Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

When the Government took over the
work OF completing the washington
Monument It was
monument found necessary, to
Foundation strengthen the foun-
@VuA~A'Ao" dationS under the I'M
finished shaft to care assuredly for the
great pile that was to be assembled.
The Star of July %. 1878. says:
'The preparation of plan for the
strengthening of the foundation Of the
washington Monument is tedious work
and necessarily requires considerable
time Col. Casey and his assistant.
Capt Davis, have proceeded so far that,
though they have not completed their
work. a general idea of the plan which
they will submit to the joint commission
for their approval can be given. Com
petent authorities have given the opin-
lon that the base is not sufficiently
strong for the Monument to be COM
pleted to Its proposed height, 500 feet.
The recent examinations made by Col.
Casey corroborate this opinion. 1t is
known that the base is perfectly able
to sustain the Monument in its present
condition The pressure now upon the
clay below Is five tons 10 the square
foot. II without in any way fixing the
base the pile should be run up to 500
feet the pressure per square foot would
be about eight tons and half. This
1t Is unable TO stand. The plan is to
so strengthen 1t that when 500 feet Is
reached the pressure shall remain as II
now iS---five tons to the foot. In order
to do this the base will be extended lat
orally on either side distance to be
pleted. 1t is also proposed to extend
the base downward. This does not.
however, mean the undermining of the
whole Monument and the downward ex-
tension of the whole base. 1t is in
tended TO make such extension under
the four sides near the edges and not
under the whole base. The depth OF
this extension has not yet been calcu-
lated with exactneSS. Concrete is 10
be used In carrying out this part OF
the plan. Although the officers are
making such haste as can be made in
work which requires so much exact
ness, 1t may be the last of August be-
fore work Is commenced. The founda-
ton Is of Potomac gneisS rock, 81 feet
square, buried 8 feet below the surface.
The height of the present Superstruc-
ture, which is SIS feet square. Is i74
feet. The amount so far expended Is
1891 900 and the amount appropriated
for its completion is $250000 The
Monument will be finished in heavy
blocks of crystal marble from Maryland
laid In courses of about two feet and
backed To the required thickness with
0neiSS to make the inner surface verti-
cal the outer face reeeding at very
slight angle as 1t rises SO as to give
the form of an oheliSk The interior Of
the Monument win be provided with an
iron stairway to enable persons SO de-
string to make the ascent Col. Casey
estimates that the Monument can be
carried TO the proposed height within
two years.
Work was In progress so years ago
upon the excavation for new build
ing for the Bureau of En-
LABOR craving and Printing, A dis
u;n.s pute arose between the la
1i"ts horers and the contractors,
William HusSey and Andrew Gleason,
and for two days, July 26 and az. 1878.
riotous scenes were enacted at the site
at Fourteenth and b streets southwest,
1t was alleged by the recalcitrantS that
the contractors were paying only rs
cents day. a wage which they seorned
as inadequate, demanding $3.50 a day,
Sympathizers assembled and according
10 The star Of July a. 1878, vio-
lent dispute arose between some of
the men who were willing to work for
the lower wages~--the contractors claim.
ing that they had been miSrepresented
and were paying actually 81 and $i,aa
day and those who insisted upon the |
highest scale, Squads of police we're
summoned to dispense the multitude OF
workmen and sympathetic onlookers,
1t was necessary to order police charge
in order to clear the grounds 10 per-
init the beginning OF The work ON the
tachment OF mounted police supple
mented he efforts OF the foot patrol
ana finally scattered the crowd and
six workmen, constituting the force. |