, 1875-07-10
THE CuSTOM.HOUSE.

haze finiehoa their examination of tho now
Cuatom-l House, and aro considering their report.
II will DO matlo IN with care. nn:! will probably
not bo admitted to the 3!ayor until Tho laht Of
no.t wock. Mr.. Chcsbro1sil, ono Of tho Com
n,iasiont is ont OF town. md the other mnmbcrs
signify al, 1l,rwingncss 10 do anything until ho
rctllrns. Tho members Of the Commission, SO
far a. secn. refuse to tnik about their con-
clusions. It has, however, bcon ascertained
that they hayo boon considerably taken
asacl br tho results OF the bo1iugs which have
been lnedo. In tho words Of u gcut!eman whn
l,as hal share In tho work, "Wi,en they ca1ne
together thov lad their REPORT I'll reatlv to vito
out, but each dbrH experience las iaaue thetn
lnure and moro doubtful, until now tEev don't
kttnw what to Bar.' 1'hota was sort Of taclt
understanding when tho body waH ina,lc up that
they slonld. il possible, avert tuo necessity OF
delay in continuing lllD erection Of tho building;
but it hnfs NIT appcGr that they can co1slHtontly
With their investigations ray that 1t in eate to 50
o,. with tho work on tho present foundations.
THE tAsr wtRK DONE
bv tie borern under tho direction Of tho COM
1n}ssltn yYns t0 mako sunutnEH along thu cart
front OF tho htrucinro. This had hitherto been
considered tAa on'y snnhd patch on tho whole
square, and tho ioyornncnt, Commission did
MT toro 1t at a1'. The architects, however,
caused throo RouudinBB to 10 made, with tho
following fohnta:
S9,ttheast cor,.<r-snrface to IL feet alHng; 10 to
II feet, busfaco loan; II to 2oH foet. mud 9oS
Mssit u Enss fron.surt,co to III teo.. atline 10
to 70 fsct. blsck e4ssh: Il 70 q IT, null; o
feet, loa,n: Ii to y tect, ssif clas.
70 appreciate this 1t must he considered that
the bottom Of tho concrete in IL foot below tho
Har[ace anu. therefore, at tho centto OF tho
onat side thero II only z foet OF black dltt be-
twoon tho concsoto Ht1tl masa al mud. At tho
southeast cutner thngn IL only 3 feet OF loam
botwoou the concrote foundation anA tie mud.
At the northeast cornct, On tho cnnttnry, tho
conc,ete II within 2 feet Of good stitf clay.
Under these circumstances it B liifliauIt 10 900
how any architcct could ospoct to provide for an
equal se.tie.non. Of tue building, oven front,
having so many md differing ba1cs.
Tho attention Of the Commission has boaa
called to - ..
NEW DEVELOPMENT
OF considerable Importance in connection with
tho stone. Tie public gazo hns already bcen
pretty thoroughly dfrectod to tho reetinG anu
scaling Of the freeetono. md various tl,eorioJ
have been advanced to aecount fer it by tia oon-
tractor md feieuds OF tho material Chief nmong
llleao theories Ia the QUO that rad peeltng waa
caused by the frost, and tho assertion has been
broadly 1nade thnt It would never ocour but once.
bo satd That bill was prosecuted
10 Con. HOLMAN for c1oanfog. scfarl,'s::
o ST. o s wstn Tas ss med
from tho lst to the 9TH Ut April fast, aud at that
timo tho whole ceiling wAa tot taped, and all tho
shnl1B, paeIs, aut! blletcrs reuoveu. INC nav
discovery IL that this same coiIlns. wtcl, was
poclod OF md put in stapn fonr mouths ago. h
| now breaking ont agaip in now, AMI oven wurhp.
] hlisiors and blotched than before. Tie pec1lng
| this timn began at the cornets aud hilss OF tho
ntouea hut ID tnRnfoBtg about ttis satI!o Hytnl-
tums in this section Of tho building elsewhere.
] TIE EFYErT
! nf thia now development Is to entirely confirm
| Aict tho assertions heretofore made nhaut tho
stone. Tte thoorv ttlat frost caused tho paetlug
| vii, not stand any longer. becn.,na tAcuo ntoneH
hayo sca1ad sadiy and Bnnsetntly Ftnco April 8.
and there certainly Las baen no frost iu tue iu.
teFvn1.
THO assertion of tho learned chemist that tho
| stouo w,ll shell but once has hero a practical
refntRtion, anl most im1'orkhtt Of all. the pnb-
liz haye now sufficient data from Which to COM
uuto how long ths building would last II built nf
Duena ViHtA sandstone iiuspactel by MontroHs
mud ltAnkfn1 Tho problem IL to aseersnin lss'w
| long tho ceilings would last It Ii incheA thick
n.l scaling UT At tho ra.o OF o,c-c!ghth or one
| fourth OF all inch every four 1nuntlls.