I expect you are familiar with his contribution to the Fountain of Time at
the Midway, Chicago, but it is the only work of his that I have seen.  There
was an afternoon tour at the 1997 APT convention to take a look at the work
of the Bauer Latoza studio restoring it. Norman Weiss was involved as a
consultant.

-----Original Message-----
From: J. Bryan Blundell [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 1999 7:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Tink-Tink-Tink


Norm/Ilene Tyler wrote:
>
> We have a cleaning problem at the Parthenon:  some kind of calcium
> deposits have formed crusts on the statuary in the east and west
> pediments.  The material came from the leaking roof overhangs, dripping
> through the concrete at hairline cracks.  There are no joints in the
> overhangs, but water always finds a way through.  No cleaning chemicals
> work, but our preference would be to soften the crusts, so that we could
> gently wash away them away, without damaging the concrete or dislodge
> any of the aggregate.  We are still testing.  I don't know if any of the
> abbrasive systems can be controlled enough to remove the crusts, but
> maybe we should begin looking at these systems, too.  Work will begin
> this spring, so we need to decide...  By the way, the roof has been
> replaced, including all new cast concrete tiles and metal flashing.  It
> looks nice, I think, but scaffolding still surrounds the building.
>
> Ilene
===================

Ilene:

The Parthenon is a John J. Earley project, as you know. Do you have any
original documentation that would indicate when that areas with the
calcium deposits were poured. If poured during cold months, there could
have been a lot of calcium chloride added. Up to 10 lbs. per yard. With
poor maintenance and water infiltration this has been leaching out and
forming the calcium deposits. This is not all that uncommon for
concretes that were poured during cold weather, prior to WWII.

For removal of the calcium deposits, get little hammers and little
chisels. Carefully go tink-tink-tink-tink-tink-tink-tink-tink. . . .
tink-tink-tink . . . tink-etc. The very last thing should be a chemical
cleaning. Anything that will eat the calcium deposits will also eat the
historic material. It is not fast but it does work and saving Mr.
Earley's work is worth it.

A cleaning poltice at the end is not a bad idea either.

We lost one of Earley's sidewalks with the building of the Women's War
Memorial at the Arlington Cemetery in Wash,DC. and are about to loose
another. The walkway above the Senate Parking Garage. We are currently
working with the architects on the project and hopefully will be able to
have the material accurately replaced after the waterproofing is
completed.

Anyone that knows the location of John Joseph Earley concrete projects
please send the information to me. I would like to up date my list files
of still existing projects (including photos). Ilene, can you provide PB
with some images of the Parthenon ?

"John J. Earley, The Man Who Made Concrete Beautiful"

Bryan "Love that Earley Concrete" Blundell