New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-05
THE COST OF CONCRETE.
GENERAL STONE DEFENDS HIS WORK.
A REPLY TO GENERAL GiLLMoREs LErTER-IhE
QUESTION Up PRICE AND QUALITY


QUESTION Up PRICE AND QUALITY
To the Editor Of The Trtoune. --.-
SIR: General Gilmore has departed from
The general practice OF officers Of the United States Army
In writing to the public prints nom DC plume In
most offensive personal tone against me- on strictly
professional afterward, still over MS nom de
plume. apologzed for his personalities over my own
signature, I accepted what appeared TO DO mani'
apology and replied to his structures
your of September 25 appears renewal Oh MS
personal attacks mingled with professional matter. this
time over his signature The first portion Oh MS
letter. beginning with offensive personal aiiusion 10
mere repetition OF his first Engineer letter. Ihere
in no engineering matter to reply to; and news
paper hardly the place in which to reply to person
alities
The second portion of his letter is again repeti-
of what the readers OF THE TRIBUNE have areauy
had imposed upon them in his letters and my own tat
Is bare assertion on his part and calls for proof OF mis-
assertions mine.
The last portion OF his letter begins with dlsavowal
on his part OF any wish to em barrass General stone
and goes do what he can TO embarrass h ny
assertions that the concrete OF the pedestas
foundation cost much. From first to last all mas
been assertion on his part and he does not degn to
indicate any other work of equally good quality which
has cost loss While reading me d lecture ror hiiidy
stating In an official report that 1t Is doaoyW IL any
important mass OF such concrete has been MADE In this
vciny at low O cost, and charging me WIN assunP
ton OF superior merit in making such statement,
construction Of my language which mad promptly
rejected General Gilmore himself assumes that what
ever he nay SEQ fit to declare reference to the subject
of concrete must accepted nfullibe decision
and that there necessity for him to cite an exapc
to prove his assertion.
have due respect for the high reputation OF Gencra
Gilmore on matters connected with lines ceincnts anu
rortars but no reputation Is great no one an 50
an oil rOf
am bound to accept his simple Dirt and hlmbly bow III
submission without the exhibition OF proofs In MS
character "a Engineer" / requested him, In terms
which seemed respectful 10 Indicate any consiuer
able OF good concrete "a that be refers 10 winch
has been made In this vicinity at as low cost He
fails to indicate it, aud loty asserts again IL COST TOO
much" lie profess to have examined the mass
In questioa nor 10 have taken pains to know It's
quality but asserts that concrete good enough Tor the
purpose can be made cheaper" THIS expressioh'
good enough for the purpose IL strange one 10 come
from Distinguished engineer in reference to work OF
such Importance. 1t seems to me that ne BEST Is only
good enough for such work. That expression good
enough" has been the excuse for too much bad con
structiOD. here and elsewhere CrilpDing tenement
houses, falling warehouses and cracEd public bindings
have too often resulted from work good enough for the
purpose" It Is l. the engineer or the work. VINO am 10
be held Gme ysdIS 20 come e nor o tive
and breach OF trust in me to have trusted carelessy to
good enough work and material, as tue phrase goes,
IN constructing the foundationlnass: have endeav
Orcd have material OF the best 90 into the work and
have had Unusual care taken in its execution tine
tn watering and placing OF the concrete. The
T. buried beneath the surface whence tales cannot he
told about its quality bat It stands in full view, where
is quality can always be examined Il Is easy to talk
aud write lcarnedy about concrete; hat to nave WELL
carefully aud faithfully and put in place requires
Judgment, constant watchfuness and great care,
wnchfuness ard care cost money as well as labor aud
materlas
The pretens0n that the cost Of concrete Is fixed and
invarable and forms apart of that positive knowledge
architects Of the country borders on the ABSURD for
every good engineer Knows that there are as many
prices vary not only with the class of materials used and
the price Tor tho time being Of LABOR but that the prices
OF the materials themselves are constantly ucaating
and very different in efficient localities The man
VINO eats wheaton bread must pay the price OF wheat
and lac who eats Indian corn Dread pays less ana each
will pay or less according To crops and seasons
SO re Tg" pay Os the 'H time rSe s
cement in New York which can be purchased for less
FOR less than % per barrel and these prices vary
according 10 supply and demand The prices OF t9e
the cost OF concrete be always KNOWN even Of the
same quality
trust his official and sayings proper subjects OF
public criticism" This IN nothing new to any one;
certainly not To who has been forty years SO In
sus ELI POSITIONS Az engineer who undertakes the con-
strucfion Of monument. international In It's
character shonld look well to it Tat his work shall be
strong and DURABLE; and while doing sch work econ
Omicay lie should Of ali Things make sure that
its uunltg shall bear the criticism of Time matter
how much h. may he decried at the moment OF con
underworld FOR the pedestal Of the Statue Of
Liberty and M the Same time feel that have exercised
proper ana wise economy. but not an economy pur-
chased ut the cost Of weak and bad work. or the risk of
II. | would indeed have bu' pOpr comprehension OF
the public trust which has bccn coniei to should
fearing camorOns and hostile cries build with cowarly
parsmopy monument Of doubtful strength; one which
bv the of few dollars. even fcw thousands Of
dollars, might stand as monument OF shame To the
people Of the country aud ITS engineers Il shabby
g>atee monument wante1 one which might stand
for twenty even nifty years and then cru bic down,
he committee was not wise to appoint TG their
work. and nly believe that the American people do
not want sush work Tor their money.
Similar criticism TO that which have received has
beer the lot OF most engineers who have attempted to do
thoroughly good wCrS on important monuments While
II IS not at vac 'h pn PcS"ry cap.oi
tin,s Others have been able 10 endure 1t. and trust
that shall be able TO bear II with cquanuIy
Nc,r- forkr SEPT. &c 1885. {. +. SToSE
Gcneral Gilmore said that his experience war
rantcd the statement that this concrete cost at
least 81 per cubic yard too much. Neither Gen
eral Stone any other engineer will venture 20
question General Glllmores experience or
his competence witness. Certainly
General Stone will not presume to put
his own against It, In addition that, before pub
fishing General Gillmores letter we made inquiries
of TWO prominent architects. who fully verified
what he said. and they are gentlemen whose
word General Stone cannot gainsay If
he would. There is absolutely nothing there
fore, in the long letter above to warrant us III
changing in the least the conclusion expressed on
the publication Ut General GIlmore's former letter
to-wit. " that there was needless and considerable
waste on the pedestal at the very time when such
extraordinary exertions were required to procure
funds for the work. i'd