Evening star., 1895-09-07
What Has Been Done to the Gov
ernment Printing Office.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENGINEERS
Lieut.. SeweII Says It May En-
danger the Building.
MR.. BENEDICT'S VIEW

There is a difference of opinion between
the army engineers in charge of the con-
struction of the additions to the govern
ment printing Office and the public printer
which involves the safety of the new por-
tions of the building.
When the wing of the building over the
wagon-way, which opens on Jackson's al
ley, was built the iron posts of each Of the
floors were securely fastened together and
braced by tie rods. These rods were of
steel, and connected the two sets of pillars
running diagonally between them, so as to
prevent any lateral motion.
The Tic Rods-Cut.
A short time ago this new portion Of the
building was turned over to the public
printer. and he began preparing it for the
needs of his great workshop. It was de-
sired to have set of shelves along the
Forth wall of the fourth floor, but the tie
rods being there, it was necessary to either
remove them or to set the shelving about
three inches from the wall. Mr.. George E.
Reid the engineer of the building, decided
that the tie-rodS were of no practical pur-
pose, and he cut them out and allowed his
shelving to set flush with the wall.
On each floor there were four sets Of
these tie rods. Mr.. Reid cut out three sets
on the fourth floor and later took two sets
out of the third floor. In order to strength
ed to he used for storing metal cuts, he ran
steel rod one and one-half inches in
diameter from ceiling to floor, tying 1t to
the iron girders above and below. This rod
was intended solely to strengthen the hoor
and not to take the place of the tie rods
placed between the pillars by the engineer
designing the building, as the tie rods were
deemed useless.
What Lieut.. sewell Says.
When Lieut. Sewell of the engineer corps
OF the army heard that the tie rods had
been removed from the fourth floor of the
building, ne informed Col. Wilson of the
fact and suggested that If the braces of
the building were to be interfered with
it would be well for the engineer corps to
disclaim all responsibility for its safety
While the building was constructed by the
engineer corps of the army and from plans
prepared by Lieut. Sewell, yet from the day
it was turned over to the public printer 1t
passed entirely from their control:
A star reporter called on Lieutenant
Sewell today and asked him how he re-
garded the strength of the buildings since
the cutting out Of the tie rods ne mao
provided Lieutenant Sewell was aware
only that tie rods had been cut from the
fourth story and did not speak of the
third story having been treated in llkc
manner. With the idea that only the
fourth f1oor had been relieved Of the
Strengthening rods he replied:
II can only say that the building as it
stands now would be subjected to strains
not calculated upon in its construction
in the case of a storm from the south, in
which the wind should blow at the rate
of seventy-tive or eighty miles per hour.
I think it is improbable that the top
stories should be blown off in such case,
but as | have said. the structure would
be subjected to strains not calculated on y
Army engineers regard the tampering of
the building by tn. public printer as very
and fS S1i1
the tie rods in the new building be removed
the structure would be looked upon as eX-
tremely dangerous.
The Public Printers View.
Public Printer Benedict was also called
upon by Star reporter and when told of
the cutting of the tie rods at first dis
credited the report and then remarked that
these rods were of no Importance, SO far
as the strength of the building was affected
by them. He said he took common-sense
view of the matter, and did not believe that
the tie rods ware of any consequence. In
order to learn the truth of the report Mr..
Benedict accompanied the reporter to the
portion of the building in question. Mr..
George E. Reid, the engineer, under whose
directions the work of fitting up the new
building has been going on was also pres
ent when this inspection was made. The
tie rods were fourd cut out, as stated
above Mr. Benedict said that the question
of cutting the tie rods out in order to
utilize the space they took up by putting in
shelving was brought before him some time
ago, and he had said that they should not
be cut out, as any accident TO the pulldinS
that might happen even twenty years hence
from some faulty construction might be
attributed to the cutting of the tie rods,
and he thought it advisable not to be sub
jected to the possibility OF such criticism.
AS the work mad been done, however, he
III mo- importance
expressed the utmost confidence in the
good judgment of Mr.. Reid, who, he said,
he had appointed during mis- first admins
tration in the government printing off1ce.
He did not know that Mr.. Reid was civil
engineer but he regarded him as me
chanical engineer of great ability and one
who was looked upon as very trustworthy
in all questions Of handling great weights.
Won't Cut Any More.
Mr. Reid in explaining how he had hap
pened to cut the tie rods out said that they
had been put in in order to strengthen the
iron work during construction, but now
that the building had been completed he
regarded them as absolutely useless If
he had his way he would not have put
them in at all, he said. Mr. Reid said,
however, when questioned. that he did not
intend to take out any more OF the tie
rods from the building.
Col Wilson and the chief of engineers
were out of town today and could not be
seen. 1t is understood, however. that Col.
Wilson regards this action on the part of
the public printer in permitting the tamper-
ing with the new portion OF the government
printing office as a serious matter
At the last session Of Congress the joint
committee on printing considered the ad-
visibility of having all the government
buildings in Washington under the con-
troll of an efficient engineer. 1t was said
at that time that the law should strictly
prohibit any government officer not pos
sessing technical knowledge about archi-
tectural matters from tampering with
building. The disaster at the old Ford's
Theater building showed the necessity for
some such law. 1t may be that the pres
ent difference of opinion regarding what
is necessary for the safety of the govern
ment printing Office may result at the next
session of Congress in a further agitation
of this question.