Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-10-21
HOUSE RAISING
SKETCH OF THE BUSINESS.
1.-THE Cost Of Raising Bufidfngs-A
Chicago House Raising Firm at
work In Georgetown
TEE RRARoS WHY


destroying their architectural symmetry, and at
the same time to preclude the necessity of pay
ing exOrbitant prices for additional building
space. Fortunately the Spectators have never
vet been able to control the space directly
beneath building sites or the Stree air of heaven
above them. and purchasers have the unques-
tiCnabe r. gbt to utilize the earth below and the
space above by delving as deep a. they please, or
rearing their ediiices
AS bIGH as THE TOWER OF BABEL,
provided always, as the lawyers say, they do not
infringe upon the rights and privileges OF their
neigLbOrs. House raising has, however, been
done in the city of Chicago within the past few
years TO a much greater extent than in any
other city IN the Union. The magical rapility
with which that city arose and took her rank
among our great commercial centers has been
the theme OF frequent comment. In the hurry
ard hustle OF building, however, the important
matter of uniform street grades was Compare
lively lost sight Of, but prior to the great fire Of
last wear this subject az received the attention
of the authorities, who fixed new grades the
creation of which LETT whole rows OF buildings
BELOW TIE LEVEL OF THE STREETS.
Business men and Others at once recognized the
necessity of conforming 10 the new grades and
the services of the house-raisers, as they are
commonly called, were at once brought into re-
QUESTION. Since that time the business OF ele-
waiting buildings by means OF machinery has
been brisk in the ''MusI.EOom City," as it is
sometimes not ilappTOpTiately styled. House
raising, however, has not been wholly confined
some extent in other cities. In Bos ton a few
Years since one of the largest hotels in the city
was raised several feet while it was full of
guests. The apparatus-a system of hydr aulic
Iams-was placed in the cellar and the build
ing, with two or three men only to work the
pumps, and few more TO attend to the under
pinning, went up at the rate OF an inch or two
day, many OF the inmates OF the house not
knowing that anything unusual was going on
until they found, to their surprise, that the
gIOnn of hoor %as gradually rising above the
80 much for the history of the business re-
terred TO; and now for its application to the
District OF Columbia. The grand system OF
Improvements now being carried out in the
District, and which no prejudiced mind can
deny has already greatly
ENHANCED OUR MATERIAL PROSPERITY,
has rendered imperatively necessary the eleva-
ton Of buildings in certain localities to a level
with the newly established grades of streets and
avenues. The fact was mentioned in THE STAR
a few DAYS since that this work had already
commenced; the market-hOuse on Bridge street,
in GeOT getOwn, being the first building in tue
District selected for elevation (under the drec-
ton OF the board OF public works) by the Chi
cago firm OF Hollingsworth x Coughlan.
THE FIRST THING TO De DONE
in raising a building is to prepare the proper
foundation all sides for a base OF opera ions.
Sometimes excavations along the walls OF the
building are unnecessary-aIways so If g firm
foundation can be obtained for the eley atiug
machinery. When the foundation is prepared,
holes, perhaps fifteen inches square, are cut
entirely through the building, two OF three feet
from the ground, and from two TO six feet apart,
according 10 the weight OF the structure. 1t
there are inner walls, similar openings must be
made through thea also, care being necessary
to have them all equi- distant from the founda-
ton. The building being perforated with holes
such as described, II now ready for the ma
ehineTy-if jack-screws, woOi-stringers and
blocks, which are the only appliances used, may
be digpiied with the name.
ADJUsTIEG THE ELKvATING APPARATUS.
The next thing to be done ia to insert
"needles" through the apertures in the walls; !
not sewing needles or knitting or darning
needles such az were used by our good old
fashioned grandmothers, but pieces of wood
called needles. This needle is OF seasoned
wood, rs very strong, is generally twelve inches
square, and is from six to ten feet long, accord
ing TO the thickness of the walls. If the build
ing 10 be lifted is situated between and adjoins
other buildings, the needles must run enterely
through it and must be little longer than it Is
wide. These needles through the walls and
projecting on either side, strong timbers rnu-
ming parallel with the walls ON both sides are
placed under them.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE JACK-sCRRw.
Now for the instrument which plays the most
important part of ali the applances-the screw
This is generally known as ''jack-screw," and
hose used by the Chicago company mentioned
above arc twenty inches long and three inches
w,
il made Of cast iron, with heavy thread, are
two holes for the reception of an iron bar which
cross the center at right angles and which make |
four openings Just below the head OF the screw
Ii would naturally be supposed that the thread |
of these screws, when subjected 70 an immense
pressure, would give way, but such thing sell
dom occurs. and ii 1t does 1t makes no material |
difference az the remaining screws are amply |
sufficient to support the weight of the building |
NOW, ALTOGETHER, AND UP SHE GOES"
The needles are longitudinal timbers, 1.-THE |
latter supported by planks, cross blocks, and
six inch tiIDbers.) in position before described
the jack screws are placed under the latter tim
bers directly on line with the apertures in the
walls, and generally on a line with the cross
needles. Each screw now being in its proper |
place, the raising proper commences. Each
man Is assigned to from ten to twelve screws
which he is expected to turn at given signal The
latter is generally whistle, and, when sounded,
each man inserts his iron bar into one of the
apertures near the head of the screw, and turns
it ninety degrees, or quarter around. He
then passes rapidly from one screw TO another,
has attended to all OF them and Is ready for the
next signal OF course il is expected that before
the second signal blows every man in charge of |
screws will have turned each Of them one |
quarter around. One complete revolution of |
the screw sends IL upward one-half an inch.
oPe-qusrter OF o turn eleyates il |
one-eighth Of an inch.
NECESSITY OF FIRM FOUNDATION
a natural inquiry u, Z" HOW many turns of the |
screws are necessary before the building sepa-
rates from the foundation ?r II the foundation
be firm aud does not yield. the walls of the |
building generally divide before the screw has |
gone up sn eighth OF an inch. Sometimes the |
screws run out foot before the building sepa-
rates but this is always attributable to the Weld
ing nature of the ground on which the founda-
ton tinnbers rest. Some would suppose that the
line OF separation between the building and the
foundation would be very irregular, but such is
not generally the case, the line in most in
stances being comparatively straight. The
screws are turned at regular intervals until they
are run out about twelve inches, when the
building IL temporarily supported, the founda-
ton raised by additional stringers and blocks
and the screws replaced and turned as before
his process is repeated until the building Is
lifted to the required height.
NEW WALLS ARE THEN BUILT
from the foundation as close up possible TO the
walls Of the elevated building, and ordinary
shingles driven through the interval from either
side of the walls. The thin edges of the shingles
are OF course inserted, and overlap each other
In the center OF the walls. They are then driven
in until they can he forced inward no farther
the screws are withdrawn, and the raising OF the
building is accomplished.
THE COST OF RAISING BUILDINGS
varies from g to sl2 per liueal foot. IL costs
IN, propnrfiar, fo al an, struo-