, 1875-05-19

to The Editor CT The Ch,caa5 tribune:
CHICAGO, May 18.-Now tin: tbs imposition
and fraud IT Tho Duona Vista elone-guarry hayo
bccn espoeol and exploded, 1t may not DO i'm
pertinent to criticiso OIL editorial which appoar-
cd 10 tho infer. Ocean tho organ par oxcol1enco
Of tho Government Arel.tcct) at tho tlme OF hta
selection Of that moro uetcd li,nn famous quar-
~. Though sounding strangely 70 Chicago
ears, and receiving Al Rb!o though mild protest
from TIE Tn1ruxE, 1t wns still tanlcly submitted
to, aud IT had tho tone. Of being inspired
from official Bou1cos. and Tho mir OF
All ordinary ttom Of nows, but its To-
gp1ration WAS q fraud md Its
newB waH false. In tho editorial alluded to,
under tho head Of tho New Government
Building" 10 wero coolJy informed that "nono
Of tho Limestone qnnrries In ts vicinity [Chica-
go] bro offered ut aB Inv figures nB tho dark
gray sandstone from, the l5aona Vista quarry OIL
the Ohio River, ahova Cincinnati, "a statement
which was unqua!saedly false, tho truth being
(and might almost Say ~ matter Of conrse)
TIM propriosors of tho quarrica under tho
very nose Of Chicago. and iu tic worry shadow
Of lilo building When crocsca, roEo
tho very loweat bidders for the os'fico In
question. with two exceptions both III this
Esato, Why were not theso bids published tha:
tho public might know who woro the iighcat aud
who tho toweKt anl ut any rule, what tho bids
voro. and who made them7 Tho silence and
secrecy obsorvod in 30 important l. matter wore
hot only suspicious, but downright dishonesty,
aud Chicago will not brook such nu insult i sec-
ond time ~ tho selootion for hor uovornmont
building Of Btune from dlf'eroht and distant
State, whom aho las as honlot within au
hour's rido by rail, the vory auest Gtone
in tho Northwest. End At very greatly reduced
tatos. i any one were rash enough to dsny
ludcl to, Which challelGes tho appreciation nnd
admiration OF all Hho haye 8yas soou it, would
say of 1t az Daniel Webster said Of fMassachusetts,
"There sho stands, look at horl" soc the beau-
t3ful afxrino Bank building on Lato street, tho
splcudd First National Bank building. the groat
Singer Manufacturing Company's haildtng, King
& fullerton'B tine oulaco, aud tho magnificent
palace Of Field. Lelter L. Co., on State ssroet.
4es Sa e aues qsssy n aHa Id }nasSSy BnsS s S "s
ticod md pha4ed over, one would suppose that
the writer Of the edtoFial III question lad Reeu
them, that hs knew whot he WAS tnlking about !;
that he bud made critical examination and
that he had ns least pald them tho compliment
Of Z passlng visIs. Das ths truth waB, 10 ueEet
saw ono Ut them, noYes was within 100 miles
Of most Of them. nor lid ho examine tho Le-
kindly s:9tad, aud Of ecnr1s denied.
jectod to tho nueua Vista atono, be-
cnuBo It ID innammsblo and has
the odor Of petroleum" I:his must DO saleo Of
| courso. because tho btchfccs said It uaa, though
every stouecutter who examined It knew 1t to 10
true. Mr. b1uett asserted i" that no building
atone MAS absolutely 1lfe-proof." Worry ttus,
and tho only truth uttered 10 tho whole hrtlcle.
No wood, no BRICK 10 stone, eau Btand Aell-llro,
hut tho buildings that did Ataud the Chicago fire
| wero built OF Lomont stone. both Of tho wnga
Of the old CourLIouso, tlD Tirtt National
] Bank, tho old Tost-Ol1lco, mud sotoral olheis.
As to the time, MIR. MuIlett said "that nc
| single quarry In the country could supply tho
| quantity required for 4 structure Of that size
| tn less thnu four years." Illcre aro three
| different atone quarriee In Lemont, other Of
| Which call 'Bupply all that ia required for a
| structure Of that size" +" in half nt tho tina
specified. A tor tho "modelB," Mr.. 1tulEott
J Informed us with great complaconcy that ho had
| "foIlowed the old uoftl do Vile, In belgium,
notably that In Brussels" The writer Of thiz
has seen oil tho "noacts Of note in Europe,
in addition to those named, St. Paul'a at London,
b. Pctes'e, Il. Homo. and oil tho "modcls II
good judge Of thom a. tho then Government
Architect, but no ala not disputtng aboat ''tnod-
ela. " hut materials; no. about forms, bu: Sub
| Rtanco4 between soft, porous, rotten sandstone,
snrs-faeed. p5oseus, ehapot, aud isdra.headea,
and Arg.ls-cyed, Of drIea and crncks, OF many
'ring, htroakol aud speokled." and clean. clear.
| Rold limoatono, wlito "a tho down OF tho cyg'
| uetB Of Gangcs, and stable ~ tho rocks OF Glib
rRlsat, md tho foundations Of Lemont!