new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/liboctave/oct-alloc.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1996 John W. Eaton
+
+This file is part of Octave.
+
+Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any
+later version.
+
+Octave is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free
+Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+
+*/
+
+#if defined (__GNUG__)
+#pragma implementation
+#endif
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <new>
+
+#include "oct-alloc.h"
+
+void *
+octave_allocator::alloc (size_t size)
+{
+  if (size != item_size)
+    return ::new char [size];
+
+  if (! head)
+    {
+      if (! grow ())
+	return 0;
+    }
+
+  link *tmp = head;
+  head = head->next;
+  return tmp;
+}
+
+void
+octave_allocator::free (void *p, size_t size)
+{
+  if (size != item_size)
+    ::delete [] ((char *) p);
+  else
+    {
+      link *tmp = (link *) p;
+      tmp->next = head;
+      head = tmp;
+    }
+}
+
+// Return TRUE for successful allocation, FALSE otherwise.
+
+bool
+octave_allocator::grow (void)
+{
+  bool retval = true;
+
+  char *start = new char [grow_size * item_size];
+
+  if (start)
+    {
+      char *last = &start[(grow_size - 1) * item_size];
+
+      char *p = start;
+      while (p < last)
+	{
+	  char *next = p + item_size;
+	  ((link *) p) -> next = (link *) next;
+	  p = next;
+	}
+
+      ((link *) last) -> next = 0;
+
+      head = (link *) start;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      typedef void (*error_handler_function) (void);
+
+      error_handler_function f = set_new_handler (0);
+      set_new_handler (f);
+
+      if (f)
+	f ();
+
+      retval = false;
+    }
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/