378 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Decesibek, 



siirro'ind the square on wliich it stanils. It is of the darlc frecstonn of the 

 Potomac. The tuiUling already completed has a superh portico of the Doric 



order. 



The General Post Office, of white marhle, is a magnificent liiiildinR, orna- 

 iiiPiited with pilasters, and an cntahlature of tlie Corinthian order. The 

 edifii-e already occupies the front and part of two otlier sides of a square. It 

 is untiiiislied, hut when completed will be one of the most splendid buildings 

 in the United States. 



T/ie Capitol is finely situated, commanding a view of the city, with the 

 suiriiundinp country, and the river Potomac. It is 352 feet long in front, 

 and its greatest height 145 feet. The Hall of the Representatives is of a 

 half-circular form. The dome rises above an entablature, supported by 24 

 Ccrinlhian cidnraiis of variegated u;arble (somelimes called pudding stone), 

 from the hanks of the Potomac." 



At Baltimore we find — 



•' The Roman Catholic Cathedral, planned by I.atrobe. It is of the 

 Ionic order ; 190 feet in length, 117 feet wide, and 127 feet high, to the top 

 of the dome." 



For want of siimething: lietter we shfll extract what is said of 

 the public squares and walks of the United States, to wliich more 

 attention is now paid, a gratifying proof of the progress of taste. 



" The citizens of New York have at length become aware of the beauty and 

 salubrity of public squares. St. Jobn's-park, Washington-square, Union- 

 square, and several others in recently-built parts of Ibe city, aie tastefully 

 ornauienlcd with trees and shrubbery, affording sweet green spots for the 

 eye to rest upon, as a relief from the glare of brick walls and dirty pave- 

 ments. 



Every city should make ample provision for spacious public squares. Trees 

 of ever'v variety, shrubs, flowers, and evergreens, should decorate these 

 gronnds, and fountains throw up their sparklinf, waters, contrasting Iheir 

 pure white marble with the deep green foliage. Here, beneath the shaded 

 walks, the inhabitants might ei.joy the sweet air, the children spoit upon the 

 fresh grass, and all lie refreshed and cheered by the sight of beautiful natural 

 oliects. Here the y(jung and old might meet to ' drive dull care away,' and 

 lose for a few brief iVioments the calculating money. making plans that almost 

 eonstanllv usurp American thought and feeling. 



The Boston Common is the most spacious pleasure ground in the United 

 States. Seventy-five acres were appropriated by the early 'fathers of the 

 town' for this purpose, on the condition that it should ever remain devoted 

 in this way to public convenience and comfort. The same venerable elms 

 which shaded the patriots of the revolution, still wave over the heads of 

 tbeir successors, and fresh young trees are planted from year to year by the 

 side of the new gravelled walks, rendered necessary by the rapidly increasing 

 population of the city. The undulatiiig ground of tbe common gives it a 

 pi. asing diversity of hill and vale, and the little lake or pond near the centre 

 adds to its picturesque beauty. 



The New York Battery, though much smaller, is very delightful, aflfording 

 a view of the magnificent harbour, gemmed with its beautiful islands. Con- 

 venient seats are placed about Ibe battery, that its numerous visitors may 

 quietly enjoy the cooling breezes from the ocean, beneath the grateful shade 

 of the trees. It is one of the loveliest spots in the world. 



The jiublic squares of Philadelphia are incalculably important to the health 

 of the city. Beneath the dense foliage of \V.i5hington-square, crowds of 

 nierrv children enjoy, unmolested, their healthful spoits. Witbin tbe indo- 

 sure of Independence-square was first promulgated the Declaration of Inde- 

 pendence. Franklin-square has in the centre a fountain, falling into a hand- 

 some white marble basin. Penn, Logan, and Kitlenhouse-squarcs are also 

 ornamental to the city. 



Tbe New Haven. green has been justly celebrated as one of the most beau- 

 tiful public squares in this country. Its elms are remarkably fine ; it has 

 lecently been enclosed with a light and ta^telul iron railing, which adds 

 much to its beauty. 



Many of our large cities are entirely destitute of snch green retreats. 

 Gardens and tquaiesarc so necessary to the health, as well as tbe eiij lyment 

 of ibose who are shut up in the close streets of a city, that it should he 

 considered an iuipeiative duty to provide them for ail classes of the inha 

 hitants." 



The following shows the resources available to tlio architect in 

 the United States : — 



'■'Granite, a primary rock, nmy be called the /(iHHi/a/w/i-sfoHe of the 

 lartli. Its constituent parts are quartz, feldspar, and mica, ll is a liard 

 and bnllle stone, but witb much labour ina) he worked into capilala and 

 oiher oroameulal parts of a building. It abounds in the New liugland 

 .•Mates, esp'ciallj in New Hampshire aud Masoachuselta. A beautiful 

 while granite is iherc quarried, and employed in buildms at home, and 

 sent lo dislaul parts of the Union. The United States liank is of this 

 white granite; the market house at Boston, some line dwelling-houses iu 

 New York, and many other edifices there and elsewhere. 



Sieiiile is often called granite, from its resemblance to it ; feldspar and 

 hornblende predominate in its composition. It is even more difficult than 

 (;rnniie lo chisel into ornamenlal work. The fine quarry of ibis sioiie at 

 Q.iincy, near Itosion, has given it ihe name of Uuiiicy stone, by wl.ich it 

 is txteusivcly known. 1 he Astor H. use iu New Yolk is b'jilt entirely of 



sienite. and in Boston there are many structures which have now been 

 standing for some years ; showing tbat it bears expusure to tbe air. 

 without injury lo its appearance. The Bunker hill Monument is of this 

 slone. 



