Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-12

ground, and instead they struck marsh.
They drove the piles and then found that
there was nothing for the piles to hold on
to. Now they have got to dig up every
one Of those piles and start over again."
This was but one of the many more or
less accurate specuations as to the status
of the work which We're heard from hour
to hour. The braces and drums set I'D
against the adjoining walls We're pro-
claimed as evidences that those walls had
begun to fall. The rain water which fell
with persistence during July had, of course
TO be pumped out into the sewers and this
operation gave rich food for reflection to
the uniformed groups peering thrueh the
fence, probably not one of whom had other
than the most honest desire to diagnose
the case correctly and justly. On the other
hand, the work has been appreciatiyeIv
watched by thousands with a keen and in
telligent interest.
No Real Delay.
There was no real delay in making this
foundation. There We're pauses to make
sure of work which involved delicate possf-
biities. There were times when the ready
hand was held from its stroke to take ac
curate sights with instruments. There were
hours, perhaps days, spent in testing the
work already done rather than in proceed
ing to cover it up.
One of the reasons which led some of the
spectators to think that the work was slow
because of unexpected DEVELOPMENTS was
that there was very little to show for the
labor expended and the materials used.
Practically everything was hidden by de-
briS as soon as it was finished. 1t was all
below ground. The hosting of single
three-story column a few days ago against
the Gait wall made more positive show
than three weeks of quiet. often hidden
work in the underpinnng.. Yet the under
pinning involved more nseties- of archi-
lecture more details of adjustment more
fnr nj mo ri
collapse, than did the mere setting up of a
rigid column.
This underground work is the vital work
1t is often the most costly work 1t almost
always takes longer than any other feature
OF the enterprise No matter how beauti-
fItl may be the carving in the cornices, or
how elaborate the designs in the mosaic,
or how solid the masonry walls, or how
rigid the steel frame, if one pier is weak
the pile is failure. A settlement in one
corner means cracked ceilings, distorted
window openings, saSging floors, finally
crumbling walls. ...,..
4 Triumph for Avenue Foundations.
The Star building has thus far proved an
excellent object lesson in these facts. 1t
has shown thousands of people the various
Intricate processes which combine to make
a solid rest for modern high building. 1t
has demonstrated that the avenue soil is
good enough for the largest constructions
Firm red and blue clay and hard packed
gravel over sclid rock Will hold a good sized
construction without plir9. But to make
sUre-and that is The inspiration of every
phase of the work-to make sure of alb
solute solidity a margin is obtained over
and above the absolute requirerr ents of the
weights and strains. equal to several times
the largest estimate of the thrust upon the
grOAnd.
1t is believed that the subsequent work
upon this building will proceed with rapid
ity. 1t is con pcratively easy to rush the
structure above ground. There is more
space for the workmen, less need for fine
calculations less danger of accidents. In
the foundation work it is a gratifying re-
Election that with the exception of a few
burns among the tarring gang and a crush
ed thumb on one of the handlers of the
caissons there have been no casualties of
any kind.
From an architectural standpoint there
fere, the new Star building will not be a
type of the house built upon sand No
treacherous marsh is beneath it to threaten
its piers No quicksand quakes under the
weight of the mass of iron and masonry
No muck ooZes out from between it's pile
heads. No flaws are in its granite pier
caps. 1t has, in short, what every building
on the great avenue thoroughfare may be
given, an enduring foundation fit to uphold
forever twice the weight to be put upon it