The Washington herald., 1908-06-18
PUTTING IN GRANITE
Treasury East Front and Col
Onnade Replaced.
LARGE FORCE OF MEN AT WORK
when the COntrac. Is Completed the
Last Vestige OF stone Material
Qunrried I'm This Vicinity for the
Treasury VIII Have Disappeared.
Plans for Using Old Pillars.

After the soft sandstone east front OF
the Treasury building and its lofty
colonnade Of thirty massive Ionic sand
stone monoliths have been replaced by
granite, there viii not be anything left
on the exterior which was a part Of the
old structure.
Another remarkable fact viii be that
with the removal OF the sandstone parts.
which were quarried from Acqula Creek.
Va, the last vestige Of stone building
material in the building produced in this
part OF the country VIII have disap-
peared. The Treasury building. after It
is finished. will have 'beeY erected with
new granite. brought from Maine and
New Hampshire.
Erected I'm 1888.
The old part was erected IN 1888. under
the direction of Robert Mills. architect.
and was completed IN August. 1889. being.
therefore. nearly seventy years old. II
has been claimed the sandstone was
dead, and that it was deemed advisable
to replace II with granite This theory
is ridiculed by experts. who declare that
sandstone acquires hardness and tough
ness with age. They call attention to the
medieval sandstone castles in Europe for
substantiation OF their theory.
The second session OF the Fifty-nInth
Congress appropriated a total OF 1850. 600
FOR repair OF east front Of the Treasury
building, including substitution OF granite
for the soft stone used in the east front
Of the building" The contract calls for
the completion Of the work by December
l, and unless complications arise. the con-
tractors see no reasons why the work
should not be finished by that time. The
north, west, and south facades OF the
Ionic Greek building are adorned with
large portieos, the pediments OF which
arC supported by eight huge monolithic
granite columns Of the Ionic order. The
granite pillars, as well as all the granite
pilasters and blocks in the construction
OF the north. west, and south wings were
QuarTied on Dix Island. near Rockland,
Ne. and brought 20 Washington in sail
ing vessels. where they were cut and
dressed on the grounds. a large number
Of expert stone-cutters and sculptors do
ing the work
The new columns for the east side are
being quarried IN New Hampshire. and
will be cut and dressed and finished.
ready for erection
A large number OF workmen are en-
gagged at present cutting out the old
sandstone wall and erecting hoisting
machines and derricks TO be used in
placing the granite facing. and putting
up the new columns as soon as they
are ready for them.
Place Them in Park.
No final disposition has as yet been
made Of the old sandstone columns.
which are hard as rock. The idea has
been suggested 10 place them in Potomac
Park. where they might be used in con-
nection with a bandstand to be erected
there. other suggestions have reached
the Office OF Capt Bromwell, who is IN
charge Of the public buildings. but he
has made no final decision as to what
shall be done with the monoliths.
There is also other broken stone OF
large size and iron railing, which. in all
likelihood. will be disposed of at public
auction as soon as the work OF taking
down the sandstone part has been fin
ished.