, 1875-06-18

THE CHICAGO UUsToM.HoUsE.
! Thoro seo1ns TO 10 little doubt but the roc
commondation of tho Committee of Investi
gation is in favor OF tearing down tho wolls O.
the Chicago Custom House, removing til,
present foundations and beginning tho con.
strucsion of tie building all over again. L
ls not cnsy for the Taxpayers OF this country
and particularly the citizens Of Chicago, ia
reconcile themselves to such proceeding
involving as it docs tho loss Of two years
time, and tho inevitable waste Of seyora
hundred thousand dollars of the public mon
cy but it must DO remembered that the los
and wasse have already been made, and tht
demolition Of tho structure is merely tho oyi
donce and consequence Of the recklcssnoss
extravaganza, incompetency, and corruptiou
that havo rendered this step necessary. We
do not soo.how the report of the Committee
can be otherwise than whit wo have indicat-
cd. Even casual inspection Of the building
roveals its defects, and tho scientific tests
made under the auspices Of the Investigating
Commission havo, wo have the best roason
to 'bslievo, fully confirmed the external eyi.
donces.
1t is certain TINT an inferior qua1ity Of tho
Buona Vista (CincinnatD stone l1as been fur.
nished, but this is not tho Chief difficulty.
Tho stono has blnckened and rusted in some
places, which might bo endured, and in 9th.
ers is chipping, peeling, and crumbliug to de-
cay. These changes indicate that tho layers
Of clay md iron which arc attached 10 the
stone as it comes from the quarry have not
been cut away completely, as the universal
testimony Of Cincinnati builders and con.
tractors holds they ought to be. The expos.
ure Of these lnyors to tho winter frosts and
summer heat, the raina and sudden chanoes
OF our climate, will unquestionnbiy increaso
the discolosation, and scaling, and decay Of
the stones in the wall. But, while these
changes will mar tho appearance Of the build.
ing, they mny be overcome to some oxtent bv
the application Of chemical preseryativee. and
the stone walls arc 50 thick that oxidlzat,on
might 60 on for generations without ieopar.
tlizing tho strength and perrnnneucy Of tho
building. II there were nothing else than
The inferior quality Of tha stone, there would
bo ample reason for feeling outraged at the
olllclnl neglect or corruption which has per.
mitted it, but there would not BE- sufficient
cause for demolahing the walls and rebuild.
ing with some other material at tls anor.
nous expense that will bo necessary,
The real necessity for tearing down tho
wallis, and ono for which thore eeoms to bo
no remedy, is that tho foundations ara f1efoc.
tive. Thoy arc scarcely sufficiently strong
to sustain intact the preuout weicht of thu
walls, but half done, and It would tberafora
be unwiso to risk their canacitv tn aust,;n
tue building when completed. Tim aYtorno1
evidence Of tho insufic;enov of tho to,r.
tlauons Is tho sinking Of the wal1a
ut certain pointa visib)o m tho
eye; tho separation of tha Atoms
which lots DAYLIGHT betwoon t,,or, md 49,
displacement Of tbe mortar. md o,o,,.
loreo f,sspres in tha hr,ot, ,rs,,n su.a..,,9
from The ton In ,ha hot,on r,.a s s:',.,
observable mainly ohout .ha aaa.,la..s s 10
corne, fcfark md aJo.,., 49,, s, ~, sss
Clark stroct front. the a,,a- 49, a'ous tAe
ond ,ha noo.h,x- -. 49, o'ao' wv eoenesS
n pretty mind cond;t;on '' At't''AA ~ NJ IL
proct;ea, oxnor;rnon,s ,nr. ,o,
tbe woo,rneaa ~ tha fo,,r;,..;on, -. ~ as."
;n,1;cotcd 1,oloa ~1ora .,"a s.s ~ 49, 'as po'n's
ter ~ ,ho aor,,, +r,l. 1at"',a s' a ue 1aas''o-
fo,,r,, ttot -. ~, ~ "aS
tb,n 1avar ~ sof, I a,a,s ~ I",ss. 30 tuese ~
dar tho oo,,art .,,, .,sat go l ..4' un'
ano ,.r-a Ts~s ~ ~ .a.s| ' 1'A -. ~ sua'' uoso
wast on,'e. 49, ~, ". " : 'a' soa'n-
t,o~,,1 ~ r.t <,... M ~ ~. " t11m e"
fro,r H. F' "'1 est1o7'y "epafatea