Evening star., 1900-06-30

chinery. Mr.. b. l.. Abbott, consulting en-
gineer, was in immediate charge as super
intendent of the construction of foundations
and superstructure, and has remained In
charge as general superintendent of the
work.
The superintendsnts for the general con-
tractors. the George A. Fuller Company.
were ]. w. Braid, superintendent, and H. C..
Hitch. assistant superintendent.
The subcontractors for work not done by
the Fuller company were as follows: Ex-
terror marble work, Vermont Marble Com
pany; granite work. Milford Pink Granite
Company; marble carving and models, Jas.
T. Early; fireproofing work, Empire Fire
proofing Company; structural steel, Carne-
gle Steel Company; plumbing work, Robert
B. Caverly; heating and ventilating work,
Hubbard Heating Company; electrical
work, Chicago Edison Company; plastertng
work, McNulty Bros: painting work, J. w.
Carr & Son; glass work. David Shuldiner;
interior marble work, Evans Marble Com
pany; mosaic floors, National Mosaic Com
pany; interior woodwork, Farley and Loet-
scher Manufacturing Company; elevators,
Sprague Elevator Company; pneumatic
tubes, Lamson Carrier Company; lighting
fixtures, Mitchell Vance Company; hard
ware, Russell and Erwin Manufacturing
Company; decorations Z. E. Garnsey, New
York; vaults and safes, Miller safe and iron
works; sheet metal and skylights, E. j.
Hulse: mail chute. Cutler Manufacturing
Company.
Owing to the perfection of the plans and
each detail of them as prepared by the
drCnlteCtS, every contractor mad MS snare
of the work wonderfully simplified, and the
general consensus Of opinion of all engaged
in the undertaking makes a high compli-
ment for Messrs. Marsh and Peter, as 1t Is
to the effect that theirs were the bes. and
most sensible plans ever met by the con-
tractors in their long experience In such
things.
After the architects had been engaged for
their important mission borings We're made
through the earth at various points on the
site in order to ascertain how deep below
the surface was bed rock, or hard pan,'
which is the designation of closely packed
masses of boulders which rest on bed rock.
These borings discovered hard pan about
thirty feet below the level determined upon
as the bottom Of the foundation, the inter-
vening strata being composed for a long
distance Of tough and tenacious blue clay.
Revelations to Warrington.
This having been determined the work Of
demolishing the old Star building was COM
menced This first step Of the Fuller COM
pany in Washington was a revelation in
methods to the local public. When old
buildings had been previously demolished
here the work had been accompanied by
great clouds of lime and brick dust, filling
lungs and clothing alike of passersoy with
the Injurious particles. These clouds were
noticeable by their absence while The Star
building went down. The condition was due
to the sagacity Of Superintendent Braid.
While the layers of bricks and mortar were
being torn out a spray of water was kept
constantly playing on them. The result was
easier work for the men and unsulied lungs
and clothes for pedestrians. After the old
building was down and the excavation of
the foundation began another striking les
SON was given OF pretty much the same
character.
The blue clay which was mentioned above
was surcharged with moisture and its nat
ural heaviness greatly increased thereby.
Usually profanity, confusion and inhuman-
fty to dumb animals are necessary adjuncts
to such excavations in this vicinity, but
those who watched the work at The Star
office realized that they were easily avoid
able. It was another idea of Superintend-
ent Braid's that he had originally put into
practical operation when he was conducting
for the Fuller company the operations on
the construction Of the big Winnebago
building in Chicago. A steam engine was
Utilized to pull the heavily laden wagons up
tie ipclines which led from the founda-
ton to Pennsylvania avenue and 11th
street. A ring was firmly inserted in the
END Of each wagon tongue and when the
wagon was loaded and ready to depart
hook attached to q strong hemp cable was
placed in the ring, The cable ran up to n
pulley on the avenue and thence to a drum
operated by q donkey engine. When the
signal was given the engine would pump
wagon, the team scramblinG easily up be-
fore it and tho teamster smiling instead Of
swearing.
An Immediate Conversion.
An amusing incident occurred one day
shortly after this welcome novelty became
effective. A Star reporter was watching
the work down many feet below, and at the
bottom of the steep incline up which the
wagons were pulled was a loaded double
wagon. full of blue clay. to which were
hitched mule and horse.
An elderly gentleman who Is prominent for
his humane endeavors was also gazing into