The times., 1899-02-07
GENERAL BIRNEY IN DEFENCE.
The South Side of Pennsylvania Ave-
nue. Not Unit for Building.


In view of the statements recently made
on the floor of the Senate, during the de-
bate on the Public Library site, regarding
! the condition of the ground along the
south side OF Pennsylvania Avenue, and its
htness for foundation sites for future pub
| lie buildings, the District Commissioners
yesterday transmitted to Congress a COM
munication received by them from Gen.
| William Birney, denying that the ground
/ is not solid. In their letter the Commits
sioners inform Senator Mcmillan that the
statements made by General Birney have
| been verified by the District Engineer De-
partment, and that they have every reason
to believe that they are accurate. The let
ter of General Birney reads as follows:
There appears TO he an urgent necessity just
now Tor a statement Of facts which viii vndi
cate the south side of Pcnnsylvan Avenue as
a site tor Government buildings. | regret
that the opponents Of the Avenue location should
have thought ii necessary impeach the south
side OF the Avenue iull OF pogs and quici,-
sands and aifuTLini no stahic foundation Tor an
cdhce Of any kind
Within the last ten years thirteen wells have
been sunk the south side Of the Avenue he
tween Third and Twelfth Streets northwest.
They varied IN depth from tfty-seven to C2j
feet.
Twelve OF these are on grounds Of the wash
lngton Market Company, all within a space Of
800 icct in length. The thirteenth is at the
corner of B and Sixth Streets. bored by the
order of the District Engineer. II is III feet
ccep All Of them show different strata, the
upper one of earth, or sandy clay and gravel,
settled for century, and the others, mostly of
solid clay, or composite clay and gravel. Any
one OF the clay strata would make solid fOun-
daton, and all Of them rest a suhstratum OF
solid rock, chiefly gneiss and some water veins.
This rock found TO he 500 feet in thickness
in the deepest well in Centre Market. The
upper stratum Of settled earth clay and
gravel is the which foundations laid
OF most, if not all, OF the buildings on the
Avenue from Second TO Twelfth Streets, includ-
'Br the Centre Market, the National and Metro
politan Hotels, the Central Bank. the Bank of
Washington, Saks' stores, and other business
structures. Many Of them have stood for from
thirty 20 sixty years. but not single WALL
far as have heard, has shown any sign Of weak
ness from defects in the stratum used for
foundation. The level and geological formation
from Second Twelfth Streets is the same
for practical purposes. though there are some
variations in the dip of the rock basis and the
thickness of strata.
The basement of the City Pustoffice is in the
upper stratum. 1t is quite dry and is used
for the heating, ecvating, and electrical
machinery. being free from all influences of
bogs and quicksands. As the building is OF i'm
mense weight, rising in the tower to about 1000
pounds to the square foot. ii thought puI
dent hy the architect that the basement should
rest on piles driven down TO the solid rock,
which at this point is not far from the surface
The logical conclusion from the facts is that
the south side of the Avenue will give solid
foundation for any building heavy as the
Capitol.
The subject Of the occasional overflow Of this
locality was fully treated in the report Of the
Sewerage Commit" in 1850. That commission
recommended a complete system Of sewerage
the elevation of the Long Bridge, the dredg-
ing Of the river channel, and the erection of
certain dykes TO prevent floods from invading
the low grounds Of Washington.