Marble is one of the most durable of stones. The heautifol Pentelic 

 marble of the Parthenon has stood tbe storms of more Ihan 2,000 jears, 

 without injury. Happily for us, this fine material abounds iu almost every 

 part of tbe country. Tbe black, gray, and white marble of Vermont are 

 extensively known. Massachusetts furnishes specimens of various kinds. 

 The splendid columns of the Girard College were brought from Sbefheld, 

 in Berkshire county, in that Slate. New Hampshire has sever.il quarries. 

 In (Jouuecticut, near New Haven, gieeu marble abounds, resembling Ihe 

 verde antique. Many speciineus of this marble have been sent to ICurope, 

 and been much admired in the cabinets of the curious and scientific. Near 

 the same place another quarry is found, in which yellow predominates. 

 White marhle abounds in Pennsylvania. In short, marble is so abun- 

 dantly supplied, that taste and durability may be combined by tbe use of 

 this material in elegant edifices. 



The United States Mint, Custom-house, and Pennsylvania Bank in 

 Philadelphia, are all of Peuusylvanian marble ; the Washington Monu- 

 ment, BaUimore, is also of while niarble. 



SandsloitC, usually called freestone, is found of variegated colours, from 

 gray to red, and dark brown. It is easily wrought, and much used in 

 buildiug. Extensive quarries of red freestone are worked at Chatham, in 

 Connecticut. The Potomac freestone is extensively used ; the Presideut'a 

 House, Ibe Capitol at Uashioglon, aud St. Paul's Church, Boston, are 

 built of it. Somelimes it is employed without smoothing, and is thus a 

 durable and economical material for collages, stables, ftc. It is in general 

 use for the basement, window-sills, and caps of brick buildings. 



Gneiss, a stone containing a large proportion of mica, splits witb ease, 

 and adords a beautiful paving-stone. 



Slate is fuuud in great abundance in this country ; it is used for covering 

 roofs, and should he unuer.sally substituted in cities for shingles or other 

 combustible materials. 



No country in tbe world is more abundantly supplied with wood of every 

 variety Ihan Ihe United States. 



The white oak grows lo a great height in the Middle Slates and in Vir- 

 ginia. It is strong aud durable, and although sometimes employed in 

 domestic architecluie, is more generally used for ship buildiug. The 

 black oak rises lo a still greater height, but is not so large in circumfer- 

 ence. .Several other kinds of oak abound, all of them durable, and some 

 of Ihem excellent for timber. 



Tbe black walnut is a beautiful wood for Ihe interior, being susceptible 

 of a fine polish, and nol liable to warp, nor lo split. In Ohio and Ken- 

 tucky this wood is used for the shingling of houses, and occasionally for 

 timbers. It is admirably adapted for doors and window -frames. 



Maple, of several varieties, is also susceptible of a Hue polish. The 

 curled and bird's-eye maple are very handsome for interior finishing. 

 Maples grow iu alniost every part of the Union ; they are numerous and 

 luxuriant in Ihe Western Stales. 



Pine is a soft wood, easily worked, and has for this reason been hitherto 

 quite loo much used for buildiug. It is, however, a valuable wood, and 

 will long continue to be used for the interior, after more durable materials 

 are subsliluted lor Ihe exterior of buildiugs. l-"rom Maine to Florida 

 pines of various kinds abi.und, aud are exported iu large quaulities to 

 Europe aud the West Indies. 



T'he while ash is a strong and durable wood, which sometimes grows lo 

 Ihe height of bO feet. It splits slraigLt, aud is not apt lo shrink, it 

 abounds niosl in ihe Norlhern Stales. 



Biieh is not much used in building, althiiUgh it abounds in New Eng- 

 land and Ihe Middle Slates. 



The 6;«c7i: bireh luiuisbes a hard, dark-coloured wood, that receives a liue 

 polish, and is veiy liaudsume for lulerior finishing. 



The eijiiress grows lo a great size in the Southern Slates, aud is fre- 

 quently used for buildiug. 



The «/ii(e cc</(ir grows abundaully in the Middle and Southern Stales, 

 and being a soft light wood is used for shingles aud interior fiuishing. The 

 red cedar is a durable wood, used for posts and fences." 



It will be seen from the e.xtracts v.e have given that some very 

 respectable works have been lately executed, or are in progress, 

 but there is no great architectural monument on hand. 



Syllahns of Lectures on, Civil Engineering, for the use of the Stu- 

 dents at Putney OJlege. By W. R.inoeh, C'.E., lecturer on Civil 

 Eiigineerinir and Architecture at Putney College, and on Civil 

 Engineering to tlie H.E.I.C. Officers at the Royal Engineering 

 Establishment, Ciiath.am. London : Taylor, 184.8. 



This is notliing but what it purports to he— the syllabus of lec- 

 tures ; yet it may be very usefully referred to by the i)rofessional 

 man. ' It seems very easy to put down tlie heads of lectures ; but 

 Mr. Ranger has shown in the arrangement the resources of a 

 logical niiiul, and his intimate aciiuiiintance with tlie subject 



