▁thousand ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁P ension ▁Office ▁Building ▁( now ▁the ▁National ▁Building ▁Museum ) ▁on ▁Jud ici ary ▁Square . ▁ ▁Br ick ▁Size ▁Cont ro vers y ▁The ▁Washington ▁Br ick ▁Machine ▁Company ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁a ▁controvers y ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁being ▁a ▁major ▁producer ▁of ▁br icks ▁with ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁br icks ▁being ▁made ▁each ▁day . ▁The ▁Se aler ▁of ▁the ▁We ights ▁and ▁Me asures , ▁Mr . ▁Small ▁started ▁critic izing ▁the ▁manufact ur ers ▁for ▁their ▁incons ist ency ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁weight ▁of ▁br icks . ▁The ▁attacks ▁were ▁target ed ▁primarily ▁at ▁machine - made ▁br icks ▁as ▁he ▁aff ir med ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁smaller ▁and ▁we ighed ▁more ▁than ▁the ▁traditional ▁hand - made ▁br icks ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁higher ▁density . ▁These ▁br icks , ▁therefore ▁were ▁not ▁in ▁comp liance ▁with ▁the ▁law ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁By ▁then ▁three ▁qu arters ▁of ▁the ▁br icks ▁being ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁were ▁machine - made . ▁The ▁attacks ▁were ▁a ▁reaction ▁to ▁the ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁art is ans ' ▁way ▁of ▁life ▁by ▁mechan ization . ▁ ▁An ▁October ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁ordin ance ▁setting ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁br icks ▁to ▁ 9 ▁ 1 / 4 ▁x ▁ 4 ▁ 5 / 8 ▁and ▁ 2 ▁ 1 / 4 ▁in ▁clear ▁was ▁not ▁being ▁enfor ced