Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-25
Critics Of East Front Extension Plan Brush Aside
Need of Facade Repair as Valid Reason for Project
Continued From First Page

I
peares from view, they say, the
work Of the old masters no
longer exists.
Extension advocates, how
ever. insist that erosion, chip
ping and spalling of the front
is destroying before their eyes
the very values they want to
preserve. In addition, much of
the fine detail Of the front al
ready has disappeared beneath
countless coats of paint. They
contend the only way the
original work truly can be
preserved" is by an identical
archaeological reproduction" in
marble. which will remain for
ever.
They propose that the new
wall be built 3212 feet east
ward. This. they say. also per-
mits much Of the present old
facade to be preserved - for
purposes of sentiment - as an
interior wall of the building,
which would be structurally
safe and protected from the
ravages Of weather.
Gap Recalls Fall
The danger sign" most often
cited about the front is a 60
pound piece of sandstone on
the Senate side of the wall
which fell to the ground in
1894. The gap it left near the
central portico is easily seen
from the ground (see photo).
| Another danger sign" was
spotted several years ago by
painters. giving the front one
of its regular four-year coats.
They noticed that one Of the
huge stone capitals" at the
top Of the portico column was
held in place by loops of cable.
One extension opponent
called accounts of these things
"fiictitious," and said they were
isolated excuses" selected in
desperation to prove q danger
which they challenge.
The Capitol's onsul a n t
architects, however. insist these
are facts it would be foolhardy
to ignore. They do not contend
another 60-pound stone will
fall on the heads of Capitol
visitors tomorrow or next year.
But they do contend that these
precedents-and other signs of
weakneSses-give them no log
ical reason to assume that
others wont fall. And they say
there is little chance of spot
ting such an occurrence in adj
vance, without constant inspec-
ton of every stone and orna-
ment.
Fear Hidden Defects
Their main concern. how
ever, is not with obvious de-
fects, easily seen. What they
fear most are things they can't
see-the hidden threat of
dozens of large cracks, bulges
and deterioration buried be-
meath the paint. These things,
they say, are signs of progress
sive decay which eventually
will doom the east front.
The New York engineering
firm of Morgan, Proctor. Nue.
ser & Rutledge recently COM
pleted a study of east front
conditions. They reported nu-
merous "through-wall" cracks
in all parts Of the front which
they said have "a definite con-
tinuity for the height of the
wall"
The engineer experts said
the many cracks had created
such structural conditions that
if the wall received any sudden
shock it was most certain that
many parts of the stone would
fall"
These are their written con-
illusions:
Il. All of the exterior walls
have a large number of vertical
cracks passing through practi-
cally their entire surface.
20. 1t is certain that the
many coats of paint hide a
large number of additional
smaller cracks.
IS. The separation of indi-
vidual parts of the stone
work by the numerous major
cracks has created a condi-
ton throughout most of the
walls that should they receive
a sudden shock or conclusion,
it is most certain that many
parts Of the stone would fall.
Careful Watch Urged
-. Where movement in stone
has occurred in the architrave
and lintels elements Of the
wall near the roof, very care
full watch should be kept and
snoring done, If necessary. to
prevent stone from falling.
IS. In the portico no stone
work above the level of the
capitals should be in any way
disturbed without complete
snoring up of the architrave
concourse.
IS. Extremely close watch
should be kept on the bowed
out north and south sections
Of the main east wall"
The bowed out" sections
refer to a positive bulge which
has been discovered near the
roof line Of the east front. On
the side nearest the Senate. the
bulge extends outward nearly
five inches.
Tn tI,1 ,,o.A a. ..o,o..11.. -.