The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-17
CENTRE SCHOOL.
Expert Opinion as to the Build.
ing's Safety Submitted
At SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD
Last Night a Fuller
Examination of tho Foundation
Ordered, and the Board will Make
Speedy Repairs : The Underlying
TimDcrs We're Rotten = President
Bowers Appoints Committees.

Yesterday morning, the Intelllgenccr
exclusively chronicled the particulars
Of the investigation Into the condition
of the walls OF Centre school building,
and the board OF education held spc-
cial meeting last night, to consider the
matter. a partial investigation and its
results were submitted, through the
commissioners OF Centre district, BY
Architect NJ. F. Glescy and City Engi-
neer White. and the board after ac-
cepting the report ordered n more thor
ough investigation. upon the conclusion
OF which the repairs necessary to
strengthening the foundation will be
made.
Specimens Of the planklng on (which
the foundation walls are laid were
shown, and the wood was dccayed to
the point Of becoming spongy mass In
most cases. At the boards regular
meeting Thursday night. It will likely
be decided when the school will re-
open, and II necessary, temporary quar-
tcrs will be secured.
The members present were: Drney
Cranmer. Dudley, Ford. Garden, Hub
hard. Jefferson. Maxwell, Mcclure. MIL
Ter, Milligan, Nesbitt. Noble, Schrebe.
Waterhouse. Wendell and President
Bowers: absent, Battelle,, Mcconnell,
McNash. Schaub.
The first procedure was the reading
Of the report, after which Mr. Noble
asked Engineer White II the walls could
be plumbed. Mr.. White said that the
expense would not justify 1t.
The following was the report:
a. WHEELING. w. Va.
Jan. 16. 1899.
To the Commissioners OF Centre District.
GENTLEMEN:-We made on Satur-
day. January II. and Monday. January
16, n joint examination OF the school
building In Centre district and respect
fully submit the following report:
The foundation of the building rests
upon two-inch plank about two feet
below paving of cellar. Where the
foundation has been opened these
planks have dccayed and in some cases
have turned into soft pulp. Where
the ground is wet the planks show q
fair state of preservation. but where
the ground Is dry the planks have en-
tireiy decayed. The soil on which the
building stands is Of swamp formation.
containing considerable quantities Of
sand, which in places closely ap-
proaches quicksand. While such a
formation does not afford an ideal
foundation. yet with proper plans and
! to
practicable to construct foundation
on such soil that will insure the per-
feet safety OF the supcrstructurc.
Considering the nature of the foun-
dalton. the building Is In much batter
condition than might have been antici-
pated. The accompanying diagram
showing the levels OF the foundation at
different points entirely around the
building will show quite uniform set
Element. There Is n variation of one
three-fourth inches in the base course.
the highest point being at the enst side
of north entrance and the lowest point
at the west wall OF room No. / at
southwest corner of building. The Sec
ond story sill course as far rs asccr-
tanned Is practically parallel with the
base course. which shows n settlement
The tower leans threc-fourths Of an
Inch to the south and the southwest
corner of the building leans south
about two inches. The nortl, corner of
building leans south about one-half
Inch. and the wall at south entrance
leans south about one inch.
This shows that the settlement has
been greater toward the southwest,
While 1t Is impossible to determine the
total settlement Of the building or any
part Of the same, 1t is probable that the
entire building has settled so uniformly
rs TO cause no serious vertical frac-
lures In the walls. Tho building has
acted very much as a solid pier OF ma
sonry In It's settlement. The uniform
settlement OF IN isolated building
causes little or no damage. 1t Is the
unequal settlement that causes the
damage.
The foundation wall on the north
side Of room No. shows a slight crack
running from a point ten feet east Of
front wall OF room. up tliagonally to-
wards the front Of building.
We found In the foundation n curious
and unexpected condition OF affairs 10
exist. In some places the plankipg IL
not in contact with the earth beneath.
In others the footers were not In con-
tact with the planking. and in stiil 9TH
crs the footers were not In contact with
the foundation walls above. In our
opinion. three causes have been oper-
ating to undermine or settle the build
Ing. First. the settlement OF the
ground, which could be caused by one
or more subterranean water courses,
which operating for many years have
carried out the particles of sand and
earth. Second. the foundation has in
sufficient width OF base. thus causing
the planklnG to settle In the soft earth.
Thlrd. the decnY Of the Minimizing In