Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-20
Il. WASHINGTON. d. c.. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 1872



The House committee on public buildings and
grounds held q regular session this morning,
and, before proceeding to business upon the
docket, resumed the investigation into the
nature and character Of the stone work of the
new State Department. The first witness called
was
Andrer Sdzon, who was sworn and examined
by Mr.. GetZ. Witness testified that he was a
stonecutter; had been, aud WAS now, employed
upon the new State Department building; some
Of tie rubble stone used there was good, and
me bad; there were a few pieces that had a
good fiat bed, and others that were rot good;
in the m; to get the rough stone into shape re-
quired considerable work; in rough kinds of
work they were as good as any; there was rot
much greater waste in the kind of work being
done than there would be i'm blue stone: blue
stone is harder than Seneca; witness saw SOM
few pieces that had been delivered that were
cracked by the weather; thinks nearly all were
used; had not examined the walls to see if there
were any cracked stones there.
By Mr.. Tyner:-Witness' duty was to cut the
stone outside OF the building; had nothing to do
with the walls; had cut some pretty hard stones.
the longer the Seneca stone lays out the harder
IL gets: the stone hardens after being taken from
the quarry; witness cut Seneca stone five years
ago for the south tower of the Smithsonian
Institution; had never examined it SINCE frost
wouldn't injure Seneca stone if quarried in dry
weather; thought there were stone cut for the
State Department just before Christmas that
were not MT to be used; did not know whether
they were put into the wall; went 10 work there
In September; there was stone cut there that
would not have become good by seasoning in the
weather; most of the stone was hard: Seneca
stone VAS used for the foundation of the Freed
mans Bank; had not examined it, but saw
nothing in the walls that indicated its giving
way; good quality of Seneca was nit for foundao
ton walls, but granite was better; think the
majority of the stone used in the State Depart
ment walls was gooo; not enough dam aged stone
10 affect the walls had been put in.
BY Mr.. Getz:-witness would not use Seneca
In such building if he could get bluestone:
Port Deposit stone is harder than Seneca, but
costs more.
By Mr.. Tyner:-Would prefer other stone to
Seneca, the price being the same; Seneca costs
$3.50; suppose granite would cost Sc; thought
for that purpose in the State Department build
By Mr. Orr:-After the Seneca once hardens
it will not get soft again; had not examined the
walls; could not speak as to their condition.
j. '. W. Fdndenburgh was the next witness.
He testified that he was a contractor; put in a
bid for the new State Department building; first
bid was for bluestOne only, at 81 20 per cubic
yard; the Seneca Company put in bid; witness
had been using Seneca at the p and West streets
bridge; there were bids for granite put in; the
Richmond company put in a bid, 20 did young
Mr.. Brown and several others; Mr.. Mullett Wis
tied the bluestOne quarry of witness after the
bid was put in and before the contract was
awarded; said ii was a very fine quarry and nice
stone, and led witness to believe he would use
the stone; he said they would do for backin but
he had some doubts about their cutting for
division walls; before the contract was awarded
Mr.. Mullett said he would be obliged to use
Seneca stone for the division walls and il witness
could furnish them also he would award the con-
tract to Witness never had conversation with
Secretary Fish about the contract; was not ac-
quainted with him; bluestOne is driver and
stronger than Seneca; witness was the lowest
bidder; Mr.. Mullett expressed himself satisfied
with the bluestone; the only reason that witness
knew why he used Seneca was because the blue
stone cut harder; Mr.. Mullett stated that il
wonld be necessary to put in sample and wit
ness put in sample OF Seneca stone; the sample
was now in possession Of Mr.. Mullett.
Witness was asked to state the terms Of his
contract with DIR. Kidwell, but said that was a
private business TRANSACTION, which he would
The company agreed to deliver the stone of such
quality as would be accepted; Mr.. Mullett mott
fed him in writing that he was ready to receive
the stone; did not say that he had orders to re.
celye nothing but Seneca; commenced Seneca
first because inside walls were first commenced;
had some difficulty with the Seneca, and ten
dered other stone to fill the contract about one
fourth the stone delivered is bluestone, three
fourths Seneca; knew nothing OF the cost OF
working the rough stone into shape; knew that
stone cutters considered Seneca hard to work;
could not see how S2i 900 could be saved by the
use Of Seneca; Seneca should be seasoned before
being used; there were one or two pieces of Sem
eca used in the street bridge tn at cracked
they were taken from the quarry to the bridge
and used at once; a very severe frost that night
caused them to crack, and the company replaced
m; did not recO!lect saying they were the
worst stone ever used.
BY Mr.. Tyner:-The contract signed was to
deliver Potomac bluestOne. or Seneca as called
Tor; nothing was said to indicate that the con-
tract would be given to witness unless he was
the lowest bidder; some OF Seneca had been re-
Jected because of inferior quality; had not ex-
ahmed the walls; the department had inspec-
tors who would reject the stone if not of good
quality; think the stone for State Department
had time to harden before being used; never
saw Seneca used outside of Washington: almost
any kind of stone would stand I'm the walls of
the new department where Seneca is used; it
was question of cheapness; did not know
whether Seneca would cost more than other
ripple stone; should not think much lost or saved
by the use OF Senaca.
By Mr.. GetZ:-When the contract was made
did not expect to be required to furnish so much
Scneca they had right to demand il under the
contract; the contract was not OF q kind witness
"hankered" after.
By Mr.. Tyner:-Never made tests of stona
myself; did not take ordinary hearsay, but the
tests made by scientific engineers.
BY MIR. Wells:-The weight of Seneca stone is
3,ioo pounds to the cubic yard, blue stone weighs
The investigation was suspended at this point.
and the committee proceeded to the considera-
ton of other matters which had been referred
to it by the House.