New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-28

bdifice estimates its total cost at BOO. 900,

M GVVPfJl
hebdifics estimated its total cost at $7OOOoV'
aad that The Legislature expressly limited 1t to
thai amount. But the records of the Finance
dartpeat Shoy 81 expenditure already upon
t1e btiidihg Of nearly 81, 100000. and it isi
but To more thaa hall completed.
q That the original Architect was discharged
ard smother employed, who has received
sA 900 during the past two years for services
&htS have not amounted to enc day per month
for The whole period haoOHF t..."
81 That tho Super nterdent, who wa, en-
pIoyed at S3,OtO per amman, was awarded a
perdeni sgs upon the cost Of construction, which
gave him $4,000 FOR service for the seyen
lmo>lshs, which Dominated on the LIST ofJanusry
dast. = 'e' q =. - 30 '
a.. That (ss shown by OIL. last artlcle) mono
but those in tho g Ring" were permitted 70
make PROPOSALS for the iron. eontract-the three
large & ion-iealcfs of this city testiiying that
thew wete Wiling To take the contract at rates
which would have saved the city $44s, 500 on
this Stem sloDs. - il,.t g., ~. J..4 ''
IN We now present some facts in relation TO the
marble of which the exterior of the binding is
! conilrsotsd. About three years ago the Com
mis iioners, Wilson G. Hunt, John b. Coriies and
James salmon, who at that time had charge OF
ereding tho Courthouse, invited proposals for
furnishing the marble III rough, required for all
The building above tie basement. In response
| TO this Invitation segen bids were received. the
lowe s, tcf which was made at $l2i, 500 by a
resIbnsihle firm of this city, who have since
con ilxuc,ed tho extension to the Treasury
building at Washington, and who possessed eX-
t.abtainay facilities for furnishing the marble
lprostptlg and chcaply. The next lowest bid
WIS made at Sl55,994, by gentleman Of this
city. prominent for his wealth aud extensive
bu tess operations. The highest Of the seven
| bid, was ~oi9, s,4 The marble offered under
! the highest and lowest proposals was OF similar
quality, being from adjoining quarrles on the
same ridge in Westminster County. l.s o.
After the bids We're received, misunder'
s@nting arose as to the propriety OF awarding
the eontrse, TO the lowest bidder: whereupon
the Supervisors. in defiance OF the opinion OF the
Corporation Counsel who denied their power to
10 So proceeded to pass resolution taking the
work out OF the hands Of the Commissioners
and directing special committee of the Board,
composed Of Supervisors Stewart, Shook, Tweed
] and Briggs, TO take entire charge OF the build
IL and complete H. This action was resisted
by The minority of the Board, but was finally
passed by a vote OF seven TO twO--MesSrs. Purdy
and Ely voting N the negative. The Com
mittee Thus empowered, made a contract with
the higheA bidder whose proposal was double
that OF party equally responsible. It was
supposed by outsiders at the time this job was
ana contaminated, that the ptblc was only
dsf,sudcd of the difference between the aggre-
ga,u amounts Of tbesetwo proposals. sl2o,O14;
Iba. tie result proves this 70 be far below the
truth.
The contract sas made at fixed prices for the
different sorts inquired. VARYING from eighty.
FIVE eentsto three .d1llais and se2eat live cents
per cubic foot. Tas ,pa,5y. tedis.. hIshes than
three dollars g'e wgtow, gptritt; ana coruer
an,bt, at ~ ~ sad AZ 10 respectively. In
the portion OF the building which has been con-
stracted since this contract was executed, there
is ahorlt forty thousand superficial square feet.
This surface, with some insignificant exceptions.
will not average more than foot in thickness +.
and yet we iird, from the bills in the Con-
collier, office that the Committee have paid Tor
rough marble under this contract the enormous
stun %, S34i, 2lS ~, and the building is yet far
from completed. Included in the bids made for
furnishing the marble are two massive porticos.
each supported by four enormous columns as
high as the building. These will require mar
bic ID addition to shat already furnished suf-
ficeat to run up the aggregate TO st least
$50O,0OO. 1hi; is paid, or to he paid, for ma
terial which was offered at less than $l2o. 900.
Such We believe to be the facts, and that
they are susceptible of ample proof. II they
are no. facts, we and the public will be glad to
know il, and to know also how it is the two
millions and upward have been spent upon the
New Court.House. II need mt take long for the
Committee to make thorough examination.