Evening star., 1921-01-29
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
APPROACHES SINK;
$363,0)O IS ASKED
Additional Appropriation by
Congress Necessary, Com
mission Declares.
$4,000 DAMAGE CAUSED
ALREADY BY CONDITION
Main Building, However, Is Not
Affected-Had Changed Plans
for Economy.

Atfected-Had Changed flanS
for Economy.
Settlement of the foundations OF the
terrace and approaches around the
Lincoln Memorial already having
caused damage of $4,000 the memorial
commission, at it's meeting today,
asked Congress for an additional ap-
preparation of $363,oo0 to install un-
derpinning for the sinking foundations
and to repair the damage already DONE
The foundations of the main me-
mortal building extend down to bed
rock, and that structure is in no way
affected by the settling of the ap-
proaches and terraces. Mai. c. S. Rid
ley estimates that the additional work
required will take at least four
months to complete, after the con-
tracts have been let, and this will cause
a delay in the dedication plans.
Former President Taft, who presid-
ed as chairman at today's meeting.
said that for this reason the commls-
sion did not attempt to set date
for the dedication, but that it had
been agreed the ceremony should
take place while Congress was In
session.
Chairman Taft transmitted the re-
port of Maj. Ridley to the Secretary
of the Treasury with a letter which
showed that the original plans con-
templated deep foundations for the
terrace and approaches as well as for
the memorial building itself. but had
later been changed in the hope OF
effecting an economy. His letter 10
the Secretary was as follows:
Report Sent to Treasurer.
Those present at today's meeting Of
the commission. which was held in the
Senate office building. were Chairman
Champ Clark. Representative Joseph
G. Cannon, John Temple Graves. the
resident commissioner, and H. A. Vale,
secretary to the commission.
In his report Of the amount needed
Mai. Ridley fixed $13S,000 as the
amount needed for putting new foun-
dations under the terrace. $150,000 for
new foundations under the approaches
and $4,000. for repairs. contingencies
and the architects commission. II
the amount asked for is granted 1t
will bring tho total amount 2ppropr5S'
ated for the Lincoln Memorial upFto
On behalf Of the Lincoln Mo,
mortal Commission and by It's direc-
tion T. hereby respectfully request
that you transmit the following sup
Elemental estimate for the completion
OF the Lincoln Memorial in West Po-
tomac Park:
Do Not Want Law Amended.
"a situation newly developed re-
quires that the sums OF the expendf-
ture authorized by the original act,
the urgent deficiency act Of February
2s, 1916. for the completion OF the me-
mortal and its approaches, should be
exceeded.
"It is hoped that in order to ex-
pedite the work this estimate may
be included in the pending sundry
civil bill by a suspension of the rules,
without a formal amendment to the
existing law.
"The circumstances requiring this
supplemental estimate are as follows:
"The memorial as originally de-
signed was provided with foundations
Of rock. and these foundations have
factory. The approaches: including
a terrace wall sustaining the ap-
proaches, having no relation to the
main structure and contributing in
no degree TO its support, were also
provided with foundations Of rock.
"The plan for the foundation of the
approaches. however. was changed.
This came about as follows:
..Col. Cosby, then Army engineer in
charge Of the work under. the com.
mission. suggested in July, 1913. to
the architect Mr.. Bacon. that the
deep foundations under the ap-
proaches to the terrace wall. having
no relation to the main structure.
might be unnecessary and that a
spread slab concrete foundation
would be entirely satisfactory. Mr..
Lincoln. the civil engineer of Mr..
Bacon. the architect. agreed to this
suggestion and a plan of this char
acter of foundation for the terrace
wall of the approaches was prepared
and approved by the Secretary of
War on July Is. 1913.
Settlement Was Watched.
"The recommendations Of Col Cosby
and Of Mr.. Lincoln and adopted by the
Secretary Of War were based on the
result Of elaborate borings into the
site upon which the approaches were
to be constructed. This site was filled
ground which had been consolidating
for from nine to thirty-four years.
The change avoided very considerable
expenditure for the foundations to rock
for the terrace wall. 1t was expected
by the engineers that the terrace wall
and the approaches would settle. and
this settlement was provided for to
the extent which their judgment die
tated.
"The design is the standard form
of foundation where limited settle
ment can easily be adjusted. II sue
cessful it usually saves large amounts
of money. especially where rock or
other solid stratum is far below the
surface Of the earth.
THE settlement began as expected
and was watched carefully by the
architect and engineers. who did not
at first think it serious SO far as it
had gone. especially as the wall was
in perfect alignment.
A careful study Of the curves Of the
made BY Col. Ridley and BY M.
Bacon and his engineer shows that
the settlement has not stopped. but
is going on at a aecreasinE rate that
be from 1t to inches during the
nresAnt year, and that the present
rafeof settlement of those portions
Of the wall first installed is about 20
per cent of the average rate. Their
tinuation of the settlement. is that
NO prediction can be made that it
viii, stop within a year. and that
while these approaches and the steps
and wall. which are part of Them
will safely stand the present years
settlement, it would not be wise to
permit the settlement to go on In
definitely.
Money for Approaches Only.
.-They therefore recommend that a
deficiency appropriation should be Sc.
cured for the completion OF the ter.
race wall and masonry approaches to
the Lincoln Memorial. as below set
at cannot be too strongly enpha-
sized, in order to avoid misapprehen-
sion. that the underpinning Tor which
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