The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-03-21
rebuild m GRANITE
NATIONAL TREAsuRv BUILDING
TO HAVE NEW FRONT.
Sandstone Originally Used IN IL Con-
structton Has Not stood the Test
OF Time and Must Be
Replaced

The treasury at Washington 10 10
come down. Within q few weeks the
demolition will be begun. and the his
toric edifice-all OF H. that Is TO say.
that stood before the civil war-will
be reduced 10 a wreck. the entire front.
including the 80 great Ionic pillars up
holding the roof OF the Fifteenth street
facade. being torn away.
For THE purpose congress has APP
propriated $4,000. The contract has
been awarded TO a New York firm.
and quarrying has already boen begun
at Milford. ~. H.. for granite which 10
to take the place OF the sandstone OF
the present structure.
This sandstone which was brought
from Acduia creek, In Virginia, Ia
1910, is poor stun. and shows dispo-
sition 10 disintegrate. Large chunks
of the portico have been falling from
pies heads. and It was finally decided
that the whole facade. pillars and all.
would have TO be removed and re-
placed with stronger material
II will be- understood that the treas.
ury as IL stood in the '40s and early
sos, was a long building. fronting on
Fifteenth street and OF no great depth,
ton OF the east side OF the huge rec
tanguiar structure occupied by the
financial department OF the govern
ment.
AS originally erected IL was a copy
Of the Temple OF Pallas Minerva at
Athens, and It's site was chosen by
that irascible and obstinate old gen.
tieman, Andrew Jackson. Congress
left the matter to him. and one day.
as II Is related. he walked over from
the White House. thrust his cane into
the ground, and said:
This is the best place for the build,
ing. Put It here!"
Now. the intention had always been
that Pennsylvania avenue should run
in straight and undertaking line. In
fact 1t had always done so up to that
time. extending directly from the capt.
tol past the front door OF the White
House, which In those days was on
the south front OF the presidents
dwelling, and not on the north as at
present. But the building OF the treas.
ury in this badly chosen spot broke
the avenue in two. so that It loses
itself for a couple of blocks In a man
ner puzzling TO the stranger in Wash
ington.
Which reminds one TO say that Wis
itors at the national capital are much
impressed. not unnaturally, by the In.
formation, conveyed to them by pro
fessional guides. that the gigantic pill.
lars which uphold the roofs Of the por
ticos on the north. south and west
sides of the treasury. are monoliths.
the largest In the world, each OF them
being hewn out OF single block OF
granite.
They are further astonished when
told that these pillars were brought
all the way from Dix Island. near
Rockford. In Maine. being put aboard
sailing vessels, landed az Georgetown.
and hauled to the building site by
teams OF Is oxen.
The treasury as Il stands today Is
a building OF granite-save only for
the old and original sandstone struc
ture which. as already explained
forms the middle section OF its east
side. II Is now intended to remove
the entire front OF this ancient edifice
Additionally speaking. there will
be no alterations; II Is simply a mat
ter OF substituting one material for
another. However. incidental to the
operation. the sandstone pillars, which
are composed OF series OF superposed
cylindrical sections. will be replaced
by granite monoliths.