, 1875-05-11

Tho Chances Largely In Favor Of
Its Coming Down.
Probable 1)clay Of Two Years Caused hy
Sfr. I.ankin's Blundcr.


Snecfdt Efsp1tch to Thf Chtcdqo Tribune,
WAau1Su1oH. D. G., May 10.-Thote IL now
scarcely any doubt Ihst Buperyislng Architect
pottor and tic Hccrelar1 Of the Treasury will
decide thnt tho walls of tho Chicago cuBtom-
House must be taken down. Il also seems al
most certain that scctotury Drssow will dacns
10 a4sulno Ito responsibility Of having them
tnkcu down without The specific authority Of
Congress-, and that he will contout himso'f with
suspondtng operations md reporting the facts 10
Congress. Secretary Dristow docs not now atstc
this. lta hah not Al yot leen officially Acqualnt-
od with tho facts a. they are to 10 ro-
ported by tho Examining Engineers. Tho latter
not 10 completed for Forne days. Az bnon ~
completed. It wIll bo presented. In tho hb.cnse of
silo Super rising Architect, to tho chief c.elR Of
tho Architects Bureau, wllu will doubtless itI.
medtately forward 1t 10 lie secretary Of tue
Treasury.
THERE HIS nEE1 no PRECEDENT
In the history OF the Government Which would
warrant Gen. Drsstow in assuming such financial
responsibility ~ TIM raz,ng Ut tho walls would
Of great buildings which have been neces.
hitated have beeu made beforo tho
Huperstruclure Ian becn placed t1pou
tho folndnttons, and before any cunslderab1e OK
pcnHo Inns been incurred. Wnilo It IL prclicabio
that ths Ietter Of tho faw cited in thoso DIS
patches wuuid not 10 construed to provuut ths
Secretary from ordering tho wallis tAken dowu as
necessary part Of tho construction, all The prn-
ciGal ot1lcera Of tho Architects aud HsosetnrJ'
ol11co, aud Of tho Lar Department., Beotn to coa-
cur In tho opinion that the Secretary Will leem it
proper, II not necoasasY. 10
SUBMIT TIE wuOLn Gaze Tu CONGRESS
before eHy further action iA tt!;tt, II, view Of
the political capital which the Opposiliou may
en1esror 70 snaxo Of this atuue1,douI bluudor.
Tho authorities here ato Of tho opinion that tho
deanlto action Of Congress eau scarcely DO ex-
peeled bof0ro yoaf from THIS date should tho
SECRETARY decide upou this postpnucinoht. It III
quite possible Tint 10 n.ny recommend tho can-
collation. Of tho c1lsting coutsncts for the Duona
fiata htuuc, aud tile election Of tho building
1PuS DIFFERENT PLAN.
Tha Duena Vista atone IL rapidly failing into
diefaYor with tho DoparsmoAt xnl tho euE.noo1a
doubt tho ability Of tho stono to sustain the
ol petroleum aul iron spots are Tho Chief objoc-
ttous malo 10 tho stouc. Architect Potter, on
lis rccaut visit to Chicago, discovered tue hs.
su:ea In tho walls mud tho sat!ins Ut the founda.
tion. While inspecting tho building. III tue com:
pany Of 1lankin, Potter saw large board nailed
upngainuk stone: IIo usked haukiu what Il
meant. 1laukiu replied that ho did not know
Potter direcled that tho board bo torn dovn
Nheu he diJcoyctcd
IL o: Is fect hgh ard from to inches u1do
A further Inspection discovered mora boafdings
Of Wloko purpose Haukn WAS also iguorant,
1h!ch Lid moro lssureb. from that hour Pot
ter determined upon tho removal OF Napkin. Tht
report Of tho Engineers ~ to :o foundation IL
bad a. possiolo. They Bay pile eau be driyet
down nu5 II hero. Tho responsibility for tnis foun
da,ion Is placed by tho people here upon Rankin
and not uEon alullctt. 6iuco 1t Is positively do
cldcd TINT tho wallis must como down, there u
little doubt that Architect Potter may hayo
6oxE NOTION or ITS own
na to the bu:lding to Ia then orccted. IL
clal1na that ho can balli suitable building fo
| much lcAs than Mul!ett'a estimate. II work il
discontinued until lho noxt Congress dec!dc
about the wallis tho appropriations Tor tho 70
mander Of t1is, md for tito coming ilseal yaur, mr.
likely to bo cosorel into tho Troasury as lapsod