Show LESSON OF earthquake if argument were needed to show the advisability of an investigation ol 01 structural materials it la more than supplied by the recent earthquake in california what buildings best stood the shock Is a question of very great practical interest why they endured when others fell Is food for thought to builders all over the country in this connection it Is interesting to note that the appraisers building in san francisco where the united states geological survey maintains a local office Is one of the few business structures in that city which was un injured either by shock or by flame mr charles G yale special agent of the suney reports that a little plaster has fallen but that the building Is probably the only one in the city that shows not a single crack in its brick walls this may be due to the fact that the foundation consists of a six foot bed of solid cement placed upon thousands of piles and that the bricks are put together with cement instead of mortar the walla are thicker be A t low the sidewall s than above them when the building moves it moves as a monolith and while the vibration considerable no damage has been done except to the plaster I 1 that the geological might with profit to the country undertake the investigation of tural mate rials Is attested by the numerous requests which it receives or information on the subject during the past year the survey was visited by a body 0 who represented large industrial develop me ua in a number of different states ahe survey was unable to supply the informs alon which they desired concerning the and endurance of materials be used in a variety of building and construction work this one at shows how desirable it Is that the aa now under way by the vey 09 enlarged these investigations have thus tar had to do mainly with the testing afi and concretes it Is felt that the should be continued and am dued i f |