side) for the great suspension bridge over the Niagara river; also built the Buffalo and Oswego custom-houses by contract, and done much other work both public and private, and have made many estimates and detail propositions, and competed for some of the largest public works and buildings on the continent. Question. Have you examined the work and materials of the Treasury extension, and do you know how the work was to be done? Answer. I have frequently, and more or less since the extension was commenced. I understood the exterior walls were to be of granite, executed in the same style of architecture and character of work as the exterior walls of the original Treasury building, with the exceptions mentioned in the advertisement for proposals.-(See Ex. Doc. No. 96, 1st session 34th Congress.) Question. How does the style and manner of doing the work upon the south and west wings of the Treasury extension compare with the old and original building? Answer. The style is not in full keeping or harmony with the order as executed on the original building. The difference consists in swelling the columns and elaborately moulding that portion which should have been made in plain ashlar work. The locating of the egg and dart mould under the dental course is incorrect and not in accordance with the old cornice. This mould is improperly executed and located in the several pediments. The platform which appears at mid-height of the column in the east portico, with a view to form a balcony, is in bad taste and mars the effect of the order. Also the manner of constructing the work is very materially different, it being much more expensive and not so strong and substantial. The walls in the original building are built in courses of ashlar, with stretchers, headers, and binders, the antæ being formed in and made thereby, which allows the brick backing and cross-walls to be bonded in and on the ashlar work, as the same progresses, which insures a more workmanlike and substantial job. While on the extension (having reference to that portion from the bed of the plinth or string-course on the several fronts) very little if any ashlar work is done. The antæ or pilasters are formed in one entire piece, thirty-one feet six inches high or long. The side facings to the windows are formed by setting slabs of granite endwise, which extend from the sill course to the cap. The wall face between the antæ or pilasters at the angles of the building, with two exceptions, is made by setting slabs of granite endwise, of the same length as the antæ. The finish under, at the sides, between, and over the window openings, simply butt against the antæ or pilasters, thereby making a continuous vertical joint from the base course to the facia of the architrave of the cornice, (a height of full thirty-three feet.) By this manner and character of work all headers and binders are excluded from the walls, which prevents the bonding with the brick backing and the cross-wall, and also makes the whole work less secure and not as substantial as the walls of the old building. By this extravagant manner of constructing walls the entire weight of all the superincumbent and internal structures is mostly thrown upon the brick backing and cross-walls; when the exterior as well as the interior walls should be made to bear their relative proportion of the weight of said structures in order to secure the best and the most permanent work. Question. Describe the moulded work upon the extension, and how it has enhanced the cost beyond what it would have been if the work had been done like that on the old building. Answer. Not having the outlines of all the various kinds of mouldings wrought on the extension, I will not be able to show the basis of computation on many of them. I will, however, apply the rule of prices for stock, cutting, (and a fair price for setting) one of the pilasters, as I understand the contractors are entitled by the terms of their contract and their basis of computations.-(See Ex. Doc.. No. 96, 34th Congress, pages 10, 91, 92.) Stock.-Pilaster, 31 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. by 2 ft. 8 in. = 336 ft. 336 30 maximum 306 × & c., $2 30 × 44 c. maximum cost per c. ft. = $2 741⁄2 c. × 336 Cutting.-176 ft. 6 in., sup. ft., No. 1 hammering, at 80 cts. 6 ft., sup. ft., bottom scotia, 1 curve, at $1 60. 12 lineal ft. arris, at 20 cts. ..... 5 ft. 10 in., sup. ft., top scotia and astragal, 2 curves, at $2 40.... 6 ft. 2 in., lineal ft., arris, at 20 cts. 20 ft. 8 in. beds, at 18 cts 94 ft. 6 in. rebate, at 90 cts .... $922 32 $141 20 9 60 2.40 14.00 1 23 3 72 85 05 257 20 An anta in ashlar work of the same size, which effects the same design, and would be much more substantial and workmanlike, costs as follows: Courses to be 1 foot 6 inches high; stretchers, 1 foot 3 inches on the bed; binders, 1 foot 9 inches on the bed; headers, 2 foot 3 inches on the bed. Stock.-21 courses, averaging 9 ft. 4 in., 189 c. ft. 189 ft. at 44 cts per c. ft..... Cutting.-160 ft. 3 in., sup. ft., at 80 cts.... 6 lineal ft., bottom scotia, 1 curve, at 6 lineal ft., arris, at 20 cts. $83 16 $128 27 9 60 Setting.-189 cubic ft., at 30 cts. per cubic ft. 56 70 384 30 Question. Have you examined the buttress caps on the south portico of the Treasury extension, and made computations as to their cubic contents; and what the stock would cost at the prices stated in the contract, and computed by the rule of computations as shown in the synopsis of bids and proposals?-(Ex. Doc. 96, 34th Congress, 1st session, page 10.) Answer. I have examined the buttress caps, and made such computations in accordance with said rule, to wit: Buttress cap.-18 ft. 3 in. by 17 ft. 6 in. by 1 ft. 9 in. = 558 ft. 10 in. 10 mum 529 ft. by &c. = $396 558.... Cutting.-273 ft. 4 in., sup. ft., No. 1 hammering, at 80 cts... 293 ft. sup. bed, No. 3 hammering, at 559 ft. 30 maxi75 by 44 c. $440 75 by $2,463 79 $298 67 140 64 5 95 67 ft. 6 in. sup. moulding in 3 curves, 215 00 162 lineal ft. arris, at 20 cts. 32 40 692 66 3,156 45 167 70 29 ft. 9 in. build, at 20 cts. per sup. ft. Setting.