Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-20

able to concentrate all of his attention on
this one feature, the walls being entirely
completed on the main building. Early in
the work it was decided to divide the lift
of materials for the tower by establishing
station on the roof of the portico over
the north entrance. SO as to relieve in part
the immense strain on the engines and
cables doing duty for the tower. So all the
stone is hoisted first from the ground to
the balcony over the entrance, and then
released, to be taken up by the great Lewis
pins of the second hoist. and then begins
the dizzy pull up the face of the tower.
Fortunately, the stones for the tower are
mostly all of light weight, there is little
or no danger of a break. But the strain on
the cable becomes very great as the length
increases, and the engine is put to it's best
efforts in maintaining the long hoist. The
danger of flaw is far greater in a long
cable than in a short one, and this Is the
main menace. So far, however there have
been no accidents on the tower, with the
single exception of the fatal occurrence
early in the work. when a mason was
killed by the fall of a stone, occasioned by
the breaking of one of the dogs on the en-
CINE, which was intended to check the
cable at any desired height. This accident,
however, might happen at any point on the
building, SO it has no especial connection
with the great tower.
Outside scaGOIdinE.
One Of the most remarkable features of
the tower construction has been the con-
eIeCtiOu VI d WOOueH ScdHOlQlnS on
the west side for the elevation of mortar
and otner materials for use on this high
story. AS fast as the tower grows this
comparatively slight framework is pushed
skyward, until it seems as though it could
no longer stand. 1t is built, however very
securely, and the elevator that carries the
materials makes good speed. The final
mixing of the mortar Is done on the upper
surface of this scaffold, and the spectacle
of man busily welding mixing hoe
nearly two hundred feet above the ground
Is daily the cause of wonderment on the
part of passers-by.
The most dangerous part of the work
will be that of roofing the tower which
will not be reached for several weeks The
angle of this roof is slightly greater than
that of the main roof, which has been the
subject of such a heated controversy of
late. OF course, fall from the lower roof
would have been instantly fatal for any
unfortunate who might have slipped and
fallen, and therefore the added height of
hundred feet or SO will not make any ma
terial difference to the men themselves as
they are well Injured to the peculiar sensa-
lions that attack men occupying high
places. But the character of the surface
to be rooted Is such as to render the laying
of the sheathing and the thing very hard
to accomplish, as there Is q great deal of
trimming and joining to be done, and the
roof affords little free space for the work
men.
The clocks on the tower will be the only
real tmepieces in the city, and they will
be at such a height above the streets as to
Facing in all four directions, they can be
seen from every point, and If illuminated at
night they will be of great service to many
people.