New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-03
TIE REPORT.
the pile Foundation

the foot Of Canal and Kingsts North RIVER embracing
statement OF views and opinions upon the various
questions submitted to consideration as set forth IN
te instructions received from His Honor the Mayor in
communication dated Oct 12 1875 and from your PTes
dent in letter dated Dec. 8, 1875.
The report then gives q detailed description Of the
walls and OF the OF their construction These
have been described in THE TRIBUNE The Instructions
given by the Mayor and the Dock Department, which
have been published, next given In the report The
methods Of the investigation and the results fohow
The examinations Of the exterior faces OF the walls
could only be done by divers; two employed,
aoher IN the service of the Department and the reports
Of one we're checked by those of the other Every panel
IA the front and rear OF the King and Canol-st walls
which was exposed was examined; holes were drlied
and specimens Of material brought up or our inspection
We nave had caissOn constructed and submerged, In
which eoner.te has been deposited of the proper
tons Of cement sand, and broken stone as that OF the
bulkhead OF Canast This, after an allowance for the
settling Of material bias been raised and deposited OH
the dock as probable specimen Of what the bulkhea0
wall might be- We have had shafts sunk In the King and
Canast walls for personal inspection Of their interior
condition and sided casson has been fitted to one
of the panels Of the Kingst dock and freed from water
% give us the same partial inspection Of its face We
have made experiments different kinds OF cement, IN
different proportions Of CEMENT sand and broken stone
deposited in submerged barrels with ference to the
materials to be recommended in future construction
THE STRUCTURES NOT SAFE AND DURABLE.
remains for US to make deductions from facts
thus obtained and reply to the request OF bis Honor the
Mavor.
"Asto the safety and durability Of the structures"
In on opinion As structures cannot consider them
a. safe and durable their present condition. nor with
the further precautions Intended by their designer and
The foundation IL composed Of eight rows OF piles
driven vertically the front and rear rows ing See -
Observation-Disclosures the piles ana epnSas Of similar
stone in front and rear already scIpsd TIE length Of
the plies under the Kngs enkDSaa averages about so
feet measured from the level al he bottom
Of the concrete upper stratum is represented
and base on which the pile rests clay and sand"
zen Oh OF the piles beneath the anaist SonS
head SO feet measured from the same Level rs above
resting the base Of clay ana sand Win oeptl
ei"tenaeious mud 3yeElyinS OF from 10 Iee'' anu
We are Obliged assume for tho sake Of safety that
Che base OF these walls Is virtually somewhere within
she stratum OF tenacious mud and near The clay aud
md base We do not eoncede that the aprons o. nrOH
ssVS iSs eject sa e transfer the base
ihe 10 er to the upper ends OF the pies const ut
Stone by sliding il forward the layer Of dock mud on
which rests Under this assumption would not be safe
81 the coping Your late EngneernC Chief, Con Graham
IN order TO relieve this thrust from the baohhng drove
sf Of the wall and we understand il ntentOn to
stay the tops OF these piles Sy ledger Pa9S soI Ky
tenn Of piles might answer temporary purpose we 90
moi consider tails method sufficient 10 relieve the thrns
ana insure the safety and durability OF the wall.
ri tbe OF the Of concrete around
sSp and H eRa%natoSs and Il Is only necessary
state It's condition IN y general way. -
The river face OF the Kngst Dulknead mas laleh on
badly and caved under the toe in many places dennd
Ing the top Of the first row o. piles virtually reducing
breadth Of wall remaining ample 10 resist all crushing
STRAINS there other weaknesses q construction
AT Canalst tue river face is not Is much exposed rs az
Kiagst ny of the shutters are sun IN and rgIap
and broken dockage cover much o. inc lower ~ s
Imperfect set with wei developed soft seams-some OF
considerable width and extending deeply into the BODY
work. Blu the concrete OF the INTERIOR as Ns'ee
by single sha,t az both places ls better az cahase
considering its position. without exposure 70 "Ssh
fair. ....,.,. 4, ,o.,, n,,,,h..d
eoosticons al5sg from imperfect set and separation
ii tue CONT neni parts Of the material sot sr"lns and
~ he nlle-hsads u the mass concrete. While admit
tng the value OF extension Of the piles up mo the
sret smoSS the pies sun where iIe driven
by follower and the top ofthe pile les nroTine1 ana
hOkeu the obvious inference must be that TN head OF thr
ME a II iured insstent weight ana from TIC over
hang Of the mead the concrete may fail " nclose the
an apparent evidence of his when in the shaft at
Canast the top Of pie wa. Teacnea tne ",Sr Ss
Above tine lower concrete the granite river face
Ard tncse are wen massed, strong, and permanent.
While thus giving tine general nperfeetOns OF tho
mass concrete Rs falling of what INT nded 70
E s eomuos1tion ana the uncertainty of the elements
on which calculations for stability may DIS Daseu u -
roper 10 state that there Is disturbance OF alignment
h rue visible structure cracks that show dangerous
settlement
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE WORK.
Having decided against the stability and blity Of
these structures now proceed TO comply Win the
second request Of His Honor the Mayor to commune
cate our advice as 70 completing such structures with
notifications Of the plan Of construction and 70 give
advice as ~ what should be done with those stfnctufes
Where the granite wall Is complete WITH tne exception
Of coming We advise that the coping be laid both az Caa
ana King Where only the piles nave Deeh driven Os
the foundation We advise that the nfst thice rOWs Vi
plee frOBt and rear and intermediate ples eunet OI
the support Of headers, hereafter descfDed sOuu ge
the exterior fBcce both front anu rear hno
headers Of the foundation TO he MADE OF IuDDs
bocks prepared by Gen. Graham or beton DDchh, O
Wldt sufficient ~ bear tic three rows " piles 'front.'
rowe for the headers, 70 have Eufteient nso OI
hlait TO complete tue foundation 20 the level
OF the course In two courses. B0tb
souFses "a, be- alternately headers and
Tfeks say from ~ ~ feed long, headers 10 extend
through both wulle Tie lower face Of upper headers DO
tween wais ~ be chanered ~ angles Of 400 Oh eeG
ado 10 an Cdgs a. the oente that there may lie no
s,isd 1bs st layer Of heRrtnE on top OF the piles %
IL VI bage hid with coucree IN courses when VIII adj
mat themselves around and nCOss ths heads OF the piles
ss,d 11ako strong and secure base. Above the bags
ths AvaSs ~ be allied 10 WITH mass cgncrs.s: AZ esoh
spSls Y v b. prepared In aes sueelent " MI ua space
SAD deposited at pnss ~ hcSsta 80. 4. -
OF ts aatetiai and pfapgFti0ns Of which the blocks
rA = aa We .s q sassn q Alter y. ~, TIE pc
- 1879 a: s:s sSs1ss t ssasn sa ssgtsr
- q p,cSsS1sls Z sslsiass ssTsa, iip osnDsA
tssa $3.50 v SsW4es. sefl, anA ~ bfskan s.ehe,
NhA sss - Ssa Aesss aAA ssAsas.s bAas a.