, 1875-06-06
THE cUSTOM.HOUSE.

: the 1esl-esfate, tho Company ought still 10 p,
from 50 to Is par cent GA ita liabilatles.
THE SToM.HOUSE.
, WORK OF THE coMxissloS.
: Tho commission now engaged 10 examining II
, | new Federal Building are Likely 10 hnvo hefo'
. them much longer job than was 1t first Q,
; pected- Tha members express tho intention {
making the complotest possible examination
everything about the building, to the end thu
the conclusions arrived 1t BY Secretsry Brsto'
. may bo based on such information as will abso
; lutely justify whatever action he may take.
| Tho first and moes natural measure taken b
: tho Commission has been tho insttntinS OF
seatcc1nK examination into
THE NATURE oF THE boL
in every part Of the Enclosure. To this end the
| have caused \ large number Of borings 10 b.
uuado, and are carefully noting tho strata founs
1t different depths l. ia intended to mako thos'
! borings 20 complete ~ 70 give an o1act idea o
nearly every rod OF ground in tho block. AZ
| rzngements arc also making to make them deeI
| enough to reach to solid and satisfactory stfa'
tun, il there be such 4 thing within 100 fest o1
the surface.
IL addition to the boringu, tho Commission ars
causing piles to be driven to considerable depths
AZ noted yesterday, they have put dowa q 81
I
yesteldsy continued by putting on top Of the
iE=t pile secoud one. consisting Of huge
oak timber l3 inches square. Dy this meane
they propose 10 ascertain at "hat depth firm
foothoid for = Pi!o foundation could be found.
At the same tlne tue effect OF eAch blow of the
! tion which will show how many piles ot given
length will offer sufficient resist 61ce to make 4
| sure foundation. The driving Of tho first pile
Vas finished yesterday about noon, and the To-
I xfo& r.
found four a. a. ~' dsp,h of abb about 80 So feet.
dtpsh .ns ns bo%. ss of of .Ss sS'"q bamnes os
| produced very little or no effect except to shat
ter the head Of the lumber. It is rather gtatif5-
| ing to know that there il = foundation Under
Chicago, even though 1t be 50 or 60 feat down.
Connected With this branch Of the subject
will bs
CAREFUL CALCULATION
Of the weight which each square foot Of the
ready up. This will OF course be supplemented
by the calculation SO to the weight which the
eAuna space nil have to bear when the whole
structure is completed.
Perhaps the most important nork to be done
will be the tests to be 1nade by machine already
devieed. aud DOW constructing, by Gen. William
6ooY Smith, OF tho Commission. Tho object Of
this machine Is to show the exact resistance
which each foot OF surface will bear Without
ylelding. 1t is intended to cause excavations to
O6 uh4o III FAt1Uu6 pihCea 10 sle 6Au1d AGuEN a8
the bottom of the present foundations, aud Gen.
Smitb's machine w,H then be applied to the
ground 80 uncovered, and tha resistance which
it affords to weight noted. II Will be seen thst
it Mill be comparatively easy to thus ascertain
whether tho ground On which the foundations
are placed affords sufficient stability to support
tho reight which it must carry.
TIE FOUR SETS or LETELs,
which have becn carried around the eutire build
ing By Mesars. M- l. Holman and Greeley have
now been completed, but the results ha,e uos
been made known. Il is, bowcve1, certain that
tho results vail DO comparatively useless for
purposes Of comparison, becauBs 10 record ex-
lists Of any set OF levels. known to ho accurate.
made a. any previous time,
1t is DOW certain that the present commission
has been charged With the duty Of reporting on
TILE NATURE OF THE sToSE
used IN the building. its adaptabihty for the
structure its evannesa Of color, its freedom
from discolor1ng matter, and it's durability when
exposed to tho weather. They viii atso have to
describe to the Secretary what they have OBJ |
served Of tho teudeucy OF the stone to poel and |
q ack- In connection With the Supervising Ar |
chitect, they will hare alao to give |
tho result Of their obser sations On the |
displayed in cutting the stoue |
Or not. Thoir testimony on this latter point will
be partially composed OF photographs OF somo !
Of tue renai ikabl8 places, such the roof Of the
east portico with its twenty-seyen patches IN
0no btocR ln6 Will d1ubtie6a be considered q
choice work Of art in the Department, and it
aoas not require stretch Of incg nation to be-
bold Secretary Bristow's gieat joy st tho beauty
3f the Government building In Chicago: how |
ho will rush out and get that Photograph I
framed and hang it before him; how ho
Nill hare copios made, and seud them to Mullett
md RanGn how be will diligently search after
he lpsnector who PASSED that store and pro-
note him to position Of trust how he will
:ejoce to let other contracts for atone-cutting
% Mueller, aad how he wl carry on generally 81
hight OF Conelin's photographs Of the loof OF
he east porch.
II reference to the general appearance Of ths
'uildlns, oua Of the gentlemen composing the
remarked to a fl;end that he never
aw IN Gil his building experience 80 uApy
oIors OF stone come olt of one quarry, and |
lnoas doubted that such = thing wts possible.
IT Is FORTUNATE FOE CHICAGO, ]
a well as for the Del attnlent tlslt these three
Gentlemen selected for the Commission bear !
Individually such high reputation Tor ability and
ha1actcr. Tho Chicago representative, Gen.
William Sooy Smith, has mcr1ted character !
zero for integrity. as we'll as for thorough
OF eueineorinG. At the tirno when ne
Fas appointed he WAS memb + OF Govern I
aent Commission for testing American iron and
teei, and his presence on that duty Was the rea-
on for h!s not sooner arriving to take part IN
be- work here.
It is expected that the examination hero will
9 finished during the present week, and tue re-
ort and recommendations will Then De trans
'ltted to the Secretary OF the Treasury.