Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-10

There ID great gap in the enormous stone
retaining wall at the right Of the east entrance
to the Wcodley Lane bridge. Yesterday the
great stretch Of stone wall which rises to asheer
height Of some sixty feet above the bed Of Rock
creek presented to those passing along the
Woodiey road the appearance Of impregnable
strength. This morning the central part Of the
wall is in ruins and a confused mass Of stone
and earth lies at the bottom. The night was
calm enough and there was no rain or wind to
disturb the solidity Of such structure, but the
collapse was due to causes which have been at
work for some time and which Mr.. Pierre
Waggaman, who il making the improvements,
has vainly tried to check.
THE wEAKEsr PARr OF TEE STRUCTURE.
The place where the rent Of some hundred feet
occurs in the wall has been recognized Is the
weakest part Of the structure. As ID we'll known
to those who have seen this great wall and ad-
mired the enterprise which led to its construc-
ton, 1t extends along the ravine OF Rock creek
from the bridge some three or four hundred
feet to the north. The average height Of the
wall Is some fifty feet, and itwas used to bold
plan Of grading which has reduced one Of those
extremely irregular points Of land with which
that vicinity abounds to . condition where
building sites are possible. When Mr.. Wagga-
man began his extensive operations . year or
two ago, the ground was about ~ unlikely a
locality for building purposes as could be found.
ls was practicaiiy cone-shaped piece OF land,
rocky and thickly wooded, with q very ,precip-
itous descent toward Rock creek.
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
He has literally pared the mountain peak
down until it now presents . level surface
within easy reach Of the road. In order to
make available the entire area, and as the
Rock creek ravine could not be filed up, he
constructed an enormous stone retaining wall,
which cost him, it is said, some ESQ, 900 to
build. He has spent . good many dollars on
1t since, but that is stated to be the amount
which represents the original cost. The wall
was of rubble masonry with the outside course
laid in even joints. Cement not mortar, was
used. From the foundation up for twenty-five
feet the wall Was about eight feet thick, and
from that point upward it tapered OF to about
bent out in a segment of q circle and then fell
back again in the straight line. As was SUBJ
sequently discovered this was the weakest point
in the wall.
STOOD THE PRESSURE FOR SOME TINE.
For some time the wall stood the great pres
sure stoutly enough, but as the earth was filed
in and as the inevitable movement began which
is always found in filed land, especially when
there lis a decided slope, it was discovered that
the wall was showing signs Of weakening. Then
great tie iron rods were put in and afterward
large stone piers were built at intervals along
the outer face of the wall But even these ex-
pedients were not sufficient to stay the power OF
the moving mass Of earth. 1t was found that
the fill was moving ten or twelve feet away from
the wall and yesterday the workmen observed
that the piers had yielded to the enormous
pressure and had been moved several inches.
The construction of the central part Of the wall
was like an inverted arch. and naturally when
the pressure came upon this part the thrust
was not distributed to the sides, rs would have
been the case If the crown of the arch had been
on the inside. The wall was forced ont and fell
in fragments toward Rock creek, carrying with
it quite quantity Of earth.
THE RECONSTRUCTION TO BE BEGUN.
With characteristic energy as soon as he
learned of the disaster Mr.. Waggaman set men
at work to get the wall in condition so that the
masons could begin as soon as possible its re-
construction. 1t is to be rebuilt at once and
this time the curve will bel in and not out. The
subdivision of land Of which this wal forms one
of the boundary lines has had perhaps more
money spent upon it in proportion to its size
than any other tract of land in the suburbs.
The grading is about completed and when the
wall is repaired handsome building sites will
replace one Of the most rugged and unprom-
Using localities in the vicinity Of this city.