Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-22

The beautiful stone tower of the Church Of the
covenant, In course OF erection at the corner Of
connecticut avenue and street. Rev. T. F. Ham,
In, pastor, fell down early this morning. por-
ZION OF the west and south walls, about 90
ieet above the foundations. seems to have been
crushed out, and the entire tower fell In on
Itself. SO complete was the collapse that the
great mass OF stone was piled around the base of
the tower and did not extend beyond the curb OF
Inc street. There were no scattered stones In the
street, and the great tower LIS feet high seems to
nave come crushing down in nearly . straight
line. The only portion OF the tower remaining
standing Is the lower part, some 25 or 80 feet
nigh. The north half of the tiled roof, as far back
stohe gable in front s in ruins and the large Gen.
CIai WINDOW, with Its carved-stone arch. The
he % ne remain and with
rooI the disaster Is confined to the tower.
WITNESS oF4Hr DISASTER.
The colored Waterman was the only witness of
the catastrophe. He was standing on the oppo-
site corner OF the street shortly before O'Clock
this morning. He felt. he told STAR reporter.
mat tne tower was going to fall. 1t had been
cracking and settling all the evening. He was
therefore on the watch and spent the greater part
fell he said that he saw the west side. short dis
lance ABOVE the doorway, bulge out. Then the
stones corresponding on the south face OF the tower
Dent out, the area covered being about six feet.
flnally these portions OF the tower gave way and
Tell 10 the ground, followed by a heavy rush as
the great mass OF the stone work from which
the support had suddenly Seen withdrawn, came
mbing to the ground. The earth shook with
te force OF the conclusion and roar filled the air,
disappeared. the stately structure OF stone lay In
ruins.
THE REPORT OF THE FALL
was not generally heard in the neighborhood and
but few persons came to the scene OF the disaster
Later in the morning, as the early risers began to
"A cd Of fhoirr
they missed something In the horizon. The great
square tower OF stone which had become such a
conspicuous feature In the neighborhood had dis
appeared. Shortly before O'Clock the workmen
who were employed on the building began to come
to their work. The stone-wOrk on the tower was
nearly completed and preparations we're being
made to put On tile tiled roof. The other portions
OF the work OF the building were equally far ad-
yanced. The interior was about done, with its
elaborate finish in antique oak and the elegantly
painted walls. The pews and magnificent organ
were TO be put up in a few days, and the prospect
was sh iayora6e for the completion Of the building
pressed no surprise when they gaZed upon the
collapsed tower They had reason to doubt its
security. During the preceding day the walls had
been cracking and eltllng These latter signs
however, We're no novelties. For some time past
there had been similar indications OF weakness.
THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT
appeared In the pier at the southwest corner sew.
eral weeks ago. Here several pieces Of the Ohio
stone composing the water course had been forced
out. 1t was said TO have been due to unequal
pressure, and the architect, MIR. Cady, was sum
moned from New York to inspect the de-
and it was stated that the fault could be
easily remedied, and that the stones forming the
water course which were broken could be removed
and others put IN their place. This had not been
DONE AT the same time various cracks had ap-
peared on the north side OF the wall near the
tower, and some OF the workmen stated to-day
that large cracks appeared in the face OF the tower
yesterday. The Walls had been built very SOlidly.
The stone used was what Is known as the Barber
stone, and Is found along the upper Potomac The
ONO stone Was used as courses.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHURCH
was what Is known as Romanesque, and in keep
Ing With that style the tower was a square struc-
ture about fifteen feet square, and extending
up with but slight decrease In the diameter, to
height OF 15S feet. The walls were lined with
seneca stone, and the construction was substan-
tlaL Three tiers OF arcaded windows at the top OF
the tower diminished the weight and had the eff
1ect OF Tightening the structure, not only In It's
appearance but In reality.
WHAT THE BUILDER SAYS.
The plans and the details OF the construction
were supplied by the New York architect and the
builder and contractor is Mr.. VIM. c. Morrison the
well-known builder Of this city. He Was Informed
OF the disaster this NOR ming while at breakfast
and came at ONCE TO the church building. In con-
VerSation with STAR reporter Mr.. Morrison ex-
planned the cause OF the wreck as follows: 1.-THE
foundations OF the tower were all right but the
trouble was the piers at the ends or corners OF
the tower were too weak. There was an arch over
the entrance from Connecticut avenue and an
otner one from street. There were two en-.
frances into the church through the other two
sides OF the tower, spanned by arches so that the
entire weight OF the superstructure WIS carried
by these arches on TO the piers. The southwest pier
was the nrst TO give way, and that was the weak
eSI. AS Quilt at first IL Was not solid but subse-
Quently II was filled ia with cement" MIR Norri.
son added that the best stone-mason fn the city
did the work, and he said the construction was ali
right He added that this was his opinion OF the
q oil nj Ihaf
he was reluctant to express an opinion, as he said
that he did not wish 10 do any one an Injustice
Tue work had been examined by experts, and he
was told to go on.
WHAT THE BUILDING INSPECTOR SAYS.
''The accident Is unaccOuntable," said Building
Inspector Entwisle to STAR reporter II have
made numerous Inspections Of the structure and
have been unable to ind any defects except last
week, when / inspected 1t with the architect, Mr.
w. Z. Cay, OF New YORK, when we found that
there was a crushing OF some OF the soft stone on
the outer face, which we attributed to heavy Joint
work inside and the close joint outside, causing an
Irregular bearing The tower must have been
swayed by the wind storm, thereby causing an
Irregular bearing on the PIERS which we had con.
sidered as having more than capacity for carrying
the structure. When the tower was commenced
found that the earth on one side was defective
and required the foundation TO be Increased It
until the debris Is cleared away"
An investigation by the Commissioners will, It
is understood, shortly tale place.
THE FIRST INSPECTION.
Mr.. Jas. A. Fitch, a member OF the building
committee Of the church, In conversation with q
STAR reporter this morning said that about three
months ago some cracks were discovered in the
Ohio stone about the arch Of the entrance to the
tower. The architects j. G. Cady Co., OF New
York city, were at once informed, and an expert
member OF the firm came on, and after careful
inspection OF the work decided that the masOns in
setting the Ohio stone had brought them together
at too fine an edge and when the walls settled,
there being no room for settlement for the outer
stone, some cracking and shelving at the edge
necessarily took place. Under hts direction the
horizontal joints OF the stone were widened by
saving. The cracks were then f1lled In, and work
was suspended for q time, and the result closely
watched. NO further cracks appearing, after two
or three weeks the work was resumed, and every
thing seemed TO be going on well.
Last evening Mr.. Morrison, the builder, detected
and called the attention OF MIR. Fitch to some
fresh breaks In the inside OF the south wall OF the
tower, which aroused grave fears as TO its safety
and all was done that was possible to guard
against accident AS late as half-past last even
Ing Mr.. Fitch, In company with MI. N. w. Gait,
another member OF the committee visited the
church and examined the breaks In the tower, and
found no apparent increase. Mr.. Fitch felt quite
apprehensive but still did not anticipate such
disaster as afterward occurred. His residence Is
on Rhode Island avenue near Connecticut avenue,
and he was aroused from hts sleep by the noise Of
the fail, which he describes as being sliding
sound. At once he went to the church where he
ARRIVAL OF ARCHITECT CADY.