, 1875-05-08
THE Eu5TOM.H0USE.

Tho excitoment cauacd by the verdict Of the
exports, that the neu Custom~uousc must coma
down, has not eubsided, and tho inquiry has
been turned into now channel; that Is, mhat
can be douo to procure = foundation for tho
second attctnpt that will not givo way. The s1-
poeimcnt1 in pile.drlyiny, already tescris"d,
have sllown thai tho noli on Which tho founua-
tlou rests is essentially bad, aud that, although
concroto may bo. and doubtless is Al
excellent baoe whon It restn on ANYTHING, 1t il
not safo 10 put it On mud aud tAca trust 1t to
bold heavy building. In tho pile exploration,
winch lsYlaIcd the character Of tho soil dowu
about 10 feet, nothing like harl-pan was found,
and no prospect Of any, solid foundation VA
seen. In this Wow Of tho case tho only altcr-
uat,se loft for tho Supervising Architect Is to
plan pile foundation which Email depend upon
the sida friction OF the pilea for support. Ihia
hAs Leen dono In many cascs, mad has
been successful. It sccas to htro boen
proved by the building TINT concrete
foundation is not 6ttod for tue soil and cannot
Etand the 3S1 tons 1er foot which tho ssttmstes
tor tiIs nav building demand: ,......
Tho Instructions to procced or toar down must
now COME from Secretary DristoH, Of tue Ttean-
ury, alter ths matter has been considered By
llmaeN and Archltecs Potter.
AN EVENING rAPEA
may bs pleasant to tho writer. but scarcely
40 to tho officials In charge Of
the Custom-IIouse. Concerning certain Ten
neaaoo quarry ailegod to have been purchased by
ueu. Holman, tho truth appears to bo tnut tho
property wns mover approached BY tho dcncral
It i'll, but was purchased by h1a aon "a busl-
ness speculation, In which he MAS assisted by =
boston capitalist. Tho Btono was never pro.
poscd ~ matcr1al for any Cuntom-Houae, bo-
cause itH nature Ia radically detective. and tho
mi. rt,fa hA rflp1 the erc
is tit oufy for portlons Of buildings Farthor
drawing upon his Imagination. tho writer In
autbtiou staten that TIN iron work .is " inches
higher than tbs stone. This IL pronunnced I
who were OF tl,s " Committee Of E1perss." In
reference to tho defects In tho walls, the writer
has, wi:h admirable sagacity. extracted his do.
scsiption from this paper Of the data subscqnent
to tho discovery. When It Is eonsldorod. tn
closing, that tho reporter describes I pito ~
drlyea NTH i o0.pound hammer Qnsteha
OF $500 poun.ls) aud that Ae xssor.s thai
a9,00u, QUO nill be re1uirod to put In > suitable
foundation (where he has multiplied by four
1t may easilJ be estimated how much 1t changes
On. Holman IL away At 81. Louis on visit tc
his family from whom hs Las bocn absens
nearly two yeats.
Tic question must shortly aris0-tf 1t has not
already-as to
WHERE TIE BLAME pEIoSaB
In the faulty foundations which are shortly to
cause tho CuHton-lIouss to couls DOM. In tia
light Of nasure It must be evident that tho falt
was ctshcr QUO OF design or execution-if tho
former, to bo charged to alullcs, who drew the
plans; II the latter, to Mr.. lIankln, u!1o
aupcrintonaod their carrying out II Mnlett, IN
ignoranse Of Chicago soils. ordered = concrete
vAcn lie should havo planuod pile aud con.
eroto together. lot him hs accuraed therefor.
II, on the other hand, Nr. Isankin could have
made sufficient foundation by catrYlug out hss
instructions, but neglected. them, lot hin carry
tho daunings Of tho faithful. II la possible,
hayo depended upon lsankin's knowledge Of the
soil In tho block, aud ordered what ho recon.
tnendod, In opposition porliaps to Lis own ideaa
Of psoprloty. Tho faoss soom to point to th!g
tim Of making = hobby ot concrete while Mullet
up to TIM siuio Of his Chicago failure, haa boot
knann - chasap.on of pita foundations. IL
even o1doscd them In 81. Louis, whe1'
thc necessity mas much ]es. than il
htd ueen andasatoo4. Il may eaas!y hsys bee,
tho fact, thun, that Mr.. Mul.ett YIolaed la ju,lg
lucnt 10 that Of Mr, lsankin, aud ordoled
foundation WHICH is NOW gradually going to laks
lerel. 1t Is understood that hr. hfuilett claiml
u Rankin lad not pressed his advice, tho prop
| CT foundation wonlu hays bosn laid, and til,
building been al tighsnuw ~ not tue prov
e my yHns 10 SEs aaSS ot Se ne sys a
| tlAt tho fault lies batween t4e,t, and the soone
II u investigated tho better. In tho case OF IL
boston Custom Houso, xhera tho faulta wcr
of inyost!g.tion-ope % benalf ot III
unitod ststea aud tho other for tho Htaro-uau
aged to unoasth prec,ouB lot OF inelic1ency a
vol " mismanngement md fraud. Whs
%iYht tia net ,,tast half-.-doson = s4ss"d t mo- mo
Intttee Of Investigation ou her Cuetos,
House. and demands to know BY whore fault he
pct building haA bocu put hack \ yeat or two
and Psrhspb adjourned hine die. ConsrsHs IL
long suffering animal, and has borne Wit
exemplary pateuce tho demands made upou he
BY tho gteas burnod.ous city OF th
world. but Tiers maJ bo change il
~ future; she snay not 10 seadil
vote ahssc-luartass OF million year for arobi
J tsca to make experiments With md, 10 ayol