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

port the floors The cutting off was q
tedious process, for in the cramped space
of pits the men could not effectively swing
either axes or saws.
GrilIaEe and Concrete.
When a pit was prepared, with the piles
cut, white-oak timbers were bolted down
to the piles first series a foot square,
then, transversely across these, another
series twelve inches by six. This grillage
afforded solid tie between the piles and
gave firm footing for the concrete which
was then poured in and packed around the
whole framework This concrete was
brought up about four feet above the pile
head line, and then granite stone was
laid upon the center, it's dimensions for the
Ian ger piers being five feet five inches
square and foot and a half thick. When
these blocks had been set level with ce-
ment a stool or anchor of cast iron was
set above it in the center to afford base
for the iron columns forming the frame of
the building. But before this was done an
important piece of work had to be finished.
The basement is below the sewer line.
Therefore it is subject to the encroachment
of the dampness of the earth. 1t must be
protected from all possibility of leaks Con-
sequently, the building is virtually set ILL
side of great waterproof coat Covering
the entire basement and running far up in
the walls every side is layer of tar
felt, composed of five thicknesses of the
material bound together by liquid mix
ture of tar and asphalt. The melting of
this compound is what has given so pun
gent odo- to the neighborhOod of Penn
Sylvania avenue and 18th street lately. In
and ont, up and down, around corners,
huggng elbows, this black sheet of water
prooffng continues until it would seem to
defy all the dampness of the climate for Il
thousand years as regards it's progress
upward.
When the time came to set the iron stools
on the granite blocks 1t was necessary to
continue the waterprooting even on top of
the great stones to provide here as well
against the dampness In addition to the
usual thickness of tar felt layers of bur-
laps were tarred in to prevent the sharp
edges of the stools from cutting down
through the softer felt and so puncturing
the waterprOofing.
a Clean Floor.
Steadily these stools began to show above
the debris which covered the basement
floor. Chaos reigned. But suddenly one
morning the entire southern half appeared
to have been swept with a giant broom
over night. The debris had been carried
to one side and the clay floor was leveled.
Concrete was then packed in upon the dirt,
making level bottom several inches thick.
When this had set it was carefully gone
over with grOutng. semi-liqujd cement NOR
tar when gave smooth surface upon
which the tarring gang pounced with no
more than the delay necessary to allow the
pet was LAID upon the floor. This was ruth
lessiy dirtied, however, and Immediately
covered with more concrete. the mass rising
higher until it approached the bases of
the iron stools.
The upper of the two half-tone illus
tratfons shows the floor after the clean
ing, with a portion of the water-proofing
in place. The new foundation wall of
the Gait building reveals Itself. Two of
the tubs for the caisson work rest on
the floor close by it. In the background
al the right of the picture can be seen the
underpinTing of the north wall with two
of the drums prorpGd against the brick
work and the needles penetrating the wall.
Meanwhile wOrKmen had been busy slid
ing iron beams down into the hole, and as
soon Il clear space presented itself at
the southern end they were busy with their
Gridironlng. From stool to stool ran heavy
beams joined in the intervals by shorter
ones, until the whole floor was crossed
with rectangles in the main body and with
triangles and other geometric shapes along
the southern and western edges, where the
angles of the lot revealed themselves. Screw
bolts were used at first to fasten this floor
frame together, but later FORCES We're
brought into service and the whole struc-
ture was hot-riveted. The forgeman is i'm
patient of delays. He is unwilling to leave
his little furnace, and so. when the rivet
is glowing hot he swings it through the
air with his pincers, and then, at what
may be called the psychological moment
lets it fly free. 1t hurtles through the air
IN meltoI-c arc, perhaps over the heads
of half dozen Indifferent wOrkmen, unit!
it deScendS into a wooden lleg artisticallv
held by one of the riveters at the working
place, and it is then rescued by pincers
and emoaced.
The lower Illustration in half-tone shows
the foundation with large part of the
floor frames in place. The waterproofing
has been covered and work is about to be
begun to remove the underpnning from
the north wall.
The frame is designed merely to give sub
stance to the concrete floor to bind it all
together. to give the piers inter-relation-
ship. When the whole floor is finished in
few days. more concrete will be packed
in upon that now in place, covering the
iron beams and giving a full depth at
the piers of five feet five inches, and at
the other points in the basement of about
two feet.
This, then, is the COMMUNICATING Gals
sons, white oak grillaSe, concrete, granite
iron, waterproofing more concrete iron
frames-thc sum total of which is solidity
and immortality plus durability.
Time-COnsuming Details.
The work has not progressed without
some delays The size and shape of the
lot cramped the movements of the work
men The pile driver had to be put out of
service for several weeks while the under
pinning of the Calf wall was finished Dirt
had to be handled several times over be-
fore it could be economically wheeled in
barrows to the elevator, and there dumped