-559 cubic ft., at 30 cts. per cubic foot........ 3,324 15 Question. Then you say that $3,324 15 is the maximum cost of the buttress caps under any fair view of the contract with Beals & Dixon? Answer. Beals & Dixon had nothing to do with the setting. They can be fairly allowed no more than $3,156 45, it being for stock and cutting. Question. Suppose the mouldings upon the antæ or pilasters carry price to the whole stone, what would be the effect upon the cost of having them all in one piece? Answer. Upon the antæ and all similar work the effect would be to raise the cost from two to six times beyond what it would be if H. Rep. Com. 137-3 in ashlar work, and as much beyond what is the custom of the trade, or what the contract would authorize.-(See Ex. Doc. 96, page 91, 1st session 34th Congress.) Question. Do you know of a roof having been put upon the Treasury extension which proved a failure? If so, state the effect upon the ceilings, &c., and whether a good architect or builder would have done such work. Answer. I do know of a roof being put upon the Treasury extension which leaked badly, and the effect was to seriously damage the ceil ings and stucco work in the several stories below, which have since been repaired. No first class architect or builder would have done such work. It certainly proved a failure, as I noticed last season the taking off of this roof and replacing it with another. Question. How long had a slate roof ought to last on a building if properly put on? Answer. With ordinary repairs slate roofs will last indefinitely. I know buildings built many years ago where the roofs have not had to be replaced or even repaired. A hundred years is not a long time for a slate roof to last if properly cared for. Question. Would it be proper to speak of the slate roof put on the south wing of the Treasury extension as "an old roof?" Answer. Not unless you would call the south wing "an old building." JUNE 22, 1862. Committee met. Present: Messrs. Sargent, Wall, and Chamber lain. C. B. CLUSKEY sworn and examined: Question. What is your profession? Answer. An architect and civil engineer. Question. Have you ever been employed to design and superintend the construction of public buildings, and other public works? And if so, state some of the buildings and works upon which you have been engaged. Answer. I designed the Government House at Milledgeville. Georgia, and the Medical College of Georgia, at Augusta, and superintended the erection of the latter, (vide Sherwood's Gazetteer, it the Congressional Library;) designed the court-houses of Scriven and Baldwin counties, in that State. The original plan of the court-house in the city of Savannah was altered by me, at the desire of the justices of the court, and was the consulting architect during its ereetion. The original plan of the custom-house in that city was designed by me, and I also designed and superintended the erection of one of the orphan asylums of that city. I was the surveyor and engineer of the city of Savannah, and subsequently of this city for years, and as such superintended and directed all improvements connected with these offices. I was employed by the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the 30th Congress to examine and report on the condition of the public buildings in this city, (vide report No. 90, 30th Congress, 2d session.) That Congress appropriated $30,000 towards the completion of the City Hall in this city, and on my alteration of the original plan the improvement was carried out. The custom-house at Galveston, Texas, was designed by me, Congress having authorized, in 1859, the adoption of my plan in place of the one prepared at the office of construction, although the work on the building had, to some extent, progressed. Since then I have been employed by the corporations of Washington and Georgetown on the improvement of the channel of the river, and designed and superintended the erection of the central guard-house for the corporation of Washington. Question. What connexion or opportunities for knowledge have you had with the extension of the treasury building? Answer. Proposals having been invited in June, 1855, for furnishing all the materials for the exterior walls of the south wing, I aided in preparing estimates for material and labor, agreeably to the advertisement. and the drawings, specifications, and bill of quantities prepared in the office of construction, copies of which were handed to me and, I presume, to such others as were interested in the contract. My business with that department since then, and particularly during the years 1858, '59, and part of '60, having frequently carried me to the building, I then and since have noticed the work and the manner in which it is being constructed and progressing. Question. Do you know the nature of the original plans for the extension of the building; by whom they were prepared; were they sufficiently full for an architect to prepare such working drawings, specifications, and bills of quantities by as to enable him to compute accurately, so as to arrive at close estimates of cost; were they adopted by Congress, and is the work being executed and the architecture of the building being carried out agreeably to them? Answer. The plans for the extension consisted of principal floor plan, geometrical elevations, and perspective of the south and west. fronts; were prepared by Thomas U. Walter, and were sufficiently full for any competent architect to prepare such working drawings, specifications, and bills of quantities by as were necessary to enable him, or any competent expert, to arrive at close estimates of cost. The plans were approved by Congress, but the work is not being executed or the architecture of the building carried out agreeably to them. Question. In what consists the difference? Answer. The approved plan was in strict conformity with the architecture of the original; the colonade then erected fronting on 15th street, whilst the south and west fronts, the former recently finished and the latter now in course of construction, and the portico. "in antis," also recently finished, which connects with the south end of the colonade, are not. Many of the distinguishing characteristic features of the style being altered and others, somewhat grotesque, introduced or substituted, none of which are admissible where a proper appreciation of the best models and correct taste prevails. |