Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-20
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

carried on with all the dispatch possible, con-
sidering the delays the workmen subjected to
ny the non-arrival Of stone. The heavy north
west winds during the last few weeks have kept
the cargoes Of stone back but occasionally a
southerly wind prevails long enough to bring
mp supply Of pure Dix Island granite, and then
the way the work goes ahead is caution to old
fogies-"
The front basement columns Of the south wing
have arrived at the western wharf, near George
town, per barque Horace Beale, and are being
taken from her deck at that place. These col.
umns come in pieces Of about IL feet in length
which weigh about IL tons each. There are four,
teen Of them, twelve Of which came In the Horace
brig Mary Cobb.
All the granite necessary to complete the entire
works OF the extension comes from the Dix Island
quarries, and is the finest and most durable mate
rial in the world for heavy building purposes IL
Is Of dark gray color, Of fine grain, and suscep-
tible Of receiving high finish.
The foundation story of the west front IL pro-
crossing with all the CELEBRITY desirable in the con-
s:ructiOn of work which Is designed to stand.
The excavations for this front will be effected in
between two and three months. The laborers
have already gone far north with ii as to render
necessary the pulling down of that faithful old
time keeper, the Treasury clock Workmen have
been employed about this for the last few days.
The Superintendent has determined to have II
temporarily erected In the court near the west
wall Of the present Treasury building; but 1t is
to be hoped that the Department will allow il a
more conspicuous position. The wheels Of the
Government will stop if they stop the wheels Of
that clock. Some gratitude Is due from the
clerks Of the Treasury and State Departments to
that time nOter, for its always friendly warning
when they have been tardy.
The old clock was built by Lucas Of Philadel-
ph1a, and purchased by the State and Treasury
Departments for the accommodation Of those en-
plOyed in the various branches Of those buildings
When the Old Treasury building was destroyed
by fire the old clock had her face pretty severely
scO.ched, but she kept on counting off the time
without any cessation, and so has she continued
to do for more than quarter Of century, with
Ofrfrp r,fr royoo helm rlc
some slight repairing was done by the late Mr..
Vcs< Of this city.
When the present Treasury building wa. in the
course Of construction. which in the first of
President JaCksOn's administration, the General
wa. accustomed to walk down to the old clock
tower and seating himself on plank or platform
pole, would smoke his pipe while watching the
progress Of the works, under the superintendent
Of our popular then as nOw) fellow citizen. Mai.
+. Pepper, chat with great familiartywith the
labOrers, and would sometimes insist on exc hang
Ing his long Turkish pipe for the short clay pipe
of hod-carrier for a Whit or two.
ment, at that time, and the President caused
man to be appointed to take of IL. Mr..
Pepper appointed Mr.. VIM. Goddard watch
and he received for number OF years the sum of
$50 per annum for this additional service. Mr..
j. w Shields, now Chief Messenger of the De-
partment of the Interior, has had charge of the
clock, and wound il up regularly during a space
Of ten years, and saws that she never went wrong
during that time, although the tardy clerks used
The Department should have tower built for
this clock on the summit Of the Treasury, where
she might be set up for old acquaintance sake,
a model TO all Connecticut and other clock ma
kers, and an example Of recttude to the whole
city. III provided with hammer OF sufficient
power she has the ability to strike the hours suf-
Town Clock.
CIRCUIT CouRT.-Yesterday, in the case Of
Fendall rs lngraham, the principal points Of
demurrer brought by the defence in this case were
these: = That slave cannot take by descent nor
by purchase" A bequest to free person in
trust for slave Is void F." q Parsons Contracts
page 36 After hearing the several points ar
gued By Mr.. Thompson for defence which were
put oy that gentleman with much force the Court
dismissed the demurrer. So the case will come
before the Court next term on its merits
The Court then listened to the motion of Mr.
Martin for new trial on petition Of the case of
Ming rs hilkley- IL was case Of resembling
The lndentures OF IN apprentice, and the motion
for a new trial was made grounds Of ex paTts
decision in former trial The Court overruled
the motion
Nothing further coming up for consideration,
the Court adjourned until to-day
This morning, the Court granted an application
from the orphan children Of VIM. Holmead to
confirm the sale ordered by the Orphans Court
OF real estate property, held In trust for them for
thelr maintenance and education, they being
above the age OF legal infancy. Mr.. Stone ap-
Peared on behalf Of the petitioners
Mr.. Bradley introduced Mr. Benjamin r Rus
sell, OK Boston, to the Court, who was admitted
Columbia. "a 'H' Di''i''' Vi
The case in equity Of Henry d. Gardiner "a.
1eofge L. Sneiling, In which application is made
the Court TO restrain the defendant from receiy
Ing certain moneys due the firm of Turner Smell.
Ing & Co, was called up. Messrs. Russell and
Bradley appeared for complainant, and Carlisle
by MI Russell, who read the bill of complaint
and Mr.. Carlisle followed on the other side and
was making answer to the complaint when this
report closed.
TIE Arsenal FxrESs1ox The nronosad ~
tension OF the Arsenal grounds, from the Peni-
Tertiary wall to the line Of p street and from
the Potomac river to James's creek, is attracting
public attention very generally to that portion of
the city. The amount of money which will be
expended on the works will be a source of sub
stantial benefit TO oUr mechanics and laborers
more especially to the latter, as there will be
vast amount Of grading required to MI up the
ground along the line OF James's creek to the re-
CURED level. The height Of the wall along the
line OF JaTness creek will be about four feet above
the water line of the creek and from that wall
extending west towards the high ground and ali
along its line, Is the low marsh which borders on
the creek Now the question arises Where is the
material to come from to + IL up all this space
hc highest portion OF the ground is not too high
for its purpose, and the rising ground east OF
James creek belongs to individuals who would
doubtless place fancy value on it IL they thought
the government required il.
rms question IS receiving at this time the care
ful attention Of those concerned and on a recent
visit TO the ground OF the Extension we found the
experienced surveyor, Mr.. Forsyth with some of
me most nctive business men Of the Seventh
Ward, making survey Of the ground bordering
or Janes's Creek, and, we believe, they came 10
the conclusion that the necessary filling could
easily be obtained from the bed Of the creek
The wall will be constructed from the mouth
OF the creek as far up as street, 1.-THE extent
northward OF the late purchase and by means Of
steam dredging machines the filling could readily
De raised and deposited along the line Of this
wall where needed.
rms material even IL taken out to the depth of
from twelve 70 1teen feet, and from width of
eighty feet would prove inadequate, but by con-
unulng to dredge the line Of the Creek as far
horth as III street, sufficient filling would be OBJ
tanned 10 answer the requirements Of the proposed
Improvement, and, at the same time another
great work would be advanced, nameIy-the
Ship Canal
The two improvements carried on in copiupc-
ton could be effected at half the cost Of doing
them singly.
The desirableness OF such work, as a health