, 1870-04-03
A STARTLING PREDICTION.
An Architect Prophecies tho speedy
Downfall OF the En~t Wing OF
tha Court Ekouscs
He Gives the Building Only Ono Week
Longer to Stand, unless Preventives
Are Speedily Applied.
a Warning to be Needed.

Ihr following Important document wa8 sent yes
tertay 10 The Committee Of Seven Supervisors II
the predictions contained in II come to pass, Mr.
Botislgt"n, who has bceu appointed supervising
architect of the building, and Mt. John Middle
Ton. who naa l,een appointed master builder. will
follows:
REPoRI OF Mr. EACxASS.
To Gtorae y. E,lri<, Chairman y HE Committee a
Src'. M 'ng T. charge thf inrtsif5ation c' teot
GEsTlkAES: As enc Of the experts lately en-.
rlnyst1 ts you a. assntant In YOUR task, rn,lcf1Sl
t"1ne Hrt Of ~ Independent rrpnrr. wherein
recommended the removal anil Reconstruction Of
all The piers beneath ihc twelve columns sustain.
tnE the Whole Inferior Hf the cast wing OF the
Cour1 House. their destruction being merely 4
Question VI time. S.f urging anE ,nn<iiafe rrp-
rttslln8s III The irr~th, incurred thr Ersponsi.
billy ~ to The present a1ll Immediate s1fety Of
the strsetu:e. ant ftvlIa9 the weight ai such NJ
Elt'i,ftllsy, constituted nys4lf committee OF one
10 KEEP examining lhcsr dangerous piers. II Il In
this caParlty that beg leave to report To-day. as
Upon ta-*lsys very close ant, Careful cxam.na-
ton OF all those piers In question, find urn ricr
No. te1tutncnc1nE numbers at the uor1h end. Of
r n srsT ' ase sensaey s. fson nc sous
cEcvtce upon tho west face Of the Stone, and two
new 1issurrs havc apreanM In the brick beneath
fair warning Of the arrruaeh OF catastrophe, nnl
Irtrt'.tirt sfs1s shot.td not b. i<ayrd r mon.enk
llsaty tMiEr props should as once i.c placed In
se1 olpn ther portions Of the structure fair rro-
portion Vt the Immense weight, eatttn21csi by me
At not 1rss than ll0 tons
In essicr 70 furnish Al ldea Of the circumstances
nfrfallng In The case It may be proper for me, as
scientific engineer, to inform Jou OF the wcll-
established FACT, that the molecular structure Of
takit4 beScmc permanently changt1 hJ 4 strain
whirh is beyond their elasticity. II this strain bc
EermAncnt--aa It 10 In the casc Of dead weight
resting upon Afou1l'tattoa-the change most nat
usauy continues, and keeps aiding Until, At some
numrnt, all Of \ sudden, and mostly without any
definite previous warning, It terminates IN dis
suirtpn OF the continuity Of the bo3T, thus shifting
shoulder. upon .one other bodies IN the vicinity,
generally pafts Of the surface Of mother earth. a
philosopher might readily coukuurt instruments
,g which to measure from day to da1 thc inrer-
an! he able to predict With some degree OF cer-
1atnsy the day OF destruction
nut when the change becomes observable to the
naErrt eye, It must bare Indeed assumed very
dangerous degree of 1apidity, Aad the catastrophe
1nuy then jAt.ty t F1c,.oussesd a t1npenatns.
An instance Of this law Of nature Vas fd1nsshed
ccurt Hon.e Another instance ~ nsely
furnished In london, hy the fall Of roadway ter
TACT, beneath which public dinlaE hall vas ID
sated sull anoincr instance nay sooner Of lAIer
bc furnished to the citizens OF Chicago BY the
stFer1 hridge on North Wells street cIuAAinT the
1Tsck Of The Northwestern Railway. the spider
aecEcd construction Of which IA apparent to the in'
Nrs1 Kood chance tnAt the moment OF The fall
OF the EAST wnEs ROOT wss not delayed to the time
q solemn meeting OF the honorable BOARD ol
London accident d1d not take piAce nYc hour
| sstnncf or tatff. 10 work misery and dextrOcdot
Spon hundEv1t' Of tunocent human beingl i
| nuulu tG mnIr than GOOD chance II this Cuuf
HOUSE TtnE lett to tta own care for 1 week or *
| !nnSef, DID not demand It's victns with 4 lament
| hfllc CtAsh.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
CHICAGO, April 3, 1870. DA1