Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-11
THE OLD THEATER BUILDING.
The Work of Reconstruction Recon.
mended by the EnRineers

The Work of Reconstruction Recon-
mended by the Engineers.
The board Of engineer officers whose re-
port on the old Fords Theater building has
been transmitted to Congress by Secretary
Lamont, as stated in The Star yesterday
estimated that the work necessary to make
the building safe would cost about So COO
The board says: In the Judgment Of the
board additional lines of Orders and col
umns should be placed running north and
south along the middle lines of existing
par els. The additional columns under the
third floor to be supported by the additional
columns under the second floor, the latter
to be supported on piers in the basement
built on solid foundations. The Orders
under both floors to be 1O-inch steel l
beams (doubled). weighing IS pounds to
the yard. The columns under the third
floor to have 6-inch exterior diameters and
three-fourths inch thickness OF metal, the
columns under the second floor to have q
inch exterior diameters and one inch thick
ness of metal. The columns to be of cast
iron and cylindrical.
When the additional Orders and columns
of the dimensions specified are placed under
the third floor 1t will sustain, in addition
to its dead load, a live load Of II pounds to
the square foot 20 pounds per square foot
being the usual and ample allowance for
any kind Of Office use. The second floor
under the proposed arrangement will sus-
tain, in addition to its dead load, a live
load Of 122 IL pounds to the square foot.
The difference between the live loads that
can be carried by the strengthened second
and third floors. fifty-one and one-half
pounds to the square foot, is due to the very
the third-story floor. and which. on account
Of the great cost of removing 1t, the board
thinks may remain as 1t Is. The cost of
strengthening the second and third floors In
t. -
100. The board. as stated in its report. II Of
the opinion that the unsafe rear wall OF the
main building should be taken down and re-
built, the new wall to be not less than
twenty-four inches thick up to the level OF
the third floor. and eighteen inches thick
thence to the top of the wall. The basement
wall need not be taken down II. on remov-
Ing the portion Of the wall Shove 1t, 1t be
found in good condition. The rear wall of
the adjacent and connected small building
to the north Of the main building Is also
bulged Outwards. but not to 80 great a de-
gree as that of the main building, and 1t
should also be taken down and rebuilt. The
thickness Of this wall IL thirteen inches,
and 1t Is proposed to make the new wall Of
the same thickness.
The board estimates the cost of rebuilding
the rear walls of both buildings, including
the cost Of the windows and allowing for
the use Of the old bricks, after making the
usual deduction for loss. and for the cost of
tearing down. piling. and cleaning them, at
$3.50.
The windows in the front of the first
story are large, and It Is not deemed ad-
visable to make any change in them, but
the board proposes that all of the remain
ing windows Of the building be enlarged.
so that the areas Of the openings in the
walls shall not be less than those In front
two new windows in the south wall of the
third story. The cost Of these changes ID
estimated at $023.
1t is proposed to make four large nues for
a 0Vvr1to sian 90
the building and four at the rear, the aues
to have exterior openings about the level
OF the first floor, with inside openings above
each floor. Those in rear can be construct
ed In the new rear wall as II is built
up. but those in front will have to be placed
In the form of chimneys against the inner
face Of the front wall. The inlets to the
different stories are to be so arranged that
the air in passing into the rooms shall, in
winter, be warmed by the heat radiators
that are now placed parallel to and near
both the front and rear walls.
The heated and vitiated air of the differ
ent stories will be carried, as now. through
the large openings already in the floors and
thence through the roof by means of the
single ventilator that now exists and three
others of about the same size that should be
constructed. The board also proposes to
raise the existing glass skylight far enough
to permit the construction Of q Slated venti-
that the draft of the heated and Initiated air
to the top of the building Is not sufficient
the board suggests that a series of gas tets
be placed above the opening In the ceiling of
the third floor. similarly to those recently
placed In St. Johns Church for the same
purpose and now in successful operation
The estimated cost Of these improvements
in ventilation. together with cost Of the
consequent and necessary changes In the
connections of the heat radiators. Is $7O0
The estimated cost of the two fire escapes
deemed necessary in rear OF the building is
$500.
The total Of these estimates is... ~ 96S
Add 20 per cent for contingencies. LIES
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