, 1875-08-25
as 10 The nature and Condition NJ t!,c
Foundations;
Tho Quality and Fitness of the
Buena Vista Stone;
Necessary Changes in Plan or Ma
terial, and the Cost Thereof,
The Commission to tfeet and Organize
in Chicago Sept. 3.
THE CHICAGO custoM.HcusE,

THE CHICAGO CuSfoM.HcUsE,
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE NEW COMMISSION.
,Ffe'd| lt'5ttfeh 10 7he CHICAGO TRIBUNE
MAs1fISG1os, y. G.. Aug. 2t.-The following
In the text Of the letter Of instruction prcuared
To-Day ~ tho Secretary Of tho Treasury fur tho
Information and Euldaucc Of the pc7Y Chicaco
CuatoEn-flouro Comtniss;un:
,.oR 1H'Authx Wo okrAEIaEsT, ofricr or THE srcnr.
sES: You arr herty appointed tnmma.s., ,r.r, fnr
lho purpose hereinafter indr4e!. On The 4l.t II H.,
Imtt.t LIZ .n 1T ~.a Ias~d b5 ne CT netr,s Of the
tulfa etaies tnaa1fE Iror:.inn FIR III. rllrrh1.r
q Ground aud tho erection thereon In tAa Cj,Y Of
cfn.e,Ss' fa1 ,' ~: Il nr,-rrof bad,nc <uit.s
Ir.a.u!s. l..I~ptte, Insed ssstss Courts, pcns,,n
and Internal Revenue Offices sn for that pur o,a I'M
.rpsoIIatton VA naade Of 8. 2.ooNV to Ike e1i~udrd
nnaef the direction Of the SECRETARY Of tic TeA.u..
~ said act the serrrtsss II reur. to eauAe rfo,;r
r!ans aud estimates TO bc made that NJ c1le1i,,.
OF sad building including .hr cf thr SITE" exceed
Ing f2Tpnn Under thai aud oslert kup.lete MA
+! th*I.t et tn ih" city has bren obtained i, !r-
east WITH thu title securcxl IN The Government oi tho
Tinted States. ana cabsi'ictstle progress linz been
,nsde III tbs construction IT = tAras cdiace. At
that defects have heen lhortrsd in tbr foundation n
the building. and III bo .ctt It. the su,+r&1Eur-
aeS,co ,ne r9Fe.e q .ssert.nns whttAsr 'he.o
Q! tAfee gentleman. atcsfrr. William Sooy smith,
George D. ro.s. md o. y. Sorcro,1 apsntutei to
examination they aui1nitsrd report ia wiring the
conclutinEs Ct which Substantially ~ foows. rx
. fHH-Ihat tie foundation "a too weak to suskat,I
the great weight Of the building El,tn courieted anJ
snat daacetuu1 settlement unirr this weight would
stevnI-1hat to make tho foundation recurc cou1d
ony ln accomplished by scry Argu o1pclu,tu,o Of
tins and money.
TA,.d-Thx. the etone usrd in tho ccu,lrnc,,on oy
the edaee VA wholly unas for that plsiufe
fonrfh-ThRt II 1he foundations were rcrfect The
cEssaceF o. ths construction sud 1nalerals 4rs sulh
r nat III
tr1h the receI OF this report thu Secretary Of the
Treasury Oh iho 14ih uf Iuae last referred TIN sans
70 ,hs sale.v.%uE Architect IF tho Treasury. with iii.
"1n s!e~ of tho faets stror1cd h. tho cotnmf..ion
70 examine the chieseo CH<tnlu-ltu,ae, md If tLs
oPulon expressed IN the rcrortI tn not deem tt pe.
entto proceed tAsthrr wiah The work Of constructions
nof noes hr1+sr 10 me proper N tear donn t1e work
already constructed, sud tins destroy al least 1art nf
tho evidence Of the alleged dcte:,s without giving
CoHRtcsE Al opportunity eAnae 10 10 made further
e1a.anaunn Of tho toun..astons and .ul ssasncturs
flhnld u fee troieF To do 1csi1rr. II IA by VI
M$an1 cctr that there II authority Of Inv far ukuR
TIT anrzIwnd halAnce "f tr appropriation i,l tnkug
Supervising Arcl,e. is tsr1tsurc dir,rteti 10 tsie
such lttrs Is Eey te rAsary IL protect and rfu.
sss sssse n. lbs nanf ~ ~ raet sodo1 t. thu en
sneh further legislative drrtsieus to that bi5 may
acen' lroteE.r
huvh Endorsement VIA At .tat Tine regarded q
cot only frot1. hE III ytrw Of it report OF the Gem.
