Evening star., 1897-08-17
AN EXTRA EXPENSE
Work Begun Of Relaying Concrete
Floors Of City Post Office.
TEE OLD MATERIAL WAS WORTHLESS
Supervising Architect Expresses His
Views of the Matter.
OTHER OPINIONS OBTAINED

The work Of tearing up the old concrete
at the new post Office building Is pro-
crossing on the first, mezzanine and second
floors, and 1t is expected it will be ccm-
pletcd in about ten days. There is no
difficulty in removing the old material on
the floors, hardly more than digging into
mass OF dried gravel or bed of ciEders
In fact, the concrete, or what was supposed
to have been concrete material when 1t
was laid, resembles Lothing more on all of
the nine floors of the building than bed
of finely pound cinders.
At present it will be only the three floors
mentioned above that will be reconcreted.
1t is claimed at the building that the
floors were broken up and their displace-
ment MADE necessary by the amount of
heavy objects which have been dragged
over them, hut not only do the floors men
toned have the appearance OF cinder
dump, but all nIne of them are ldentical,y
the same. They were inspected carefully
TINS morning by Star reporter, and all
look alike. They have the appearance
of having crCmbled without any pressure
whatsoever.
low the Concrete Was Laid.
On the first floor the concrete, or the So
called concrete stuff, was laid on brick
foundation. On the others it was placed on
the terra Gotta floor arches. 1t seems to
have made no difference, therefore, what
the foundation was-the concrete is faulty
has been SO pronounced, ana it will cost
The government the sum of s., 900 under an
additional contract made with +. +. GoDei
OF Chicago to do the work the three
floors. 1t has not yet been decided
whether the concrete on the others will be
reiatd, but the probabilities are that this
Will also be necessary, and an additional
outlay of several thousand dollars will be
incurred.
The floors were laid about a year ago
when Superintendent kinsey, who was
transferred the early part of June, was in
charge. 1t was composed of five parts, by
measure of cinders, two parts of sand and
one of cement. The weak part of the COM
position it is alleged by those who are sup
posed to be up on such questions, is due to
the fact that the cinders were pulverized.
The people in the building claim that the
first three floors were subjected to an over
loading, for which they We're never intend
ed. They were made, it is said the recep
tacles for mass of heavy materials. These
included plumbers supplies, plate glass
boxes, window frames, iron frames, and
many other articles used in the construc-
tcn of the building. This is the eXpapa-
tion given for the destroying and crushing
of the concrete on the three first floors,
but there is none for the others.
The fact that they are all in the same
that the breaking up of The concrete was
due to the heavy materials resting on them.
In spots the mass is apparently solid, i'm
pervious to anything but heavy blow with
Il sharp instrument. This :dea is soon cX-
PEELED, however. by a kick from the heel of
shoe. The substance easily falls apart
then and show how little resistance is
given by the stuff
What IA Visit Disclosed.
When Star reporter visited the building
this morning part of the old concrete had
been removed, part was being brushed up
and hauled away to the rubbish pile. while
force Of workmen were engaged in lay
ing the new concrete on the first floor
A workman connected with the electric
light company which was given the con
tract fer that class of work, digging
hole in the concrete with a chisel. There
was but little effort needed to break
through it, 1t did not come out in chunks,
as would a hard, solid substance. 1t crum-
bied and broke in small pieces, and the
dust flew as If the workman had been dig
gins into a pile Of earth.
'Cinders. was what the workman la
conically replied. when he was asked what
it he digging into.
1T is supposed to be concrete. but it's
nothing but cinders," he declared, and
there was every evidence that he spoke the
truth.
1t was not the original intention Of the
builders to have the concrete laid on false
The concrete 1t intended that it
should be laid direct the BRICK and the
terra Gotta, but this experiment evidently
proved costly, or solved problem which
was d knotty one before, and the new plan
was adopted, after it was discovered the
first would not do.
Il cannot say whether the other floors
will have to be reconcreted or not" said
Superintendent of Construction Stuart to
The Star reEorter, when the matter was
brought to his attention.
1T may be later on he said, but that
lies QUO of my power to decide The SUI
pervising architect of the treasury alone
will have to settle the matter"
The superintendent has been at the new
post offce since the early part of June only,
and the concrete was not laid when he had
anything TO do with the construction of the
long-delayed and oft-repaired, unfinished
building at the southwest corner OF 1Ith
street and Pennsylvania avenue.
What Foreman and Inspector Say.
General Foreman Holmes and Inspector
Oliver of the building were seen by the re-
porter in regard to the faulty concrete.
1T would have been all right" they both
declared, 'ff the heavy stuff had not been
dragged over the floors.
THE concrete. which Is being laid now is
composed of four parts of gravel, two of
sand and one of cement" said Holmes
THAT Is lighter than the other 1t was
thought better that the concrete this time
should be laid on false flooring, and the
electric light conduits will be placed on ton
of the concrete"
Don't you think 1t would have been all
right If the concrete in the first place had
been made with broken stone or brick
clinkers or furnace Stag instead of the
cfnders?" asked the reporter.
Holmes studied a moment and then re-
piled:
Il m not on the witness stand now and
am not here to answer that kind of ques-
tions The supervising architects Office
furnishes the specifications and we are
here to see that they are carried out. We
confine ourselves to seeing that they are
carried out exactly"
why wasn't the concrete laid on the
flooring in the first placer" repeated Oliver,
in response to a question from the reporter
You had better ask the fellows in The
architects office who draw the plans and
fix them up the reason why. They are the
ones who ought to be able to answer
MIR. kemper's Statement.
Acting Supervising Architect of the
Treasury KemDer WAS seen hv ho rav,o,.t ~.