Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-27

HOWARD UNTvBRsrrY Bull DINO M AfBRIAL
W. T. Bacon, ID. W. Anderson, Z. W. Robin
son, and WIN. @. Finney. the committee ap-
pointed 70 prepare . statement Of the results of
investig atoms, mado by previous COMMITTEE,
IN relation 70 the construction Of the Howard
University buildings. and the sufficiency aud
have made report, In which they say that tn.
opinions of architects and CONTRACTOR, so far A.
expressed, all concur that the buildings arr
well constructed, that they stand erect IN
sprung and free from the ordinary defects o.
an unsound structure; and the only ground O.
distrust alleged BY any Of them, Is doubt OF
the sufiiciency OF the material to endure prss-
sure and the action of the element. Mr.. SsarIe
the architect, and Msssrs. Rumsey. 0,lIsnt
and Ceok, all regard the material as abundant.
ly strong anA safe.
The commirsee then review the various ex.
pertments made 70 test the strength of the ma
terIal At great length, and sum ID the results
as follows: 1.-THE tests in the case of drv block
taken from the buildings under conditions less
n.elsoie tnan tnose existing in the walls, but
approximaung most nearly thereto, give a
capacity OF resistance SIX times that eouired
In any part Of the building, while blocks more
or less saturated with water uuder conditions
tne most favorable had twice the strength
required; and it is the opinion of the navy-yard
experts, who have testsd all kinds Of building
material Tor nearly twenty years, that blocks
,alu IN 'ne walls Will bear twice as much
pressure as " hen tested singly in the machine.
Inc experiments demonstrate very nclusi vely
inat oiocks one or two years old have much
more strength than those three or SIX months
old, and all those in the University main build.
ing up to the middle of the third story were
made in the summer and autumn Of 1867. aud
are now from fifteen to twenty months old. IL
10 claimed that the action Of the elements on
the blocks as they stand in the walls tends
to harden them. The experiments OF the COM
mittee and OF other persons tend to sustain this
theory" "The testimony only shows that
the material used in the Freedmen's Hospital
which tell. and which has widely been con-
founded with the University building, was
new, and being laid in very cold weather
frcze IN the walls, and thus readIly crumbIed
and fell the first warm day. None of the ma
terIal used In the University was Of such recent
date, except q small part Of the top and in the
chimney, and none was laid in such unpropi.
uous weather. We cannot advise that anv.
thing be done to CITIZEN the buildings bee
we are satisfied that they are abundantly safe
as they are by the Unanimous Judgment of
the architects they are we'll constr ucted They
stand true, firm, free from cracks or signs OF
giving way any where, and are con coded on ali
Names TO be an ornament to the city. We do
not know that they will not fall down to NOR.
row, DOR do we know that the Capitol or Treas
ury Will not we have no evidence that our
buildings are IN danger, and very much TO
convince us that they are safe. To provide
against possible danger in the face Of abundant
evidence OF actual safety, would seem childish
ltcould not b. regarded a sensible course for
every owner of a house IN the city 70 put into il
an expensive shoreing, or inside wall, because
by possibility IL may fall, when he sees NO
signs OF failure, and has no reason to anticipate
any.