The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
WEIGHING SKY-SCRApERS.
EVERY BOLT md BAR CONSID-
Erred IN THE PLAN.
Even tir weight or the Faint, OH. solder.
Tenants. aud Casual visitors Calculated
ticrore n stone IL set Up-SoiId Rock In
Foundations aud tho Way OF Making u.

Tenants. aud Casual visitors Calculated
Tcrore n stone L. set Up-SoiId Hook IN
Foundations and tho Way OF Making II.
The city Of tho future will le built upon
solid rock. Modern conditions point that way.
The solid rock may not necessarily exist nj tho
surface of the earth. II It does, so much the
better. II IL is deep underground the founda.
tions of buildings will have to bc-carricd down
to.it. The lattcr-day sky-scrapcr and the prac-
iice Of building houses Of the heaviest materi-
ais render this compulsory even now. There
arc mon In New York and other large cities
whose solo business IL Is TO test the character
Of tho ground on watch tall buildings arc to
stand. They arc experts. and no thorouGh-go.
ing architect would trust TO his own discern
ment IN ito matter of his groundwork. In
fact. the coustruction-o of sEy-scrapcrs has vast
ly extended the calling of The architect. and
compelled him to do some things Of which the
constructor of bygonc days never dreamed.
Most interesting OF these ne Wig acquired habits
Is the weighing Of tall bulldogs.
The. average person might not fully aprre-
clate tire necessity for weighing n tnl, build
ing. In fact, many persons would calmly as
sert that IL could not be done. yet the practice
of Weighing iinmcnse buildings. bridges, heavy
ordnance. and ronderous objects generally Is
n science In itself. IL is Ill done by colnputa-
ton. but the actual weight of the structures
is accurately computed. In heavy ordnance
not only is the weight computed without nut
ting the gun on the scales. but the centre OF
gravity is determined within such n fine
point that when hung on its trunnions the gun
Is so nicely balanced that it can be moved up
and down by the hand OF one man. Swinging
bridges which move upon n pivot arc so accu-
ratcly balanced that hardly IL pound of differ
anna py iafa lpt Nypan tip tVyO DntStrptrhal nrlns.
1t is necessary for AN architect to know the
weight OF his building long before it is put no.
The character Of his foundation depends upon
It.. Yet tho estimation OF this weight is 80
simple II matter that an under clerk or an ni-
task OF calculating 1t. His grand total may
reach. as in the case Of the twcnty-onc-story
Surety building In this, city. 10000 tons. or
in the case Of some big bridges ike the one at
pOughkccrsir 1000 or 1.OOO tons. How Is
IL done? la the first place. the weight OF every
piece OF IN itcrinl 10 become part OF the struc-
ture is furnished By the manufacturers.
Whether 4 be Thar Girders or white lead; 1t
significant thing as n difference in the quality
and Kind Of paint used may make u ton OF dit
ference in the general wr,sht OF the structure.
and II the ords are fused or down. on
the opposite side Of n eirder Instead OF being
merely bulted on the fact must lie taken into
account. II the roof Is covered with tin tAe
solder which hol, 5 the plates together is put
down ms Weighing so much per inCut. In laying
the tin pla .es on the roof the edges Of each
Mate arc Tapped over the adjoining plates to
the extent o! n quarter OF an inch on all sides.
number OF pounds to tho general weight OF the
roof. So the process continues through the
whole building. lac weights % tnG sian'oardS
the ~Lla>ter. the vail paper. The window glass.
the gas or electric fixtures. the cornicc orna-
nlents. and OF the thousand and one materials
and appurtcnnnces which go to make ~ II brltd-
ing are considered and accounted for. In the
aggregate these Weights. thousands OF tons.
merely the dead weight OF the build
Inc The 1.-Two yyRiylf Snrh IL Inc weight OF the
tenants. the furniture. and their other belong
ings. must BE- added - the total.
persons would he about 100 tons lighter at
night. when II is deserted. than IN the DAYTIME.
when Il is occu Died. In Office huiliincs IL il Gus
tornary to cstimot" about 100 pounds OF live
wei-at To the sQUnIe foot. In residence. about
seventy pounds to the SQUARE font are cal,u!at-
ed upon. In manufacturer Establishments l
IS customary to allow for al least lJy hounds
TO the square foot. The buildings themselves
press down upon tho earth at the various rates
OF from four tons TO me square foot TO twelve
or fourteen tons to the square loot. Tie tall
-. Paul building Is "st'irated at the last named
figure. The surety building. mCnttoneIa above.
