, 1875-08-04

per Rtrlare foot OF Morr than 7onhit what tho
acsual pressure will be when tho building
ahnll TO completod. They show tint tho
unler t',roo tona ror squire foot, instead Of
st1, M the Government Commissioners cali-
united, md 70 TINT any sott!ing that may
occur will ho uniform. 1hey llavo fornl
that tic crncka in the walls, which the Gov
ernn,e,t Commissioners attributed to tho
settling Of The walls wns really caused by tho
expansion resulting from tho frost which got
under tho cement; thia il proved by the
closing Of these crncka M tho frost oxudos
from tho foundations. They havc also found
TINT surrounding buildings, Of mitch greater
height tlan tho Cnstom.Ilousc, built upon
exactly tho samo character Of noil, md having
a creator pressure per squaro foot, aro not
sinking, hut bid fnir to remain M solid and
substantial for generations Oh wlon first
erected.
&. It must bo tnkcn into account, which
the Government Commission sce,nA to Lave
overlooked entirely, TINT the erection Of tho
building furnishes a gradual md uniform in
crease OF tho pressure upon n solid founla-
tion Of cement, and that tho test OF sndden
pressure of double the weight on single
square foot of excavntcd ground without &C.
mcnt in altogether Unfair 1tis very much Ms
though cRnnon-1all were fred out Of gun
ut the gronnd it would not full to nlnla MI
inlentation in this case, though it would not
make m impression II quietly deposited on
tho ground. Tho foundation of tho Custom-
House is tho cement which in packed and
solidited on MI rides OF thickness Of per-
lara feet, and corresponds to solid rock
bnso dorotailcd mud pivotcd at tho four cor
ncrs. Tho suporstructuro rests upon this,
mud not upon tho baro earth, and grows
heavy 10 gradually md stea,lily MS to be
worry different pressure from sudden impos-
tion Of the samo weight per squnre foot on
the groutd.
All these considerations, in connection with
the suggestions for removing tho defective
stones, form mn appeal to tho Secretary Of
tho Troasury for n reconsideration OF his do
cision which he Hhould not resist. Az to hi
determination to await on investigation bys
Congress, be must romonlbor that ho will con-
front IN Opposition Congress, determined to
find flaws in the work of this Administration,
no mntter what 1t may cost the people. Mn
terial will be needed for Presidential ca,n-
paign, sad thoro will 10 partisan political
investigation, ordered and conducted by in
co'npetents, for mcro party purposes, This
will como in any event, but it is bettor that it
should come in way that will not take
money out Of tho peoples pockets
and delay the construction Of tho
building for years, than to como ut q
cost Of ut least $1,000, 600. If tho work goes
on and turns out Us tho Chicago architects
predict, and believe, 1t will furnish COM
plete answer to tho impeachment that an Or,.
position Congress will bo Buro to put upon it.
II tho work does not 60 on, Chicago will
hGve to suffer for mere partisan designs, md,
meanwhile, the present exposed walls will
grow into such a dilapidated condition aa
almost to justify tho determination to pull
them down. It is estimated TINT the damage
done to the walls since work was suspended
amounts to mnny thousands Of tlol]nrB. No
effort has been made to protect them from
tho elements. Water hos sottlcd down bo-
tween tho brick and stone stones lnvo been
displaced, and tho whole structure has been
abandoned o. II it were m old and worthless
ruin. II left till Congress examines it, and
finishes It's partisan wrangle, the wills may
he in condition to warrant pulling down.
Every consideration, therefore, should per-
snade the President and the Secretary Of tho
Treasury to order an Immediate resumption
Of work.