Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-30
Walls Demolition to Make
Way for Park Practically a
Confession to Faulty Con-
struction.
"Safe Bet No Dynamite Will Be
Needed to Tear Them Apart"
Veteran Building Wrecker De-
clares.


League Island Park at cost Of more
than S25O,OcO to the taxpayers. which
three noted engineers condemned has at
last confessed mis- ork vas faulty BY
his orders squads of lahorers have torn
down practically the entire structure.
Only small parts Of the cracked wall
are stu visible. Expenditures for the
park thus far have been about s15oo.oN
Laborers In the park frankly admitted
today that demolishing the wall wasn't
q difficult job. One man ventured to de-
clare the Job was the easiest he had
encountered in years, because Of the
faulty material with which the structure
was built.
Less than four months ago, after
board OF experts assigned by Director
Cooke, OF the Department of Public
Works, had submitted report which
stated that the walls were worthless
because of many cracks assures and
holes in them. Senator Ware made this de-
Tense:
THE wall is a handsome structure and
there is nothing wrong
III face Of conclusive proof furnished by
the experts. composed OF such men as
Frederick w. Taylor, Of this city, for
merly consulting engineer Of the Midvale
Steel Company; Richard L. Humphrey,
president OF the American Concrete In
sttute, and Allen Hazen, Of the firm OF
Hazcn & Whipple, consulting engineers
of New York, Ware issued emphatic de-
mails of their grave charges.
Later the Senator employed corps OF
engineers whose identity he refused TO
make public. The engineers were de-
tailed to make inspection OF the near
concrete walls" The report OF the Sem
ator's private Investigators was never
made public
The Senator has made many trips in
his automobile down 70 League Island
since the work Of razng the walls was
begun. The demolition, which many res
idents in South Philadelphia decste is
disgrace TO this Gty, as besdn last
July .'.)
From his automobile. workmen de-
clared today. Senator Ware no doubt had
an excellent chance t. view the cracked
walls made of impurities. He also could
see the worthless walks from that van
tage point.
DYNAMITE NOT NEEDED.
In the group OF vorkmen detailed in
the park this morning was veteran
building wreckcr and all-around laborer
This man. who has worked on many
municipal construction jobs frankly de-
clared that. owing to the poor gravel
used, it was a sure oct that dynamite
wouldn't be needed
The fellow who had the contract for
putting these things up-1 mean those
%aiISmee,.alhIy wa -. @ must nave seen ms blum
ewes and knows tbiE. nr ~ 'o sboa,t
concrete will say that there is some
thing wrong with this job Only blind
Hiati Conc tI'l ten me olHeTence'
.., StlaIor tstIe mas the contract t2r pro
+I5 W.. S"7 VIZ III N"S Ta'A' n
cause his bid Of 500 900 was the lowest
II vas learned Iohey ''at one OF Ihe
Hrst discoveries oE LaooFeFs ana others
aetai!eh 10 tear down the walls was taat
the structure around the laSoons was
aeieCtVe. TINS fset vas also pointed ou'
The three investigators, Nho condemned
the structure as a piece ot patchwork,
also brought forth proof n show that for
concrete The contractor used an unwoshed
gravel. fairly well graded but full of i'm
purities, which tended To impair the quail
fly Of the concrete made from H. Another
Interesting feature Of the investigators
disclosures was that the gravel contained
wood luurs Of CLAW utcrar NJ coal and
.3ra vs-v sra material na~r NJ which
was organic matter
The walks also SHOW -IEnz ~r moor
workmanship. Many u rherr az con-
atr,,rrel bv tho Soratr- ycfr ro,. ~ he
rebuilt because they are defective.
r,r-,,r,>--, -,,.p--.s, ~,~,.,-,r.- .-,-,--,.
RUSHING PAFN = COMPLETION.
Everything Is now being done by Di-
rsctor Cooke 10 bring errr+ the com
-, - ,.l-r .-.
PN-''" % ,"7 '''" '''-.' N''' "' tHi'a-
dsiphia's rltuTe recreation +Epund for
children and adults u is expected the
.,rs mill ~. rs75.- for ,,s- r-- 49,. ~
HST
ne ne" 'yH1' t-l a' 'tI.t-' ~ senator
var ,1.s -"L Et1 Wsh,' atl"a1S
paysNetls' -aa .I''s 1nl a.'" -0.i4 side
Walks pHI TOY t"7 H.Hn NJ constructed
"heh '"e NT"L Eo'Ir Ir-'e "a-S were
put up. EIass "auNs, .',''F Walks ana
otheE .hptoNrtIs.t9 W. D' constructed
~ Is also p."nns' 20 H7Fs "1AinF
WhsIe ] slI.s anu D'y' can nave nun D"
Following the disclosures mada last