, 1870-05-01
THE FAST WING,


t'selc4s Attempt at Repnir7-TFue Cause Of
- the Trouble.
bthe Ed.tor ef The Chicago 7s1bunx:
srR E: The committee Of experts appointed to IN.
vestlgaie the condition Of the county wing OF the
Court House, reported 1t The time that the piers
beneath the Internal columns Of the new cast wing
were in dangerous condition l. a member
Of that committee, made an additional report in
which stated, In regard to these piers, that they
were loaded beyond their permanent resisting
strength, and that the immediate reconstruction Of
all Of them. whether now BOUND or cracked, WIS
tmreratiEefy demanded. I suggested the employ
ment oflarge Iron ooroes In place Of the stones
II WA omitted to urge any immediate prpnpipr
for the simple rrason that spch rura4ursa arc. in
sueh cAsea1 matter Of oousec. But the commit
tee Of seven Of the Board Of supervisors, TO whom
the reports were made, did not lake any such
measures. and, on the contrary, lcft the building
In It's dangerous condition md went ou to det1ll-
crate for fortnight over their report to The board.
Seeing thus thrown upon my shoulders RESPONSE
blnty for the immediate safety Of the building, 1
continued examining the dAngtruua piers, and
finding one day visible and unmls.At1hle iu-
crcafe in the cracks IN one Of them, made m a
initsee, In order TO 1t leass snifr the re-
q tne committee. i It did not 81 ssu ,taea esa
day edition three weeks ego, appears TO have been
locked upon as unca1le.1fu unttl few da!s no,
your reporter brought the facts to Light The r1er
Of Its weight III ofler u take cut Tie bspken cap
and replace It by sound one And the appear
aEcc Of thts ses7 broken eaq-ssone tells 1tg own
perpendicular cracks it, cens1c was literally shat
Tered, and could not poesilJ hare sustained the
weight placed ul~n II foE man! dass longer:
But what Is II that is goins on! VIII those pers
BE any safer after being repaired than before
Before entering upon those questions must cor
rrct an erroneous opinion entertained BY you1 re-
porter. md ps1hsps, b the puolie + Is NOT the
dsrsn ns 1s1 srny Te ND ae R
~sistng strength Of brick snd stone Was otestaxcd
TO such Al extent that their destruction VA, and
ber were airrady cracked il!e*pect!vely Of TIC
cutting away hy the Plumbers Some Of the stones,
though easily cut away. ATT not get cracfed. md
c.acSed ss9S ID Nsi lnio ~ se1erA % pieces. IL ksve
th!s case better understood l will enter,
4 far as this u possible without diagram, Into
IS DC columns i, On some Of them 70 tons md
rtsing to 1870 tons on osherA The inverted brick
a1ches, constructed to sustain the weight upon
and se inches long Upon the centre Of this stone
fsiloxs ne iron column The area ot hncswotk
..y $ inches, equsilns 60 square inches, TIC
pfsssusc square Inch Is from go tn nearly 400
| !oanuN Fnh u fTcm tNo 70 four times Is much
| r., prudent and conscientious expert Will allow.
rs.Sa - ah uncertain material Soi1 bricks viii
~ Se.H s..n ~ Mef4n!e Of 100 pounds to IN inch,
| Yin hoia Sas: ate extraordinary good clinkers
of snn,nar, r,oE aFe feFy different nom bricks made
e''s ssss. 9sl efs des mn
Lick hy no means indicative of ~ a7fne4h ~ ~
~ ps'Sn S,l1 ret me hardness Of the mortaf }ont
o'sef 0Sos me 1nssen form q nc brtefa and
Handboots Eais shc uisina.e as.costh ~
ma.onr5 II SO 70 800 pounds pr sapsse ,nch m s.
Oh xnaan fraction Of tanse nxutrk GcTm.n 70 Es5
thoritfes ALLOW from one-twenieth to oneitnt1 ~
The authorities OF the United States ooTrT1[nsaT
standard outside txufe par s4a1re inch os h,1.Fe
wosk l hAve, N ny Praaare, n exEcme cssas.