h'son. the cnly cite couasst III with tho highest
sides4t!un Of esiAI duty. coy u that rspur. viii
Subsequent 10 tia. i.tc at lie instance Of the Mayor
anu Common Cu,1nl Of the CITY u: caltaYu, aud WITH
n'tssiRasion Into the u1on cf ttr lulLlinS VIA
made b., gentlemen dfs'E:stesl for tn1t rur1uru ~
the Ma,or. ant vAo, n."u ue rrtar:ci'u 1t the.r
41LosS, nlaus = report Ar..y!nX At cuncu-
Sims d.Cestt from 1hc,e Of tie f,rrnlr,
cotn'nisson rory 1T shc r-nrs # tes" gentlemen
-MasEr. John II. vxn o~det /. uurirg. ". ". 1}o,-
ingsnn, .. l. Whteuck. 4. usu.r, T. l.. Chesbroush
aud J. r. E4hu-~lil Ain bc laid hturs }uu cuIIrs
nf tte r1Als spt NJ ec:r4nIs snl est,Ltea of A.i
II tue posaeasou Ut tLc Department. viii Asa
very tnl<rAnt rntc wprk, INT ou!y 10 tho tluyrru-
nsns Of khs United States, t.t to lus prosperity Aul
tine recognizing The responsibility resting upon tllk
uetattstLt aud tho paramount duty to Prevent tia
sacrifice of large SUN Of public nioEey uron work
which uAy A"t l%ss,bS 10 safc1, com1ssedt It has
hcrn determined III rchde to you s!e refiew Of these
cnictnB Ftlorts A. basis of aron for this DEPART
Investigation tnay In iu aud ar.ut4ts yolr attention
Il invited 10 The following 1p!nt*:
. fHat-To The nAtt.ru and cEAdttnn Of the founAa-
tfoh Of the building ths ieinE of tie first as. PARA
mount importance. aud tAt by I'll ttstx and AL
planes OF nefhscs and engineering lu4Y be al-
whether It 10 Of tbs proper <sel ulnn tls ssuuuG,
au1 Of 4ueluAts stttt,kth in III sItts to supurt
building proposed IL " erected ou II: aus, II not, |
now Aud IN "hat way snu VI ~hxt probable 1T. 3hn
ieftcia IN tbs foundation NAY Lu relieved. |
aftoad-lo thc nature aad 1ust!ty " Tue s.one ont
er it haa the durability, stcIstn Aud other qualities
lesIrab's fur sucl. = .true.ure
1hi'a-To y. Indications ahown Of The sneacssacy
'r ot nf tbs stone aud nler materials in ~
much Of she structure haa has teen accomplished.
fauFh-"hrthef any changes III tAr rl.ns or mate- |
a"u!d ls n.de aud, Il ~, ~Aa sul e4tiu,ss OF
As Probabs cost Ut sNch chan.es adding Auch aug~
'e't!ons - will gre Practical cheet to tbs
fou may reach III cuuEttuon With The xhule up1ktsk
Aus connied to you. |
Undertaking eorn tcnco LII your Intelligence. I'm.
'arttsy and qua1neatioua to discharge .Leso dut,cs
IL hui cd that ,uu VII! Communication affect m
And proceed u once to The CITY ot Chi
ago, and patiently sad thoroughly investigate ths
AAltess hereby EonItd to you, lufurmIuk yo4tsesrA
y I'll sucA uraua ~ you may aetln proper to aluy.
> *cll ~ ~ your own IeEaonal aAanltnatuu; Anj'
nay BE- 'hlA 'indrats tue uIlc interests, aui sst;.
} ths 3uAt uitAts at al Interested In tha!r mia
snan;s. AL, 'esy respectfully:
8ecfrtAFy Of tbs IEeasufy. |
Gea. 1amea II. Wilson. civil engineer. New York |
~; osn; i ". T. Fr;na!tn e'rn saSlnesr, Hartford.
ill., 9ss @'ss.na: T. sa:ats s b. s4ss.: hG @
elpala, II, "' '@1''' N"'
THE COMMISSION HEkrs,
Tho msmboFa Of tho now Commission, With
NO efceptous. met hcEo this morning aud
+lled upon tho Secretary Of th . Treasury. rhoy
ere shsro introduced to each other aud n.A1o
with tho uatnre OF their dutlus. Or
~ Commissioo, 0en. Jauscs Ii. %!t-
y =, s md MI. Macarthur were absent;
hkd been expected that tho Commission would |
Eocssd directly to Chicago, but npon ~ Intes-
lApga Of views it WAS discovered that ths pro-
:sslouAl dutioY OF soMv Of ths n'ombeEa
ould require thelE parbona1 attention
their hpmea tho coulIug week. Tho
session ~Aa tl.e1efors D!aie to postpone tho /
|ectuK in Chicago until Friday. Sept. 5, 1t
Aicl Tins the Commission viii organize thete.
POTTER III TUE DAax-
9upeEYising Architect poltuF has DO voice In |
10 appointment Of this Commission. aua did |
u know thas : Cosanliason was appointed until
..u1dar last TAs President and HactetarT
riskow DECIDED ~ Keep Potter III isuornnoe Of tho
after. that tl,sTs would 10 no possible xtonnd
I kuy charge that Potter had selected ,his neS
,mmissiou ~ asa!ss ~ accomplishing auy amhi-
N TO plan psw building. - has boea charged