The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-03-17

Tue HOWARD UNIvERsTTY BRICK CUES
TIoS.-The following Is an abstract OF the
very voluminous report made by a commit.
tee Of the trustees Of the Howard unlver-
sity, who have recently made investiga.
tion In relation to the construction and
safety Of the buildings of this institution.
The report covers about one hundred and
twenty manuscript pagosi
"The committee have the testimony OF eight
contractors and builders, two experts In test
ing building materials, and one chemist.
The questions considered were the capacity
of the building blocks to bear pressure, and
the action of the elements. All these wit
nesses concur In saying that the buildings
are well constructed, stand erect, inspiring,
AID free from the ordinary defects of an un-
solnd structure. They say, one with q prac-
tical experience oftwenty years as builder,
and having lived ten years by q building OF
the same material, that he sees no good
cause why these buildings should be consid
cred unsafe in any particular whatever;
another, that, In his Judgment, they are per-
fectly safe, so far as material and cOnstruc-
ton are concerned; four Of them that they
are abuudantly strong aud safe. One had
had fears about the materials, but says the
buildings stand much better than he OK
pectcd. Two express an unfavorablc op.n-
ion, based upon an experiment with single
| specimen brick, and that not a fair speci-
men, because II proved to have been re-
Gently made. One or two thought 1t
would be well to use iron snoring or brick to
strengthen the walls. Four series of ex.
periments, with from five to sixteen speci.
mems each, were had to test the amount OF
pressure the block will bear. With an India
rubber plate on the surfaces (Which was fully
proved to have tendency 10 tear the blocks
asunder) they bore from $500 to 10, SOC
pounds each. In another series the average
was over 10000, and those of the same age
oore 10000, or twice as much, in thin plas
ter bed, as between the rubber plates. Blu
under the most unfavornble conditions they
bore from two and two-third times to fou
times the weight required at the bottom o
the building; in more favorable conditions
{ six times; while the architect Of the Capito
Z says twice the amount is sufficient for safety
e The block, by being supported on three sides
,, or all sides, In the wall, will bear twice q
much as singly in the machine. The block
/ harden, both by age and by the action of tn
elements, in the wall. The increase o
, pressure they bore averaged about 90
|, pounds per month. The outside half block
bore nearly 1000 pounds more than the in
side. Experiments of frequent wettlng AM
, drying, with the weighing of the blocks afte
each wctting, prove that they gradually di
! minish, and finally cease to absorb water
and that they bear, when several month
old, the wetting and freezing of winter
when common brick will crumblc to pieces
, The testimony also shows that the materia
used in the Freedmen's Hospital (Which ha
? been COMPOUNDED with the University build
4 ings) was new, some of 1t made with in
!. pure sand, and laid partly in very col
d weather, so that 1t froze In the walls, an
thus crumbled and fell upon thawing out
!; But very little used In the University build
: Ing lin the upper story and chlmncys) wa
E so new, and none was laid in such col
!. weather. The buildings appear to be strong
I showing no signs OF failure, so that tn
committee cannot recommend the adoption
4 of SNORING or any manner Of strengthen
? ing whatever, believing them to be abuu
=. dainty safe.