The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-09-08

had, the knowledge would nave served no
purpose. My business is to plan and lay of
work: TO let contracts is the work of 9TH
ers. If you will prove that my plan, and
my calculations based upon such plan, are
erroneous, your sheer at me and my work
will have some significance. Again, you
are aware that when work is let-work OF
public character, mean-the lowest and
best bidder obtains the job, unless fivoritiSm
enters into the matter, and it rests with you
to show such was the case in the present IN
stance.
Nv estimate was $3.50 per perch for the
masonry. The job was let to Mr.. Hugo at
$500 per perch, and if you will take the
trouble to make the necessary calculations,
you will ascertain whence arises the difference
you so loudly complain of.
Interrogatory No is answered in my ex-
plication of interrogatory No l. No 3 |
answer as candidly as have answered Nos.
and 2. 1t is not my business to go about
to find security for the performance of any
work. There is no work Of mere human
mechanical construction that is eternally
durable. The vicissitudes of nature render
mans proudest works but temporary. You
might as we'll ask me to give bond that the
sun will maintain its place for ages yet to
come, as it has during ages which have pass
ed However, were possessed of genius
sufficient to answer the purpose, l would
stake down every dollar that those abutmentS
will not give or yield. Your remark about
the stability of the abutments, is on "par'
with what is now from day to day made
upon the bordering of Main street, by those
who never saw q boulder laid. The only
thing which redeems it from the contempt
which it merits, is its preposterousness.
Interrogatory No is sufficiently answer
ed in my reply to interrogatory No l.
There are other questions in the same
article, which | will answer as briefly
as possible. The work has been approved
the acceptance l had nothing to do with-or
rather it was approved by me. The d6utments
trere bHiA according TO the rigid specifications.
The specification did not require any stone
to be laid in cement. No man of common
sense would have allowed his imagination
to play him such a prank, as to suppose
that stone in an abutment of that description
should be laid in such material. The speci-
fications required that the pointing should
be done with hydraulic cement. If you,
sir, were as sure OF your existence cOntinu-
ing as long as the abutments of the Franklin
street bridge will endure, you might buy
a policy at life insurance Office for a trife.
You may PROFOUND as many questions as
you please. Your threats do not intimidate
me. / have done my duty faithfully, and
although have not grown rich at my bust
moss, yet have the proud consciousness OF
knowing that of dollar | have wronged
neither corporation nor individual / pill
not dnsacer any more questions, unless the IN
diUidual scanting Information comes TO me IN
person.
With regard to Mr.. Mckinley and his
bid, allow me to say few words. In my
former communication | contradicted your
assertions in direct terms Mr.. McRmlel
did not offer to 6aildthe abutments for $780,
900. According to his bid the abutments
would have cost less by S3,774 than they
have done; but he could not give the requi.
site security, and no one knows this, Sir
better than you do, for you were offered a:
one ofhis Sureties and rejected. Mr.. Hugo:
securities were John Il. Hugo, A. G. Hallock
Chas. Singer and Horatio Cooper; the frs
and the last are from New Harmony.
: Mr.. McKinley's bondmen were better by
fifty per cent. than Mr.. Hugo's, Ihave failed
to see it. Business men know whom t.
trust and whom to refuse.
The Anderson bridge "a work care but
little about) is but .ingle-trdck bridge
The Franklin street bridge is double. Their
can be no comparison between the TIVE
pieces of work, and in this connection
allow me to state, emphatically, that d.
not credit either your statement, nor that 0
Mr.. Mckinley, in relation to the cost @
transportation of stone.
You invite the citizens of Evansville an
of the county TO visit these splendid 1" speC
linens of engineering" cordially secon
: your invitation; but | do hope you vii
have the complaisance to accompany til
party, and show them how much better yo
could have designed and superintendent tin
work than have done.
Poor engineering is like poor editing; j
is worth nothing. In this we agree, and
have no doubt that in respect of our appre
citation of each others capacities as profess
ional men, there is no love lost between u.
With regard to your notions of what
needed, and what is not needed, to perfec
the abutments and superstruciure of tn
Franklin street bridge, have nothing I
: to say. They may be valuable, and the
: may not be worth copper. ! am incline
u TO be Of the latter opinion. In this matte
J there is something deeper than you choos
to manifest. Your continual cry is COZ
ruDtion-fraud rohberv - I homo vour ,,,,.