Evening star., 1902-08-18
THAT TOWERING STACK
BIG PILE OF BRICK AND CEMENT
TO BE REMOVED.
Plan Adopted Whereby the Danger is
Believed to Be Minimized-
Use Of Dynamite.

The problem involved in the removal of
the towering smokestack on the site of the
new District building, at 14th and E streets
northwest. 1t is thought has at last been
solved 1t was believed that this consum-
nation had been reached some ten days
ago, when bids were opened by the Com
missioners for the clearance of the site and
a contract entered into with James L. Kar-
rick Mr.. Karrick is regarded as an expert
remover" having recently demolished
with rapidity the old Foundry Church
building, at 14th and G streets, to make
room for the Walsh Office structure. He
proposed to blow the old chimney from its
foundations with several sticks of dyna-
mite. He intended to fasten a rope around
the top of the stack, with the pull toward
the avenue, so as to provide for a fall in
that direction, rather than toward D street,
where houses are in close proximity. Mr..
Karrick furthermore, proposed to pay the
District $50 for the privilege Of tearing
down the chimney and clearing away the
granite foundations Of the massive ma
chtnery that once operated the cables from
Georgetown to the navy yard and from
Mount Pleasant to the Baltimore and Ohio
depot. Contractor Karrick was to be sols
owner of the debris, and expected to be
more than repaid for his outlay.
Danger Of Damage.
The property owners along D street be-
came somewhat alarmed over the outlook.
Mr.. Taylor, the supervising architect of the
treasury who is acting with the District
Commissioners and the Secretary Of the
Treasury on the District building commits
sion. also became timorous. 1t was feared
that the fall of the towering mass Of brick
and cement might prove too much OF
shock for the neighborhood. The explosion
of the dynamite, followed by the thunder
GUS thud of the falling debris, It was point
ed out, might not only seriously damage
the water and gas mains In the vicinity
but might so jar the neighborhood as TO
break china, glassware and window panes.
Mr.. Taylor suggested to the District au-
thorities that it would be well to have
about fifty or sixty feet of the chimney at
the top removed before the dynamite was
used BY diminishing the height, 1t was
argued, the danger would be reduced. The
area of the fall of debris, it is believed, will
be materially lessened in this way, as will
the shock.
tion of Supervising Architect Taylor to Mr..
! G. B. Hunt, the District computing en-
| gineer, who has charge of the matter Mr.
Hunt sent for Contractor karrick to talk
| the matter over.
"Karrick," he said, you'll have to take
| a little bit off the top old man."
mo sooner said than agreed to-, replied
Mr. Karrick with bland smile. But--
| he added, and Mr.. Hunt looked up.
| Tell me the worst suggested the com
| putting engineer.
Taking a little bit of the top means q
little bit off the price I agreed to pay yor
| folks for the leavings," said the contractor
| Mr.. Hunt said he realized this was only
| too true and just, beside, so an arrange
| ment has been entered into whereby the
| District instead of receiving $6O from ths
| contractor will have to pay that gentleman
1 ean fNv v fro Va
| involved in removing by hand labor fifty ol
sixty feet Of the top portion Of the chin
! new By means of the ladders on the In
| side and outside of the chimney 1t Is be
| lieved this work can be done without tht
| erection Of scaffolding.
Date Not Made Public.
| Just when the blasting will be done de
| pends upon the time required to remove tbs
| top section. The date of the final demoli
| ton Of the old eye-sore will not be an
! nounced as the contractor and the Commis
| sioners do not desire the assemblage of E
| crowd on the scene. A crowd would in
| crease the likelihood Of accident and 1t !;
| desired to do the work in absolute SAFETY.
| Haf-pound charges Of dynamite Will b'
used 80 as to provide minimum concus
| sion. If the first charges are not enectlV'
| the same amount will be used again ant
| again until the base Of the stack hnall!
| gives away and is thrown to the earth. I'M
| engine beds will also be blasted out The.
are very heavy and will require much work
| Contractor Karrick will clear the site ab
solutely.