, 1891-10-22
CHICAGO AGAIN.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOME OF
THE TALL BUILDINGS.
Bernhardt In one OF Her Famous
Tragedies --- Newton and
ErOoks--A Plea for


Special Correspondence Of the Tribune:
CHICAGO, Oct 18.-We have seen Nine
Bernhardt in Fedora" and "La Tosca" in
two of "the four feYer-tragedies, as the
Tribune not inaptly calls them, not to give
them harsher name, a school that Vic
torien Sardou has instituted for Sarah
Bernhard. The article in question con
tinues, "it would be great treat to the
students Of the drama, if Mme Bernhardt
would revive occasionally a classical
drama, for does she not owe an occasional
financial sacrifice to the growing genera
tion and particularly to the literature Of
France. Does she not owe something
also to the memory of Victor Hugo, that
great poet, and still greater man, only a
few years dead ?n But one must be Just to
the great actress. While her face becomes
the evil heroines ofthe feyer-tragedies, let
one not forget that her genius, her SOUL
transcends the skill of Sardou whose
women are inherently vicious and there
fore contemplate. The criticism of ten
years ago has handed down the opinion
that Mime. Bernhard, when she essayed
the masterpieces of Racine and Corneille
did not fully realize the high ideals Of her
judges. Ex-G Governor OgIesby of Illinois
pronoGunces her he the greatest actress that
ever lived, with the exception of Charlotte
Cushman i'll single role, and that her
masterpiece Meg Merrilies."
CHICAGo's BUILDING FOUNDATIONS.
"A report Of an interview with General
Fitzsimmons is issued from the public
press on the subject Of foundations for tall
buildings in this city, which is one of the
most intensely important that could en-
gage the attention of local real estate
owners and taxpayers, and if the views
quoted be correct the question is raised
none too soon. In his own words Chicago
is practically aaoat" t"-as crust Of tough
clay only about sixteen feet rests on a
semi-auid mass of little more than thirty
feet in depth and the latter covers STRAIT
UNI of induIated clay, beneath which is the
hard-pan. To build in the upper lay is
safe enough SO long as the structures are
limited to moderate weight, but the six
teen-story sky. scraper is too heavy for
safety and the danger is increased by cut
ting into the upper clay for "a founda-
ton" AS long as the crust remains intact
It is all right, but when it is once broken
the semi-fuid substance beneath will ooze
up through the fssure and would now rise
into the bed of the Chicago river, if it we're
not kept back by the weight of water in
that channel. The pressure of a heavy
building near the break would carry the
structure down, not by a sudden
tumble such as is caused by an
earthquake, but in very gradual
settling. That is the reason why the gov
eminent building is crumbling to pieces
and the board OF trade tower has settled
eight inches. Either the contractor of the
latter went too deep or not deep enough.
He should not have pierced the top clay or
should have sunk fifty feet deep to the hard
clay by driving piles, as was done with the
court house and the Chicago opera house
block" The general has done well to
sound the note of warning, even if it shall
be found that he has oYerstated the danger,
and the real estate board could not finQ
more necessary subject for Investigation.
NEWTON AND BROOKS.
We read with pleasure from New York,
October 11th, that the Rev. Heber Newton
warmly approves the conservation of Bishop
Brooks, "the foremost man in the church
to the highest office of the ehurch-"I
would rather, he says, be under big man
whose opinions crossed nv own, than un-
der little man whose opinions conceded
with my own" The Woman's Christian
associations of the United States and Brit
lsh Provinces, is to be held in Chicago
from October 18th to 18th inclusive. OIL
more than usual interest this to the great
number of women whose work appeals to
lie. Miss Grace H. Dodge, of New York,
widely known in. connection with working
girls clubs, and conYersant with their prac-
tleal management will present a paper on
aCo-operat1on, Self Government, Self Re
Iiance-three great principles what do
they imply2"
A HUMAN SUNDAY.
Prof. Swing gave last Sunday . plea for
human, not church. Sunday. .'I want, "
be said, ''those parts Of the exposition that
involve human labor closed on Sunday. It'll
won't hurt anyone to stroll through artgal-
leries and about horticultural exhibits. 1t
will rest them, elevate them and do them
good, on Sunday or any day. So will lis
tening to good music. All that want is
freedom from work for the 10000 laborers
who will be employed at the fair"
DR.. A. J. Garfield at st. Paul's Univer-
salist church, drew lessons from the lives
of Grant, Parne4 and Boulanger: ono
man Eyeth to himself and no man dieth to
himself" G. T.. HI.