Isn't hindsight wonderful!

**Dirty Den** · 8th January 2004, 05:46 PM

I have 8 Woodworker magazines from 1904 and they have a wonderful collection of plans etc but this one article never fails to tickle my fancy. So with you forbearance I thought I might reproduce it here.

"Furniture made from Asbestos

Whatever else may happen to Alfredo Flores, a manufacturer of stage proprties, whose shop is at 519, West Forty Second st, it is pretty safe to say that he will never be burned to death in his own home. For more than two years Fores has slept in a bed made of asbestos, all of the furniture, picture frames and other ornaments in his bedroom are made from the same material, even the walls and ceiling are being coated with it.
"Theres no limit to the things that can be made out of asbestos," said Flores. " At present I am engaged in the manufactureof a duplicate set of fireproof furniture with which I shall furnish my home. When I have my bedroom entirely finished I shall invite my friends to call around, then set fire to the place to show them how safe it is."
"I use an original liquid preparation of asbestos and a suitable quality of fibre i the furniture, and in time it becomes as durable as the hardest woods. All pieces of furniture made of this material can be made to appear like Dresden china.
If the theatres of this country would use asbestos in their auditoriums and all the atage settings there would be fewer fires and less loss of life. The onlt threatre that I know of using this sort of furniture is the Empire Opera House in San Antonio, Texas. The entire stage outfit is made of asbestos. Had the Iroquois Theartre in Chicago followed its example, that terrible catastrophe would have been averted.
"I believe that it is only a matter of time when the home of ever rich man will be furnished with asbestos furniture. I understand that plans are being made whereby the Pulman Palace car Company and the underground system of the Rapid Transport Company are to build some of their cars of asbestos as an experiment."

I hope this is mildly amusing for you all and if anyone wants to to put up some of the other articles just let me know.
Dennis

**derekcohen** · 8th January 2004, 09:28 PM

It would be interesting - morbid curiousity perhaps - to know just how long this chap survived after his endeavours to create with asbestos.

Gives one pause about MDF ....

Regards from Perth

Derek

**silentC** · 13th January 2004, 01:40 PM

I have a copy of Volume IV of "The Builder - an Illustrated Weekly Magazine for the Architect, Engineer, Operative, And Artist" which has been in the family for over a hundred years.

This story is from Saturday January 10, 1846. It's not as ironic as the above but I enjoy it for the language that is used:

"THE BURSTING OF A CAST-IRON TANK,
At the Liverpool and Harrington Water-works

Amongst the numerous and fatal accidents that are daily occuring to keep the public mind in a state of feverish excitement, that which took place at the Liverpool and Harrington Water-works, on the 25th of December last, is the most extraordinary in its character and consequences that has come under consideration for a great number of years. We allude to the sudden and unexpected rupture of a cast-iron tank or cistern, by which several houses were demolished, five human beings hurried into eternity, and eight others dangerously bruised and mutilated."

It then goes on at great length to explain how "different methods ... may prove valuable to some of the less scientific readers of THE BUILDER, by shewing [sic] them in what manner the fundamental principles of hydrostatics are to be applied ... when safety is an object of consideration."

Yes, the winter evenings just fly by at my house

**Zed** · 14th January 2004, 07:55 AM

Hi there,

I have a set of encyclopeadia printed in England from 1936 I bought from an antique store- (they are not much use and of little $ value). However the entry for "apprentice" states that it is appropriate and legal for a master to flog his apprentice should his "attitude or workmanship be found wanting".

I also have a geography volume printed in USA in 1864 which I am led to believe was used by schools (makes me think of "little house on the prairie" scenario's....) anyway its really outdated as one would imagine and one of the things it clearly states is the "obvious and irrefutable superiority of the white man over the red, black and yellow races". Luckily we have come a long way and seen the error of this particular little faux par... unfortunatley we still cant live in peace. Hitler once said "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" Hmm.....

**Zed** · 14th January 2004, 07:56 AM

forgot to add. sorry that my previous post had little to do with woodwork but I thought it would be worth sharing nonetheless.

**seriph1** · 14th January 2004, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by derekcohen
It would be interesting - morbid curiousity perhaps - to know just how long this chap survived after his endeavours to create with asbestos.

Gives one pause about MDF ....

Regards from Perth

Derek

Apparently he is still being cremated

**Sturdee** · 14th January 2004, 05:13 PM

Hitler once said "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" Hmm.....

Thank God he forgot the lesson of Napoleon and Russia.

Peter

**DPB** · 14th January 2004, 06:37 PM

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana, 1863–1953, American philosopher

Zed it's a good quote, but you have attributed it to the wrong person.

Had Hitler understood this principal, we might have been spared the awful conflict for which he was responsible.

:mad:

**seriph1** · 14th January 2004, 07:00 PM

and Robert Anson Heinlein said(among other things) in his book Time Enough For Love

" a nation that ignores history, has no past or future."

**JackoH** · 15th January 2004, 09:15 AM

and somebody said..."Australians are obsessed with their past because they have no future!"..

**seriph1** · 15th January 2004, 02:48 PM

well, everyone has the inalienable right

to

be

wrong

We have a future that is incredible and I for one, am going to get it, with sleeves up, and kindness of sprit as my guide

Cheers

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