Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-07
SENECA sAvDsroNE.-rhe Washington cor

SENECA SANDsToNE.-The Washington cor
respondent of the Utica, N. y, Herald says:
The democrats have at last rot what they
want III the matter of the "SencCa Sandstone
II is to he investigated" like everything else
1t won't take long TO do it, AID their ears will
apt to tingle when the facts come out The lies
that have been told about that innocent sub
stratum are sufficient in number and enormtl
to cause the father of lies TO open his eyes. The
democracy have usurpei his prerogative. About
the new state department for instance.
That building, by the way, is located in thu
rear of the war and navy departments, west oil
the White honSe, and in way to correspond
1t will correspond with the ground plan of the
treasury, but will differ from it in style of archi
ture-the treasury being Ionic, and the new
building classical renaissance
The Getz resolution, passed by the house or
Monday, aleges that Mr.. Mulett, the architect
in violation Of the directions Of the joint com
mittee on public buildings, has put Seneca sand
stone in the foundation walls OF the new build
iTgs, the instructions requiring that they should
be built wholly of granite. If the democrats
had taken the pains to examine, they would
have discovered that somebody has been hood
winking them. So far from the allegation be
ing true the fact Is, that not one foundation
stone has yet been laid upon another. The
blocks of granite aIe there, ready to be placed
bat neither granite nor sandstone is vet in the
foundation. All the work that has thus fan
been done, Is the excavation, and the erection OF
some of the inner partitions. These inner par.
titiOns, which Will constitute the dividing lines
and doorways of the cellar, are built of the
Seneca sandstone. 1t was chosen instead Of
brick, which is generally used, because il is
cheaper; and instead of huG stepa, beost trsir'
" STU ton less. 10 have put granite in these
PARTITION walls would have been an extravaganza
that the specifications never contemplated, and
that has no pr cedent in any of the government
buildings here, or any large buildings anywhere
As have already said, brick il the material gen-
orally used for this purpose Mr.. Mullett has
violated no instructions whatever. That's what
the investigation will bring out.
1t will bring out some other facts. Among
them will be the fact that Mr.. Mulet used the
$4,000 worth OF Seneca sandstone which had
been put INTO the basement partitions of the
state building, against the exp eSs wish of Pres
ident Grant, and wholly without his approba-
ton. He used it, in spite of this fact because ii
answered the purpose better than any othe. ma
terial Another fact brought to hight will be
that 1t was President Grant, alone, and individ-
ually, who first rejected that one of three plans
submitted by the public building committee
which provided for making the whole building
OF sandstone, after the manner of the Smithson-
IAN Institute. A third fact is, that President
Grant has not realized penny on his stock in
the Seneca quarry, although he held it for some
time before he was elected. fourth fact is
that he has been unable to sell this stock, with
out pecuniary loss on the investment. A fifth
fact is, that he has tried to SELL at the desire o
other stockholders, because his interest in the
quarry had operate 10 prevent their getting
any government contracts.
All these facts are just what the democrats
don't want them to be. They contain the whole
| story. The result will be that the Seneca sand.
| stone, which they thought to convert into a fusi
lade to blow the president up, will be the sigr
and symbol of their persistent SANDER and un
intermittent falsehoods. 1t is not as heavy as
granite or marble; but it is heavy enough tt
| crush the party which sought to make capita
| .,y building pyramid of Seneca sandstone lies
They say this stone is soft. 1t will be so mucl
the easier, then, to cut into it an eptaph for thu
| democratic party. 1t will be in strict accorC
with the eternal fitness of things, to build the
tombstone the parry viii need after next No
| yember ont OF Seneca sandstone. He jdcet-
| finish the epitaph TO suit yourselves.