The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-10-22

Evening", VctopoI 10, ASSs'
nh. Athens marble, so popular in Chicago for
,.;,d;no purposes few years since, Is sireauy
crumbling.-Erehan9e.
We have seen several notices OF the same
import as the above, and from other sources
have learned that the above IS true.
Tb;s Athens marble is similar to the
LIE, Stone now being used in the erection
Of the arsenal building on Rock Island, and
was chosen in preference to the LeClaire
stone, of which the fine building on the
lower point of the Island is built.
The Joliet stone costs the government
from three to five times as much as the Lee
Claire stone, and in from five TO ten years
begins to scale off and crumble by exposure
to the weather, while the LeClaire stone has
now been exposed to the weather in build
ings in this neighborhood and city, for more
than thirty years aud yet the chisel marks OF
the workmen are aot in the least affected
From various sources of information we are
led to infer that a species OF phiebotomy 's
being extensively practiced by old Regulars
on Uncle Sans by no means plethorlc mon
ey bags, in this Rock Island Arsenal scheme.
Extensive promenades, elegant and perpet-
ually flowing fountains, fancy and cosby
shaded arbors. ancient frog-ponds converted
INTO Sylvan WatciS NY tuO oSt oeSh Va " pOat
but at the expense of thousands of dollars
extracted from the honest taxpayers of our
country, may all be very gratifying to in
ordinate conceit and self-esteem, and no
doubt will add much to the comfort and con-
venienee of a favored few, but adds little or
nothing TO the nations wealth or material
resources, and is inconsistent with the pres
ent depressed condition of her finances
Some pentilation of this subject would graf
ify the honest taxpaying yoemanry of the
country not little. Nous rerrons lie.
Claire Register, l2h.
The base illusions of the Register to the
want of integrity in the purchase of stone,
and attempted smart references to the grand
improvements going forward, on the Island,
are beneath contempt and require no answer.
But we have word to say in regard to
the quality of the stone:
If the editor of the Register will visit the
building at the lower part Of the Island, built
of LeClaire stone, he will find the stone
'already crumbling," and that it has already
began to '.scale off" A comparison be
tween the Sanger & Steel quarry, at Joliet
the Illinois Stone Company, at Athens, and
the LeClaire stone, shows 80 vast differ
ence in the quality that we do not see how
any officer of good judgement could fail tx
purchase of Sanger 4 Steel, even at a COS
of ''from three to five times as much as tn,
LeClaire stone, though we have every res
son to believe that the cost is not very mucl
greater.
The test shows that, to crush the Ssnge
L Steel stone, from Joliet, requires fore
of l4,7Os TBS to the square inch; the Athen
1923 los to the square inch, and the LIE
Claire stone only $3.50 TBS to the squar'
inch.
The density of the LeClaire is much les
than either, and the transverse strength o
Sanger & Steel's Joliet stone is nearly thre
times that of the LeClaire stone.
After sscertaining these facts, specimen
of stone, from the three points named, wer'
laid upon the top of hot steam boiler ant
dried for sixteen days then weighed; thel
immersed in water for three DAYS, and weigh
ed again The increased weight was as fol
lows:
Joliet, 2,73 per cent.
Athens, $40
LeClaire, 1928 "
1t will thus be seen that Sanger & Steel
Joliet stone, which is being used for tn
government buildings, as compared wit
the LeClaire stone, has good deal NOR
than double the power Of resistance; muc
greater density; nearly three times tn
transverse strength, and absorbs only abot
one-fourth the moisture. After these test
no practical man would be justified in usin
LeClaire stone in such immense structure
as are being built by the United States, I
Rock Island, eren the stone ,oas furnishec
on tie grounds, free cfchargel
The publication of these facts will, doub
less, greatly injure the sale of LeClail
stone but the Register has provoked theI
and those who derive a revenue from Il
sale of LeClaire stone may lay the ban
where it belongs. Had not the slanderol
article appeared in the Register, we shoul
not have thought of asking for the facts, b'
since that paper has put forth such abuse
high-minded, intelligent, and incorruptib
United States officers, we did not feel lii
letting the matter go unnoticed.
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