Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-07
How They Grade Streets in Chicago

The Chicago T'mcs thus describe, III.
mode of grading streets and raising builir..
J in that city:
a great many large and costly clifr..
were erected in Chcago previous to the y.-.-
1850. and during that year. These budr..
were erected 50 ~ to be- convenient uf arrr,.
from the natural surface of the ground
About that time the new grade Of the stree,
was introduced, and was followed in Il ycas
or two afterwards by the establishment o.
still higher grade The city government h.,
ever since been slowly engaged in the task u
raising the streets to the proper level am
filling them with stone of different sizes
The process is a curious one. \ high stone
wall is first built on each side of the street In
the place where the curb stone is to be made
This wall reposcs on solid foundation, aud
is usually two feet thick at the bottom. and
one foot thick ut the top. The wall Is carried
up sometimes six or seven feet high, but usu-
ally only four or five feet. The walls beiu-
made, the space between them is filled ~
with rubbish, dirt, earth and gravel. The
street is now ready for paving. But the
sidewalk has been left in its original condition.
and these. in streets that have been raisei
four or FIVE feet, are now SO low that person.
walking on one side of the street can on v See
the heads and shoulders Of the people on the
other side.
The next step TO be taken is to raise the
sidewalk to height corresponding with tina.
of the street If it is to be plank Sidewalk
it becomes in reality a scatfold, but strong
and secure one, with the side next To the
street resting on the curb stone, and the >ii.
next the house resting on the top u,
the garden fence. But if it happens 10 be IL
front Of four or five story brick or marble
edifice the latter is raised to the new grade
and sidewalk composed Of immense biloxi,
of stone is made. The outer edge of these
blocks rests upon the curb stone Benra,l
them, between the new made wall on th-
foundation walls Of the houses, is then made
a spacious vault. convenient for the storagr
of coal or other fuel. &c. The first building
raised. was the three story brick ut the cor.
ner of Randolph and Dearborn streets. This
building was raised up seven feet. The I'M
dertaking was completely successful, AMI
was quickly followed by others.
During the year 1858. a large number 81
both frame and brick buildings have thu,
been raised, many Of them as high as six feet
above their original position and few of them
less than four feet. The process is novel ami
peculiar, and its results are among the great
est triumphs of the mechanical powers
Think of four story brick building, 100 fee.
BY 50, containing stores and Offices. or ola
three story brick dwelling house, raised up
in the air five or six feet above its foundation.
and vet so gently that not a jar is perceptibl~,
and the inmates may pursue their usual avo-
cations as if nothing unusual was taking
place. The business is but just commenced
We have seen house raising in Chicago only
in its infancy We expect during the coming
year to see twice rs many houses raised A.
we have enumerated below The Tremon,
House, big as it is, has got to come mp. II
can be done for S2j 900 and its immense
throng of guests can come and 60 as uudi,
turbcd as ifnothing was taking place"