, 1875-09-05

dollars in gold would buy $l14.5o N green
backs at the c>2se.
TIE cusT0M-HoOsE lNVEsT1dAI1oS:
It tvonld not be proper to attempt TO IN
auence in any way the conclusions OF Inc
Government Commission Of seven gentlemen
now here to examine into the condition OF
the Custom-House walls and foundation.
Tha Commissioners are from different sec
tons Of the country, occupy high positions
in their respective professions, and evidently
enter upon the investigation with the single
purpose Of doing their duty. But there may
be differences of opinion concerning the OBJ
iect which the Government has IN view IN
ordering the investigation, and as to the
proper mode Of entering upon the e1amlna-
ton. Concerning these, it is entirely !e-
climate and proper that We snoo4u
noint ont to the Commissioners, oil
Of whom are non-residents, the pre-
vailing feeling among the Chicago people,
who are the principal parties in interest,"
We apprehend, for instance, that Gen SAITH,
a member of the first Government Commls-
sion, miscontrues the real purpose OF an IN
vestigation' when he says, as be did day OF
two ago to reporter, that, regardless OF
the question whether the building will oe
safe one when finished, it ought 70 be torn
down on account Of the poor stone, that
"we want building here which will be O
local and national pride" etc. That IS all
very we'll, and it is unquestionaoly what We
wanted, and what We expected when the
building was begun. There have probably
been very serious errors in construction,
almost criminal neglect in the IN
spection of the stone, and manifold
mistakes and serious carelessness that
mar the beauty of the structure, and
render it impossible to make the CUSTOM
House, if finished up on the present walls, as
gorgeous and magnificent as it was intended
to be, But these mistakes have been incl
dent to the expenditure Of about $1,25o,ooo,
and the question is whether that amount
shall be sacrificed and the building torn
down. in order to achieve the high degree Of
architectural beauty at first contemplated.
The first Government Commission seemed to
think that the people could afford the loss Of
q million and quarter in order to secure
artistic finish and grandeur. and they evl-
IDENTIFY reached thc:- conclusions on that
premise, But the sentiment Of the people
who have to stand the loss is evidently that,
if the present walls can be carried up, the de-
fectiye stones removed, the blo.ches ef1ac-d,
and q structure attained that will be solid,
safe, and durable, it is better to gofon than
to incur loss Of over 81, 600, 900 for aesthetic
purposes. We take it that the present exam
iuation should proceed upon this sensible and
economical basis
There is another thing which We may sug-
eest to the present Commission without
seeking to influence their Judgment against
the facts as they may find them The ques-
ton Of the sohdity and durability Of the
building depends upon the amount Of press.
ure to the square foot and the capacity Of the
Chicago soil for sustaining it. The first Gov.
ernment Commission proceeded upon the as
sumption that the building, when completed,
would have pressure of tons to the square
foot, while the Commission Of local architects
made their tests on basis Of pressure o1
less than tons to the square foot. Here il
/ a wide difference that would account for
diverse conclusions The Supervising Archi
| tect at Washington seems to be responsible
| for this variation. The first thing for tn
new Commissioners to determine is which o
! these tv-' = ;timates is correct, and then max
their experiments and draw their conclusion
accordingly. 1t is simply absurd to require
under the present circumstances, that tn
ground shall have the capacity to suppor
double the weight which will actually be i'm
posed upon it.
In regard to the compression Of the Chicag
spb-soil, the Commissioners will be as lkel.
to arrive at correct conclusion by ana1og
| az by suy other process of reasoning. LII
best practical test of what Chicago soil vi
sustain is to be found in the observation {
what it has sustained The Commissions
will do well to to look over some Of the tai
est and heaviest buildings in the city,-sue
buildings as the Chamber of Commerce, II
Palmer House, the fremont House, IL
TRIBUNE block, the American Express Cor
pany's building, the Pacific Hotel, Hofoa1
buildings, etc The average Of the soil
about the same under all these buildings az
the Custom House. Some of them are fro
100 to no feet in height, and, allowing for t!
difference in the width of the foundation, it
probable that the pressure per square foot
these buildings Is as great az there will be
the Custom-House when completed L,
present Commissioners ought to aVail the1
selves Of the local experience Of Chicago
giueers, architects, and practical builde'
: The City Engineer and the architects "
uade the examination Of the walls on
part Of the city can give the present Co
: mission the technical reasons and profession
y experiences that led them to the conclusio
- embodied in their report, ,-reasons which
- general public would not understand T
= Government Commissioners should also c
- in other Chicago architects, builders, and I
II cineers. in order to avail themselves fully
:. local experience, the value Of which in
y gard to local buildings cannot be overes
mated
-. There IL certainly every reason to e1pec
=, fair and thorough investigation from st
- men as Gen. ". B. FRANKLIN and Gen J.
WILSON. civil engineers; Mess1s. n J. BE-