The Washington times., 1911-08-18
He Explains To Conductor
How The Big Shaft
Takes In Air.
CHANGES HEIGHT
WITH THE SEASONS
Shorter In Summer Than 1t Is In
The Winter
time.

Ever hear the story about how the
Washington Monument ''breathes,
sometimes Just like a fish out of water,
and at others not SO much? Or how 1t
gets shorter and more lopsided In the
summer than in the winter?
A fellow started to tell the story to
a conductor on an owl car early this
morning, and the conductor put him Off.
Did 1t in the interest of the service, he
explained. The conductor called up
police headquarters when he went off
duty, and asked If a harmless lunatic
answering to the description of the
man whom he had unceremoniously
showed off his car had been picked up
by any of the bluecoats If he hasn't
the conductor advised, the police de-
partment had better get busy.
But Ii Is fact that the nations
tallest obelisk. erected in memory of
the Father of His Country, breathes, al
though there is nothing on the inside
of 1t that looks like a set of respiratory
organs. This fact would have come
out long ago II the Washington Monu-
ment had been supplied with a press
agent the same as some other Govern
ment departments in this town.
SlOIIeI IN summer.
Army men who are still sticking to
the lead pencil and scratch paper meth
cd of making calculations rather than
shifting this work on the adding ma
chimes have shown that the Monument
Is shorter in the summer than in the
winter. This looks rather impossible
at first glance. Looks as If the expan-
sion caused by so much heat striking
the granite surfaces of the 565-foot
tower would make 1t taller in the sum
mer than along about Christmas time.
But right there is where the mathe-
maticiGns have proved that the casual
observer is mistaken. II the sun would
only shine on all four sides OF the
Monument at the same time and with
the same intensity, then the old-time
rule governing the tracks of a railroad
would hold good. But 1t doesn't.
Old Sol never sheds his hot rays on
more than two sides Of the obelisk dur
the same day. The granite on these
upward. The stone on the remaining
Two sides, which retains its normal size,
does not bulge the mi.lionth part OF
an inch. On the contrary, 1t does its
position. AS the heated surfaces go
upward, they. in turn, are drawn toward
the cool sides. and the giant obelisk
consequently is warped.
Makes a Bow.
The Monument makes a regular bow.
Not the kind you see in the moving
pictures OF the coronation, but a regu-
lar little curtsey that the eighteenth
century writers told about
The expansion and contraction of the
many tons of granite which constitute
the Monument really does make the
obelisk CULVER from base to capstone,
and 1t breathes with the greatest Of ir-
regularity.
AS to how much the Monument in
clines from side TO side, mathematicians
differ. Their calculations vary from
l inch to Al inches.
A copper wire has been placed in the
Monument with a view of keeping close
tab on the movements of the structure.
The wire is suspended from the center
of gravity of the Monument, which Is
about 175 feet above the door sill. To
the end Of the wire is 25-pound brass
plumb bob. The bob is placed in a
bucket Of water. to prevent outside con-
ditions from interfering with its work.
Microscopic telescopes are used in
watching the wire, and 1t has been
found that the obelisk sways to
noticeable extent, just like the street
car passenger was trying to explain
when the conductor threw him of.