New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-11
PREPARING FOE THE BAR1RoLDI STATUE.
THE PRELIMINARY DEMOLITION OF THE FORT
BUILDINGS,

THE PRELIMINARY DEMOLITION OF THE FORT
BUILDINGS
Seagrist g. Southland, who have contracted
70 tear down the buildings in Fort Wood on Bedoes
Island have a force Of forty-iye men and two oremen
hard az work The demolition Is, however, OF a more
stubborn character than they barganed for rs the bar
racks and officers quarters excelently and sodly
constructed Thebrck is OF good quality well laid and
instead of simple morar mixture Of cement and mortar
was emp Dyed which has all the virtues OF fthe farfamed
Roman cement Within tthe fort there were three build
nrs one recently used by Surgeon sawtee as his head
ouarers for the quarters OF the two assistant
snreeons under him. and the third for the hospital stew
ards and attendants Of the United States Marine Hos
ntal which has now transferred 20 tho old seamens
petreat M sapleton Staten Island. The contractors
have been engaged in the work OF demolition several
DAYS on the first their took out all she lead pipes
and plumbing work The next two days were occupied
IN tearing down.
I'm the centre Fort WOod beautiful little parade
ground in which grewiaenerabe cotton tree and sym
merieal and large hawthorn These and treised arbor
covered with wsera all that now be of the
grassy square, the space is completely occupied with
the spoils of demolition. The w0rmen, who are paid
good wages aud have long been In the employ of Sea-
rst Southland have learned that the profits of their
masters depend entirely upon the condition of the hete
ogeneous articles which they acquire in tearing down old
struetures Hence they exhibit the greatest care
patibe with rapidty and have piled up In series OF
beaps the display OF materials. The work Is carefully
assorted according to s qualities Some beams that
can be used again In construction some are only good
for frewoOd, and some for kindng Staircases have
been removed in their entirety balustrades OF cherry
have been carefully put SIDE cupboards have
been detached from walls and lie helpessy upon their
packs Tho windows with their blinds attached and
every pane intact have been lowered by ropes and care
fully slowed In convenient corners for removal All the
cut stone the curbng OF the CUTTERS the paving the
lntels iand stills OF the windows, have been heaped to-
gether In unbroken condition The lead used IN sol
derng the ratings has out and gathered into
boxes THE satesywere lowered In baskets by block
and fall artiscay rugged upon tho roof with the rapid
ity OF conurng The bricks themselves that In cOnse
gence OF the coed construction refused TO tumble down.
but had to be persuaded by crowbar have been sepa-
rated and CLEANED.
cred and heaped the grass, where soie wag has
stuck board that had been found upon the ramparts
bearing the imperative mandate, Keep oil this grass
Special instructions have been given by Mr. simpson, an
engineer employed by General stone, To see that the
tablet OF brown stone concentrating the erection OF
Fort Wood IN November 1874, should DO spared, and
this beea done. The tablet Is highly decorative
though archaic An eagle very much elongated stretches
itself upon and bears Iii Its beak the inscription.
Fort Wood November o. 1914" Below this scroll Is a
symmetncal pile OF cannon balls This tablet was care
fully lowered but unfortunately in the early part OF the
demolition slate detached itself from the rOof, with
that depravty sometimes observed In inanimate things
and knocked Of the mouth OF tine cannon Otherwise
this work OF archaic American art Is in perfect condition
The contractor for the excavation, MT Cheno"th had