The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-10-10
The East End School

OeclOeu " CioSe up tne east enQ DullO-
ing and on Tuesday arranged for hold
ing Of the two grades in the gymnasium
and manual training building for the
present. In the mean time the men,
bers secured the services of
the state building inspector of the city
Of Denver to come up and inspect the
building. His report follows:
Mr.. Royal R Graham, President Board
of Education, School District No. 5,
Clear Greek county. Colo.
Dear Sir:-In accordance with ar
rangements made with you by telephone
on Wednesday, Oct. 7th, 1908, regard
ing report on the condition and safety
of your East End school building,
visited same on Thursday, Oct. 9Th,
1908, and on careful examination during
the forenoon, found the following con-
ditions. l give these from my own
observations. as it was your intention
that no one should be present to possi-
bly, bias my judgment by "explana-
tions."
1st. found but one evidence of set
tlement: This is at the N. E. angle of
the main buslding. 1t has the appear
ance of having occurred some years ago
probably caused by dripping from the
roof softoning the unprotected ground
At this point. This settlement, how
ever, 10 30 slight that the brick arch
over the adjacent window has not been
disturbed.
End. The stone foundation wall of
east front, and the brick wall of the
superstrueture at the floor line, is
sprung cut OF line at the center Of its
length, 5e of an inch by measurement.
3rd. A similar defect appears IN the
south wall, but to much less extent
found these walls re iniorced and Sc
curely tied across the entire building
by 1-inch iron rods bolted through var
ious lsnGths of channel bars and iron
plates, well bedded against the face of
the walls thus preventing any further
movemsnt of said walls.
4th. l.found the foundation walls,
outside; and under the floors Of the
buildings in excellent condition, with
the exeattion Of the detection above
noted.
5th. The building generally shows
good materials and work, and on the
inside is in excellent condition
9Th. The cause of the detection in
the east and south walls l should at
tribute to the flooding and softening OF
the ground during the erection of the
building, as the entire drainage from
the hill back of the building leads down
against the S. E. angle, discharging
along the east wall.
am led to this conclusion because
the walls are in perfect alignment al
the cornice and there are no breaks OF
any consequence in the pointing of the
stone work. Your explanation of the
possibly bad condition OF the ground
owing to mining operations conducted
here some thirty years ago, seemed tt
me to have no reasonable bearing or
the question, as thsre are no indica
tions, either in the ground or in tht
building Of a giving away of ths
ground, save in the insignificant in
stances above mentioned.
At the afternoon g examination, whel
a number of citizens more or less con
versant with the making of this grount
were present. noted what they had t.
say regarding the matter, and listened
to their expression of their fears as t.
the possible collapse of this ground.
AS understood the matter, th
ground was undermined about SOM
thirty years ago, As or SO #. below tn
present surface, by drift about three
#. by five IT,, which was partially fill
ed up in the usual manner, by boulder
taken from the workings. ! shoul,
judge that the slow process of nature
in filling any excavations, by the nat
ural wash from the extensive wate
shed back of your grounds during the
last thirty years, has been done in Ma
ture's usually thorough manner, ant
while ground extensively mined has
been known to gradually settle, it SEEM
to me from the descriptions given O.
these particular underground workings
and from observation of the presen
condition of the ground and the build
ing erected thereon nine years ago, thai
it will 80 remain indefinitely; and tina
the occupancy and use of the building
is as safe as human judgement could
provide.
1t may be in order here to make
some suggestions about the future
care Of this building, with reference t.
looks.
1t is very neat little school house