Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-19
The Water Boy at the City Post
Office Cannot Be Counted.
COURTS HAVE TURNED Him DOWN
Illustrations of Curious Methods of
Doing Things.
THE LIBRARY BUILDIN G.

There is every reason to believe that the
average of the number of men employed
daily on the post Office building will be high
er this week than for a long time past, al
though the building itself may be no high
er. Today there are forty-five men-not
counting the water boy, for reason that
will be explained later-and unless there is
a great drop tomorrow the average should
be in the forties. Thus the daily estimate
of the date on which the building will be
finished remains today as on yesterday,
September Ia, 1885, This is reassuring
matter. The chances have SO fluctuated
during the past three weeks that the hearts
of the citizens have got into that mushy
state that precludes the possibility of hope.
The water boy can no longer be included
in the estimates or the daily census This
is not because he has been bounced, or that
he has been transferred to the schooner de-
partment. Nor is it that he has lapsed into
such unusual activity that he has unclassed
himself. He has simply been counted out
by the courts. Judge Holmes, in the circuit
court of Richmond, Va, yesterday decided
that an office boy is not a laborer. The
parallel is apparent at glance. If an Of
flee boy. contributing, as he is supposed
to, to the comfort and aid of the regular
force. is not a laborer in the eye of the
law, how can a water boy, whose function
Is solely that of a moral agent to soothe the
Ot OlntTS De ClaSSSu as SUcl. 1t Is
to be presumed that the water boy and the
office boy -e approximately the same age
when they begin. They are, therefore, to be
compared in efficiency, and unless there
comes some direct judgment of competent
court in the contrary direction these COM
putations will henceforth ignore the pres
ence of the water boy on the post Office
site, except as indicating the concern or the
unccLcern of the contractors for the COM
fort of their men.
Ten fA
Even If the average should be forced up
to forty this week, it will by no means in
dictate that the era of business has begun.
To demonstrate this it is only necessary TO
glance at the records of the new library
building on Capitol Hill, which is now near
ing completion. This building, which cost
about $6,000,O00, will be finished, according
to Gen. Casey's original estimate, in just
eight years from the time IT was begun.
That will be two years from next March.
Gen. Casey said the other day to a Star
reporter that he will easily be within his
estimate, both as to cost and time. There
are now 400 men employed on this COLI
struction daily and this average has been
continued for some time past, although the
greatest work has been done. This is Just
ten times as many men are now being
worked on the post office building.
The stone masonry has been resumed, the
work having been started the central
just now weigh from three to five tons each.
To lift them an iron tackle is used, a
wedged-shaped hole being cut into the
stone with the smaller opening outward.
Three pins fitted with rings are then in
serted, the two on the outside being larger
on the ends opposite the rings. The central
pin is straight To set this central pin
sometimes requires a little force, as the
pins do not always fit exactly. This morn
ing The Star reporter could not fail to
notice the manner in which these tackles
were set, as an excellent illustration of the
general methods in vogue at the site. When
the central pin went into tAe hole hard the
man at the tackle, fine specimen of the
modern mechanic, and evidently far su-
perior to his appliances, would hammer for
some minutes at the pin with the bolt that
is run through the three rings when all is
set, and so connects the stone with the
pulley. This bolt is not intended ham,
mer, and cannot give sufficiently heavy
blow to do this work. Finally, the mans
hand became tired, and he made 4 search
that brought to light an old Ratchet. With
this he continued to pound the pins for a
time, and then the head flew off, and he
was obliged to reset that before he con-
tinued. a small sedge hammer, adapted to
the purpose, would have enabled the work.
man to set tine tackles in about half the
time that he needed this morning.
Fence in Danger.
This is but an illustration of the ways and
means of the work. The guy rope that is
used to keep the heavy stones from swing
ing too far when lifted from the trucks has
been broken and spliced, and the knot thus
made persists in getting in the way of the
young man whose duty 1t is to keep the line
taut. Then, too. there is no post furnished
around which to bite" this rope, and 1t has
to be turned around the fence post, which
is not only i'll adapted to the purpose, hut
is rapidly succumbing to the repeated at
fao tic Stah Ia "a
is swung aloft weakens 1t, and the fence on
the avenue side is daily doing skirt dance
that threatens to expose the interior of the
site before many days have passed.
The blue derrick on the northeast corner is
almost up now, and the time seems to he
near when the masons will be admitted to
the rainparts.