The Park Service is doing a careful scrutiny of the Washington Monument to assess damage caused by the earthquake 23 Aug. which hit the area. The downgraded opened cracks in the 555-foot Obelisk, and the Park Service says that it will be closed, indefinitely, while repairs are made. There are no serious structural problems, but concerns remain, the debris could cause that a security risk.
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The Washington Monument, here in the nation's capital, attracts some real stares this week. Workers are on the 555-foot-high Obelisk to increase hanging from ropes. The monument suffered some serious damage last month East Coast earthquake. It is closed for an indefinite period.
And as us says NPR Larry Abramson, a stone for stone inspection from the outside has begun the National Park Service.
LARRY ABRAMSON: Early today, a brave man in a helmet peeped window at the top of the monument and got out. Risk of the obvious, it is not something you see every day.
PAT CULVIN: Oh, it's free until there - at the top of the thing.
DIANA CULVIN: Oh, man.
PAT CULVIN: We could not believe that.
DIANA CULVIN: Wait, until I tell people at home.
(SOUNDBITE LAUGHTER)
ABRAMSON: House is Forsythe (Illinois), Diana and Pat Culvin(ph). They were part of a collection of tourists and photo fool, who knew that today the best view from the ground. People just stand and staring at the sky.
Two workers spent much of today, use of ropes to the top of the monument. These ropes below colleagues, secures the sides of the stone building and check carefully the facade. Here is Bill, spokesman for the Park Service.
BILL LINE: they go to everyone to check each stone. This is probably a four to five days process provided that weather is working with us. , If there is any Flash or thunderstorms in the area, we stop this undoubtedly.
ABRAMSON: As soon as the Earth the Park Service of this elegant pillar more than Washington's other buildings suffered shake on August 24th stopped, realized. The Park Service published a video shows the top-level platform, which violently shake. Damage was particularly serious. Engineers say the monument are structurally sound, but they have found water large cracks, which during the last rain and hurricanes.
Spokesman Bill line says that this discovery led to start the Park Service in this lengthy review. And that is just the beginning.
Line: Then would have Park Service, move to the phase of the repair, what they are documented. After the repair the Park Service to the engineering firm has back, to certify that the repairs to the satisfaction of, are carried out, before we ever open to the public.
ABRAMSON: The Park Service turned the engineering firm of WISs, Janney and Elstner Northbrook, Illinois, for the job. It's hard to write, while the sheer wall from the side, says Project Manager Dan Lemieux, that the climbers with spotters will work down.
DAN LEMIEUX: The people on the ground the survey have, in 2000-99 and 2000 - as a reference. And they will work with these data sheets and then listen and absorb what find our Rappelers on the monument.
Some said they felt queasy just think up so high. Her husband, son, Erik, saw Schalyn Sohn(ph) and their two children to work tethered on the stone. She says she is not nervous.
SCHALYN son: only carefully be and take your time. We expect at the bottom.
ABRAMSON: With the monument for most of us is inaccessible it was suddenly more interesting than ever. Locals, that this thing barely give a second thought came with their cameras. Julie Stuehser(ph) drove the 40 miles of Stafford (Virginia) to a shot of the man at the end of the needle.
JULIE STUEHSER: This is a crazy, crazy picture. It's like an Ant on a popsicle stick, from which is been whittled down to a point.
(SOUNDBITE LAUGHTER)
ABRAMSON: The people at the base spoke lovingly of the monument clustered and seemed touched by the way it still is maintained is 126 years after it was dedicated to. For a moment, government spending seemed like a bad word - Although resident Maria ROC said, heard the young daughter of the project, she thought local, that it was related to the budget crisis.
MARIA ROC: And she did not know that it was related to the security and the earthquake. And she think that it was idea of the Government money and tourists from the monument conversation handle to get.
ABRAMSON: Maybe not such a bad idea. Larry Abramson, NPR news, Washington.
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