The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-04
BrOWnell Building on Pine
Street Badly Cracked.
:.
EARTH SETTLES UNDERIT.
Many of the Window Caps Are
Already Broken by Strain.
COSTOFREPAIRS WILL BE HEAVY

The making of a new foundation for
one new building on lower Pine street
has nearly ruined an adjoining building
which has been completed but short
time. The cause of the damage is due. or
is supposed to be due, to the evaporation
of water from the ground, thereby allow
ing the earth to settle to the extent al
least of the space occupied by the water.
1t Is q common trouble and TO obviate 10
as much as possible contractors in many
large cities are compelled 10 dig building
foundations very low ana OF uniform
depth.
Bv this restriction the danger of dig
ging deep for large building and not so
ueep for "a smaller one Is overcome. Tho
uniformity prevents the settling process
which has caused the damage on Pine
street.
A little more than three weeks ago The
News called attention to several large
seams in tho east wall OF the new build
ing owned bv Mrs. Brownell at the corner
of Pine and Peck streets which had been
recently completed and occupied by y.
:. SissoD & Company, shoe dealers.
The large cracks were at tho northeast
end ana when they first appeared there
was no thought Of serious damage TO the
building. Since then, however, the SET
tling process has gone on until at the
present time the premises are not con-
tidered safe by men having experience in
the construction Of buildings. They say
there Is possibility OF the building cole
lapsing.
The owners of the Burgess Ibuilding on
Westminster street experienced some.
thing of the same sort from the construc-
tion Of the new Alice building Mt the
corner of Westminster and Union streets,
but the settling of the ground at thai
place stopped ere serious damage was
done.
The damage to the Burgess building
was noticed "A fsw days before the seams
i'm the Brownsll building on Pine street
appeared. and as several experts gave
their opinion TO the effevt tnat no further
damage would result, the north wall
was braced up with heavy boards and the
work OF constructing the new building at
the corner of Pine and Hay street was
proceeded with.
Since then. however, the settling proc
ess has gone on and now the Pine stroeu
front shows large cracks and the cap
stones of the windows sag percepubly.
Indeed the damage Is so extensive that
one or more of tho widows had to 10
boarded up. Looking at the building
from the front the impression gained IL
that it would tumble with good push.
It Ia not SO bad as that in fact but tbatsis
how 10 looks.
When the walls Of the newiButler Dun
can Lard Company block arc In place.
there will be no danger OF the Browneil
building collapsing as they will form
strong support. The contractors OF tne
new Butler Duncan builtiDg have put In
heavy foundation right beside the
foundation OF the Browlell building.
They went down below the level az tho
other foundation ana that has caused the
trouble. No serious harm was antici-
faH n n I 4
at first Is common, but now they dnnt
feel so sure about it.
The contractors OF tho Butler Duncan
building are w. A. Chapman * Com
pany, and whom the cracks first appeared
i'm the Brownell estate thoy rad photo
graphs taken Of tho walt 20 exhibit
should litigation result The original
photograph ofthe condition cf tho premises
would not make true picture of the
damages as 10 now s.ands Inc ccet NJ
| repairing the damaged building will be
! considerable more than at first estinatsA