Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-31
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The Aqueduet hear that some per-
Sons in our midst are telling members of Con-
gress that the plan of the Aqueduct is all
wrong, that it is too large, and the founda-
lions are not strong enough.
We trust that few members will be found
willing to believe that all the Congressional
Committees who have had this matter under
discussion, the Senate, the House of Repre-
sentatives, and the Department to whom it is
entrusted, and to whom monthly reports Of
all that is done upon it are made, would have
repeatedly approved of the work, though they
had before them the advice of these disinter-
ested persons, if there were really any sufd-
Gent objections to the plan, OF its execution.
The charge that the foundation is not strong
enough is a serious one, and if made by one
claiming to be an Engineer, it is well calcu
lated to give uneasiness. But, let us for mo-
ment consider the facts. Would any one ca
Pable of designing and conducting such work
as the Aqueduct, be supposed unable to build
q sufficient foundation for the brick chimney
Of steam-engine, such as we see in several
parts of the city, one for example, at the
Capitol smith shop
LIS this less difficult to do than the founda-
tion of the aqueduct? If the aqueduct stood
On end like chimney, there would be some
difficulty in making for it secure foundation :;
but the aqueduct is long brick pipe placed
upon its side, under ground, there being in
every part OF it three feet of earth above the
top Of the arch. In many places this pipe is
quite deeply buried. In some, the trench in
which It is to be placed is excayated out of
the solid rock; in others, out of the hard clay
Of this region. The earth. or rock being ex-
cavated, the trench is cut to fit the shape of
the lower part of the pipe, just as in building
sewers in towns. The brickwork is then bull,
upon and in contact with the earth or rock.
all spaces that are caused by Irregularities be =
Ing filled up with masonry. After the arch
lie turned, the earth which had been dug out
Of the trench is carefully filed in again,
around and over the arch, being packed by
men With heavy hammers, so as to produce a
great pressure against the sides Of the pipe.
1t remains in this state until the completion
oil the whole Aquedu,t, by which time the
earth, even without ramming, would be 50
comPacted by settling under the influence If
the rains and frosts, as to give to the arch the
pressure due to its weight. When filled with
water il is hardly necessary to say that the
whole weight Of the brick work, and the
water which it contains, is less than that Of
the equal bulk of clay or rock which before
filed the place now occupied by the Aque-
duct. II this earth, which has been settling
Tor thousands Of years, has acquired its final
settlement, and the brick Aqueduct with its
reniiing is properly put in, is it reasonable to
suppose that the smaller weight is going to
compiess ne soil so as to cause any trouble
some settlement. Water weighs about go
pounds TO the cubic foot, brick and CLAW about
l'' pounds and rock about 40 pounds. Is
the water (only one-hslf the weigh. of the CLAW
or rock Waich 1t replaces, and which ia heaned
up to height of four and half feet abor.
the greatest possible height of water in the
Aqueduct,) going to lift this mass, which if ~
an equal heigh. only, would be more than
twice its weight
The foundations Of the culverts, which have
esen built upon the Aqueduct, are of great
Importance They present no engineering
olme uities' for they do not lie in deep banks
Oh mud IKE many bridge foundations. No.
one OF them requires piling. In almost everv
case the rock lies within a few feet Of the sur.
lace IN tie ravines in which the eulyerts ara
built In ali the large culverts the rock has
been reached, and the foundations laid mar
IL Even more care and money have been
expended upon the foundations Of these cr,.
ysrh than would have been necessary had tn.