Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-28
PUMPING TO BE STOPPED
ALLEGED DANGEROUS coNDI-
TIoNs AT BUILDING SITE.
Action Taken by District Authorities
"A Number Of Structures Said
to Be Jeopardized.


government discovered today that the con-
tinued pumping OF water from the foun-
dalton of the new Munsey building on E
street northwest between 18th and 14th
streets Is affecting dangerously the other
structures In that block for distance of
100 feet or more on either side even as
far west as the Post building. Consequent
ly orders have been Issued to the con-
tractors in charge of the construction of
the Munsey building that the sump-pit. now
intended to be placed under the cellar floor.
be omitted; that no pumping shall be done
after July Is. and that as soon as the
pumping is discontinued steps be immed
ately taken to restore the National Theater,
from time to time, defects develop.
The unfavOrable conditions encountered in
this block are causing considerable con-
Germ to the building inspector and the Of
f1cials of the engineer department.
month more ago a crack was discovered
in the National Theater due it said.
to the excavation adjoining the playhouse.
where Mr. Frank Munsey intends to erect
new home for the Washington Times.
From a report made by building experts
it was alleged that the trouble was due to
the pumps used by the contractors for the
new building. Water and wet clay were
encountered in the foundation work, and
the pumps were used to enable the con-
tractors to proceed with their construction.
This, it was pointed out served to drain
ton of the adjacent buildings. and the
clay. once drained, began to shrink
The result. according to the experts. was
the crack in the National Theater. Condi-
lions were remedied. 1t was thought. by
ca bles and braces which were used to
strengthen the theater, but Mr.. 8. L.
Thomas. as attorney for Mr.. w. H. Rapley.
manager for the theater. in a letter receiv-
ed by the Commissioners June D. calls at
tention to addition destruction, caused, he
| htinks. by the building operations.
Statement Of Mr.. Thomas.
Mr. Thomas says:
LAS attorney for the owners of the Ma
tional Theater 1 desire to call your atten-
ton to the dangerous condition existing in
that structure due to the building opera
lions on the adjoining lot, and to request
that you take immediate action in the
premises.
Mr.. Rapley has had a committee of
prominent builders examine his theater and
this committee reported to him yesterday
that the work on the adjoining premises
was being done in such a careless manner
as to cause the walls of the theater to settle
and crack, the plaster to fall etc. and thus
render the prosecution of the work of reno
waiting the theater dangerous to life and
limb.
Mr.. Rapley is under contract to open his
theater on August % next, and should he
have to suspend his work of renovating 1t
will put him to great inconvenience and de-
lay besides involving him in litigation. I
therefore earnestly request that you will
cause immediate action to be taken to rem
edy the dangerous condition complained Of
Mr.. Ashford's Views.
Mr.. Ashford the building inspector. to
whom the matter was referred, says:
"' am almost convinced that the
damage to said theater is due to the
changed and shrunken condition of the sub
strata soil a result of the enormous
amount OF water drained from 1t through
the immense excavation made for the Mum
Sey building, and not due to any faulty de-
sign lack of precaution or neglect to use
all ordinary means to secure said theater
by shores. ties. braces, underpinning. jacks
and other means known to the building
trade. l do. however. think that any re-
pairs made to the theater while pumping
operations are in progress at the Munsey
building would be but temporary. and
would not put the theater in safe condition
for occupancy this fall.
Il therefore had an agreement with the
builders of the Munsey building to stop
pumping at noon Friday, June 23 and sus-
pend such operations until noon Monday.
June 26. in order that careful observations
of water pressure and level might be taken
and to discover whether the almost con-
tinuous settlement in the theater was
| rested. But l have just received a report
from the computer-Sunday, June 25-that
the water rose so rapidly In the Munsey ex
cavation that the pumps were again used
to permit the builders to continue opera
lions.
His Recommendation.
II would therefore recommend that the
building owner or his agents be directed to
proceed with all reasonable dispatch to per-
feet the waterproofing of the Munsey
building and to omit the sump-pit now in
tended under the cellar floor of the said
building, and that special direction be given
that no pumping shall be done after July
10, 1905. and that Immediately after this
date steps shall be taken to restore the the
alter from time to time as defects develop,
as required by section Al. l am furthermore
of the opinion that continual pumping will
affect dangerously the other structures on
E street for a distance Of a hundred feet
or more from the Munsey building. even
so far as the Post building"
This recommendation has been approved
by Capt. Chester Harding, assistant en-
gineer commissioner. and Colonel Biddie.
the Engineer Commissioner.