The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-08
Why the High-SchOOl Building Was Not
Pronounced Absolutely Safe.
A Structure That Was Built Piecemeal and
Cannot Receive the Unqualified En-
dOrSement of the Architects.

on the ell There was some sort of a frame
building erected on the east. They called it an
artroom, and music, painting, etc, were taught
in it. Subsequently that frame building was
torn away The building ending on Pennsyl-
vania street was put up in 1868 or 1869 Then
the ligature or ell was built up higher. That is
about all l now recall about the Highschool
building. It was built piecemeal, and the whole
thing is a botcn.
r. P. Daggett, architect: I have been through
the High-school building some four or five times
with other architects, and each time there would
be some suggestions made about Strengthening
it. Last summer, Mr.. Bohlen and myself were
called there as Mr. Hendrickson, making
some repairs, had discovered that the girder was
defective. Each time that we would be going
through we would say it appears to be all right.
When we came to see this girder after the floor
was taken up to make some repairs-not taken
up to hunt defects in the girder-the whole
grder was exposed. Mr.. Bohlen and myself
were sent for, and after deciding
what best to be done, Mr.. Bohlen
was selected to superntend the repairing
Of it. This girder was in the ell on Pennsylva-
MIA street. The columns did not stand over each
other and the girder was defective to start with.
The fact that column did not stand over column
was also a serious defect. The girder was
starting in the cellar, column was placed over
column right straight up. Persons wonder why
we do not say the building is absolutely safe. We
ron0unced the building safe several times, and
all the time there was this serious defect of the
girder and columns that we could not see until
the floor had been taken up We think it is now
safe, but no man can say 1t is absolutely safe
until it is all uncovered. As to the other parts
of the building, The part on the alley we have
just strengthened. In going through that part
we were told that the josts were l-21l4 inches
and two feet from centers. We usually make
the joists in such span 1-2xi6 and eighteen
inches from centers. We found that the ioists
were l-2x14 originally, but that gas-ftter had
cut aJnotch in each joist through the center, re-
ducing the iost to l-2E12 IL inches.
We suggested that girdeT be run
under the center of the span,
supported by columns, so that in case of any
extra pressure put upon them they could bear
the strain We thought in case of an alarm
among the scholars, il a great weight is suddenly
put upon them, something might give way.
think the building is SAFE as now repaired, but
still l cannot give it my unqualified approval l
would not give any building unqualified APP
proVal and say it was absolutely safe, unless it
had been under my eye during the entire process
of construction. On our last inspection, Mr..
ScherreP the State house architect, accompanied
Mr.. Bohlen and myself.
William A. Bell: The school board traded the
property now known as Circle Hall for the
James A Ray property. on the northwest corner
was not considered quite large enough, so it was
exchanged for the present site with the Baptist
Institute people. The two trades were made in
1871 think The building fronting south (Of
the present High-school property was erected as
a residence, and was known as the old Underhill
property. Ii was originally only two stories
high. but when it was made seminary, it was
built to three stories The walls were simply
intended for a residence, and not intended for
the extra story in height that was afterward
added, for the eXtIa weight to which it
would be subjected by school use. The
Baptist Institute people built the north building
fronting on Pennsylvania street The building
or addition furthest north had been built five or
six years before the school board got the proper
ty and was regarded as new. 1t seems to me
that the school board made the connection
between the two buildings a story higher, that
connection being at first only two stories. The
neXt addition on the alley east of the Penn
sylvania street building TO the north and east of
the first and original building. That was
erected eleven years ago this coming summer by
Mr.. Fatout That building, after ii was about
completed burned. 1t was examined after the
fire by experts and by agents of the insurance
companies. The walls were condemned and it
was decided that they must be torn down to the
ground and rebuilt Mr.. Fatout got his money
from the insurance companies to pay for doing
that thing but was afterwards allowed by the
building committee of which Mr.. Bingham was
chairman, to strengthen, and allow those old
walls to stand l understand Mr..
more money that building
than any contract he ever made in indianapolis.
Seven or eight years ago it was discovered that
the floor in the audience room on the third floor
of the oldest, the original building, was settling
the walls seemed to be falling apart. A com
mittee of architects was appointed to inspect it,
and they filed the whole roof of that room with
braces and supports to relieve the walls of the
weight of the roof as much as possible They
then pronounced it safe, and we continued to
use it for three or four years, when the settling
of the floor and the ceiling caused new alarm,
and the room was condemned for assembly pur-
poses, neither the school children nor the teach
ers being allowed to meet there after. Since that
it has only been used for recitations of small
classes in natural science, and that is the only
use made of it. The west building or the large
Pennsylyania-street building the northern add
tom, had before, when the architects were
there, been pronounced safe But last sum
mer the springing of the walls caused
alarm, and a committee of architects
was sent again to make an examination. Phey
first proposed to put braces against the outer
walls but they changed their plan and run iron
rods through them with taps the outside
Upon taking up the floor the architects found
that there had been criminal eaTelessness in the
original construction, and expressed surprise
that the building had stood so long. In their
investigation of the east building they found
that that had been very carelessly constructed;
that the gasfitters had cut through the middle of
the joists so as to weaken them very much, and
that they had sprung so that the ends OF the
joists in many instances barely rested upon the
walls. This defect has been remedied within the
last two weeks by placing a girder and posts
under them for support. Wherever they have
uncovered they have foand these defects, and
the reason, L understand that architects will
certify to the substantiabilty of the building is
that they fear there are other defects that have
not yet come to light Every one of these serious
defects has been brought to light by accident.
H. c. Hendrickson: l have had my opinion
for some time. do not think any man can say
that the High school building is absolutely safe;
responsible for the safety of the building nor its
occupants in ease there was a rush FROM an alarm
of fire to any part of it, or the putting of any
largely -increased weight on any portion; but l
hauling and, as a rule, we find on those occa-
sions something TO be done. 1t has been on
those Ocra ei1,ls thnt b,N-n found Serious de-