Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-06
Only Forty Men Working on the
Post Office Building,
AND The GATES ARE CLOSED
Bad System in the Appointment
Of Superintendents.
"A REMED Y SUGGESTED


building has stubbeI its toe. That is some
times the case with too much speed. or
more speed than usual and d slower pace
always results for a time. This must be
the accounting for the fact that there are
but forty men at work ON the building to-
day The high water mark established yes
terday, with hfty-One men. was such a
glorious one that the drop today of eleven
Is a serious blow to the hopes of the local
people.
AT this rate the building will be finished
along about the 9TH of July, 1859 This
demonstrates what the Treasury Depart
ment believes-that IL is useless to start TO
do anything until II is really needed. This
seems to be the theory on which a majority
of the plans are drawn and the contracts
awarded. and SO The Star will not take the
lint of yesterdays experience, with q large
number of men, and revise it's system of
calculation now. The chances are tha [
there will be no need for this for long
time yet, for it may take the Burst of
III ergy several weeks to recuperate from
the shock of this mornings setback. This
shows the uncertainty OF things connected
with the enterprise across the way.
The water boy is still missing. ana the lat
est reports are that there is every proba-
bility that he will cause much trouble
as did Captain Howgate before he is final
ly found again. Meanwhile the workmen
al IL
that thrust themselves above the ground
here and there on the site. set there for the
purpose of supplying water for the mortar
and other things connected with the build
ing. This involves considerable expenditure
of contortional ability, but with a few days
practice. the labCrers say. they may be able
To drink without taking d shower bath each
time they hit the pipe.
No News From the Vessel With tn.
stone.
There is no more news from the Three
Sisters. which IS the name of the schooner
that started from Fox Island. Maine. on
the I1th of last month, laden with stone
for the northeast corner of the building.
This vessel was spoken when she passed
He'll Gate over a fortnight ago. but she has
probably been delayed somewhere by the
Savannah hurricane and the generally ad
verse winds that have swept the coast.
She may be harooring at the Delaware
breakwater 1t was said that she had been
heard Of in the river a day or two ago. but
she has not yet been spoken. and may not
be in for some time. Meanwhile it is quite
possible that there will be another schooner
stone that cannot be used until after the
first cargo has been received and set. This
IS one of the difficulties of water trans
portation, and some are beginning to believe
that maybe this more than balances the diff
ference In the freights which are about one
third as much by water as by rail.
delayed iron work is ready on the first cor
ner. the starting point Of all the work, in
the early part of next week, the masonry
cannot then begin until some days later. 1t
would be reasonable proposition that the
delay of over thirty days on the subordinate
contract would give the greater job a
chance to be all ready, but it does not seem
to be the case.
That is one difficulty of letting out the
contract for the building In. sections. Under
some circumstances this might tend to pro-
dUce quick work, but in the present case it
only appears to result In tedious and lrri-
The Gates Were Closed.
The great gates at the northeast corner
where the citizens and the unemployed con-
gregate during the day. were closed tight as
drum this morning, effectually concealing
the progress of the work, and shielding the
bashful laborerS in the trench from OBJ
servat!on- Perhaps they did not wish to
De gaZed at as the successors of the historic
halt dozen who quoted themselves at a
quarter day higher than their fellows
Perhaps the cooler winds that were blow
ing today We're TOO much for their constitu-
tons. Perhaps il was thought thus to dis
courage the census taker from making his
usual count. But If this were the object of
the closed gates II failed of fruition, for the
reporter hied him around behind the build
ing and went him through the rear gate
where the wagons laden with iron beams
get them in. And thus he got in, too.
The structure of gaudy metal that is rear
Ing itself to heaven is almost finished on
the northeast corner. There are but a few
more nOor beams to tie in and few more
nuts to screw on. But then there stretches
away vast expanse of space TO the south
and the southwest. where a few iron col
umnS mutely stretch their hideous lengths
to the smiling skies. as if appealing for
human handS TO hide their nakeuneSS
An Office OF Delay.
The office of the sIIppryisipy architect ;S
based upon the same principles, in a meas
ure, as those that underlie all government
work The chief element in the organi-
z@tion is delay-delay not so much for the
sal ke or care and excellence of work as of
prolongation of the work. This has been
Charged again and again, and the archi-
tects officials have denied it until denial
has become weariSome. There is no pre-
MUM PlG ced on the quIckening OF the work
either to the officials or the contractors
There is 10 incentive for haste, no prize
fer speed.
proved to be the bad system of appointing
sUperintendents and foremen for specific
buildings. so that il is largely 10 their in
terests 70 prolOng the work and not to push
II ahead Often a superintendent is appoint
ed by new administration in the last
stages of a structure, and there are ample
evidences in other cities, at least. that the
official has had enough power TO keep the
In the present instance taere was enough
work ahead of Superintendent Kinsey, If
things pursued their usual course without
any negative jockeying, when that official
took hold of the building TO give him ample
Assurance that the structure would not be
ready for occupancy before his natural term
OF official life should end. PreSuming that
he might have had the tendency to so make
the wOrl. last longer than was necessary
and human nature is very much the same,
whether il comes from Ohio or Kankakee-
he has had nothing To gain hy diatory tao
ties. Fortunately for the term which he is
to serve. the foundations for the slowness
Of the work were already laid when he
came to Washington 10 take charge and
fs ID as firmly those that are now sup
porting the small fragment of the building
Itself.
Nor Is ii to be wondered that these sub
oritnates Of the treasury are thus inclined
10 daily in order to stretch their Jobs into
HE positions. Human nature-just alluded
{c-is prone to accepting natural oppor-
funities 1T has long been national axiom
that a government job was as good as life
itself. and why should these men now try
n reform their inner souls and to set new
Standards up before the world? There is
N premium paid by the community to them
ar TO their heirs, and IN the light of the
kelief that every man is his own guardian
angel the superintendeDts are not to be
nalisned for their course. The fault lies