Unbeliever” I take pleasure in relating the same, with the hope that it be of service in helping to edu¬ cate others to what has proven so beneficial to myself. Having lived in climates so different to that of New York State, I was at a loss to find a building method that would meet my ideas and give me the buildings I required and keep within the limits of my pocket-book. I turned down the many methods suggested to me, until by chance I heard of the Van Guilder process, which immediately appealed to me from many standpoints. After full investigation I used your machine in building my poultry house with such good results that I continued by build¬ ing a combination house, to be used as man’s house, garage and barn. With experience proving the adaptability of the method to any class of structure, I pro¬ ceeded with the main house, novel in architecture for this part of the country. I find on nearing completion of my entire work, that 1 have buildings, beautiful in architecture, substantial, weather¬ proof, and a group of buildings that I could not duplicate in any other material and give me as great a value as I have been able to by this method, at anything like the same price. I am so well satisfied with the results that I feel that I can¬ not recommend your machine too highly for use on almost any size or style of buildin.;. If the machine is used with any¬ thing like ordinary care, better results may be obtained than with any other method in common use to-day and at a less cost. Before closing, I wish to thank you for the man you recom¬ mended to me, Mr. Frank Wyland. I found him very com¬ petent, not only in the use of your machine, but anywhere you wish to place him, so much so that I placed him in full charge of all the building operations and have received some ex¬ cellent results. He is absolutely trustworthy and takes the same interest in the work as if it were his own. I consider that you are very fortunate in having as reliable a man on your staff of operators and again wish to thank you for sending him to me. Thanking you for courtesies received at your hands, I beg to remain, Yours truly, (Signed) CHARLES R. PULLEN. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 19 nr i aw Bns H a pH jjVTj r No. 32. Residence of Everett White, Esq., Oxford Street Extension, Winchester, Mass. Robt. Coit, Architect, S5 Water Street, Boston. F. O. White Construction Co., Builders, 183 River Street, Cambridge, Mass. F. O. White Construction Co. 183 River St., Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 5, 1912. The Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Gentlemen :— Under separate cover we are sending you a print of a Hollow Wall house we have built in Winchester, Mass. It has given satisfaction in every way to the owner and architect and we must admit that we are also pleased with the building both in construction and cost. This house is 35 ft. x 30 ft. and 19 ft. high with a cellar of seven feet clear and the hollow walls were built at a cost for labor of $169.50. The outside stucco finish cost us $92.00. This was the third piece of work that my operator built. The work before was a cellar wall and a one-story garage. Trusting the prints will be of use to you, we remain, Respectfully yours, (Signed) F. O. White Construction Co. When writing to people whose addresses are given in our literature, kindly inclose a self addressed and stamped return envelope Hagerstown, Md., Dec. 15th, 1913. Van Guilder Hollow Wall Co., Rochester, N. Y. Dear Sirs:— The photo sent you is of a double house we built for Mr. Geo. Rowe. Walls are 4 in. thick above cellar; cellar walls 4 in. and 6 in. A 4 in. 4 in. par¬ tition wall between the two sides. Out¬ side wall received smooth stucco finish and when dry a. light yellow “White House” finish. The hollow partition wall effectually deadens all sound so that the family on one side hears nothing from other side. The house gives great satisfaction to occupants. Mr. Rowe sold the house before it was quite finished. The carpenters expressed themselves as favorably impressed with this style of construction. The contracting carpenter said he found everything unusually true and level, and said he believed this would be the coming system. Not only can the carpenters finish at less cost, but we find also considerable saving in cost of plastering. We can put finish or white coat right on the wall. A Hollow Wall house has the advantage every way, as it appears to us, over any other construction. We expect plenty of work in this line next season. Respectfully, J. FORWARD. No. 33. Double House for Geo. Rowe, Erected by J. Forward, 17 N. Locust Street, Hagerstown, Md. THE VAN GUILDER HOLLOW WALL COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 20 No 35. Garage 36 ft. x 42 ft. Mr. E. P. Rowe, Owner, Brookline, Ma