Is estimated TO exert a pressure or SIX tons TO
the square foot.
of the ground on which tall buildings are 10
stand. Nearly every tester Inns his own method
OF Gsc"rtninin: earth re-IsLa"sy. some DO MY
bv driving down into the enrthn worm which
pirks ID dirt and gravel and sand at various dis
uauccs and conveys them 10 The surface 10 te
The hydraulic method is r---ued
by constructing n tox or casing. which Is ihs-
:ened tightly t. the ground. In it p!rncer.
by water pressure, IL made 20 press
upon tho earth. The fore" with which
il presses on the ground Is, G~ctct'rincdr y us
resistance 20 the inflow nf tn water. which Is
Asccr;"ln.d teforchai!H; IN 1i4Elhs pl;Hs these
are forced down simply until tIcy VIII co no
further. Tails is done ut vtrion. point over
built. Or course. the dcoth OF, this Ioirt o!
greatest resistance. can = marked OH on ~"
beam Of wood whieh has gone down. The
blrs n COrK-cruw. II Is hollow. aid
as IT twists its way down throuLh the "aItn the
various strata Of the latter are iorcel M
are encountered. y perfect record OF the con-
OF the ground. with The depths % the
FOR very ll,rr steel buildings. however, 1t Is
necessary and safer to rest tie foundations on
sClii rocks.
which are forced or scrswca down. through the
various clnYs AID gravel 10 hard pan. ni'"n
these hollow steel tubes strike the rock they
ere firmly secured TO IL. Then they, are All"i
concrete. Tie concrct" lardens into
rock. which is rendered all the stronger b. It's
plIlar OF rock. sEen.hct with Steel ard extend
Ing from the immovab!e backbone OF IL" earth
may 'hcn D. said IN many cases % stand Lrnn
stills. .'nth!ng can alter pcrccptt nly It's solid.
ny not even the wind. The b%nSinS pnwsr Of
ton of the structure !tscit. There H. on"
power when does at times arrest the stability
OF the sky.scrapcr. This Is the sun. Tic I'm
aInuuut Of iron n III" structure is acted
upon. nnd tn Il certain extent cXpardc aad
cont acted rs tho rays change their direction.
not enough 10 cHu-r any fear OF diScsjcr.
In br dyes, however. THIS expansion and con-
trncjing is vcrv marked. In n concrete i!0urel
bridge the Who'll" structure viii heWI bar:.-
ward nm, forward rs tho day passes 10 IL" CX-
tent of one, quarter VI an inch. hEt In iron
such az are used by railroads. tho
draw may 70 several inches ont Of plumb.
This IL he reason why on drawhr!dgcs the rail-
road tracks ure connected by faring tracks or
what IS technically known AS n Y.
In tnll huildings the greatest amount Of en-
SIKH IL required In lie foundations.
huildiug Itself l. after MI n sur"rstr1ictrrc.
II il tho foundation that requires the crgt-
reer's greatest skill. for sometimes the COndi-
lions ARE most adverse. lUr Instance. In lover
New York wRtCr is encountered nj very shall
low depths. and It is in this lower section that
most of the skv-scrHpe:s are built. To Com
nercia: Cable building + eighteen stories high.
Its foundation floor H. eighteen feet below tie
surface water level and ~ least ten feet be
river level. Vet ths lowest sub-ccllnrs are
ms dry us punk. They were made 80 hy meat
Df tho Intricate and extended cnissun system.
The water Is cntirrly excluded. When such
levels are reached the contractor has "cRlly
ls much IN do in preserving tho INTEGRITY OF
The surrounding hutldings und streets rs he
in e~connmirnllv carrying ON his cXcava-
tons. The laws are very stringent in r"cnrl
@ II cavc.in. and municipal lawsuits are sure tn
Train ones pockets. In some places, how"ver.