, 1874-07-31

Sl4o Cic<ttOA u AbAEk-AUuHDs ~ ID DtllpfEu
that his ylows nro shared to somo oxsont by
Commissioner Prindiylllo.
AT THE O1TY-HALL.
It Ia seldom TINT question 10 thoroughly en-
crosses tho Aldermanio mind az to supply II
With food for conversation TOR two conHecutiyo
days. The architect question, however. proved
an exception to tho rule, having, during the past
two days, been tho only topic Of conversation
which the City Fathers cared to touch upon.
Take 1t altogether, the City-I1al architect quos-
tion from beginning to end is ono OF tho most
mixed up affairs. In tho first place, there ia a
strong body 10 tho Council which writo down thp
building Of tho now Courthouse under tho
preheut state Of afrairs as an net Of
folly, or worso thcn thelo is MI architect Of n
year ago, who won tho first prizo, but did not
get chosen by tho Council aud County Board,
aud another ARCHITECT who got chosen though ho
born interval during whlcl, tho project waa
Abandoned BY all hut contractors and ring
rollers, the naclfnationa Of these men out-
minasos In tho appointment Of an Irish aud o
uorman afehitoet ncither ct whom won any
On tho question like thslndorbolt, showing that
the Council has no right to mako tho nppoint-
ents, md that if thoy Ind it was done III an lilo
gal manner nld, last Of al on tho owe Of yoater-
day ovoning's meeting, lot Of bewildered and
disappointed Aldermen n1oalaoling 1thonrnfnlly
through the Oity-1lall wondering whore 1t will
all end, md fairly beseoching tho City Attorney,
in tho absence Of the Corporation Counsel, to
give thcm a sustaining opinion,
Take it from first to last, this Court-ITous
businessis as funny picco OF civic legislation aa
was ever perprotrated, and It il not to bo Won
dered At that most of the Aldermen preferred
tue tranquility Of thoir own homes yesterday to
tho anxiety and perturbation Of spIrlt which
surrounded tie city,1IaIl. still, there
tcrday, q few of them who had Ind tho audaoity
to want an American born architect quiet
II oxultant nt the turn in their favor
which InE IntnuSE had afforded tlicn,
tho greater number, howoyer, melancholy
third arc hitect. There never waH q time or cir
cl,mstauce, probably, when tho old proverb,
II Twoa company, buf three's none," camo With
more force than the present. Everything waB
eppointed, tic architectural champagne Ind
been permitted to motstou tho Al1etmanie gull
let; for two nights tho organizers dreamed
sweet droans Of mighty divisions Of profit, and
thon in stalLed tho spoil-spott In the shape Of
what every ono round the Oity-Hall refers to
that editorial, " aud frequently, it must be con-
fosHcd, 'tthat editorial" tic user OF tho OK
plotiGo having in vain cudgollcd his braius. to
tind a mcana OF avoiding tho election Of a
Litifu AIcllllCEls ilu5ULS lu0ee Huo NtIH pAtabtE
ut tho turn which affairs had takon, was
PRESIDENT DIXON,
WHO considered that TuE Tn1nuSE editorial WAS
'iust tho thing" Ho said that no Ind always
wished to SEQ tho Board Of Public Works III
sito1. and though it Ind looked Of lato u il lilo
'Board's only duty waB tlo doing simply az tho
Council directed them, and nothing more he
hoped tint the time Of their emancipation had
approached. Flo thought tho only question waB,
whether tho Board could exercise any power over
d building whicl. waa to bo built by tho county
as well AZ tho city.
AID. BAILEY
was ono Of tho .melanchoios. He preferred
talking about tlro-ordi1ancos to answering queB-
tiona about architects. 1Io was afraid that tie
unfortunate hitch which had occurred might
laye Tho effect Of putting an end to tho contract
betweon the city aud county. At any rate, one OF
tho Commissioners had told him that tho Doard
wore beginning to think scriousy. Of annuiling
tim contract md proceeding with A. building
themselves on the 0ourt-Ilouso square.
AID sUMAFFNEn
could not speak with anything like hts uBnal
calmneaB on tho subject. because lie wae boiling
o4or With wrath oil tho morning. Flo bud beeff
published IN the Times as bribod knave, and lie
spent tho day in hunting liB calu1ninator. Lato
III tile afternoon, however, ho returned to the
tho City-uall Hmiling, md rocounted to III ad-
n.ising audience tho particnEarB OF an interview
with the Spirltnallstic editor, who had taken
Alderman in this mornings Times. Having re-
gained hiH mental balance. ho Htatod that he had
nlwayB been III favor Of poatponlng building
until better times were at hand, but failing etc-
cess In this he Ind pelBistont]y nlvooatod tho
appointment OF throe architects.
The rest Of the Aldermen had but little to say,
considering that tho vote Of the evening wonld
bo more eloquent than nny words spoken boforo-
hantl. 1t was astonishing, however. to lind tho
number OF converts to tho throe-nroliteotsil as
1tuHta 3,tk fh0f fha Hitu A tar.
ney's opiuion seconded "that editorials" en-
doayor, md utterly annllilatod the election OF
Inst Monday eyoning.
The choco OF third architect will not, how
ever, aayo tho RUG mnon,, oven Il hundreds Of
II there appears any likelihood that tue schomo
will bo sustained, Nh injunction will DO applied
for, ana tile matter brought before tho courts.
PROPOSITION MADE TO J. Q. CooH-
RANE..
Now TINT tho ring ia smaahod, tho 9rchitoots
who got tho job cut III tho cold, and tho Alder
men who gayo it them quorying whether they
can koop their PROMISES, tho facts In relation to
attempted corrupt bargaintngB arc coming out.
Among the varlouH Offers made to architects to
Induce thon to comply WITH tito demands OF tho
ring, there WAS one to J. q. Qoohrane, tho faeta
connected with which aro as follows, TIE TR1B-
uNE asserting their truth anu holding itself re-
Hponsiblo Tor them;
Three months ago q friend Of hlr. Cochrano
oallol oil him, aud, it IL beloved Without any
porsonal corrupt lntent, but simply to in-
form Mr.. q, what 1.o could haye II
ha chose, stated that lo had boon Inform
cd by person claiming to represent
aud control majority Of tho Aldermen that, II
ho would deposit tho sum OF $40 200 in certain
place to tho order OF this ugent, ho wonll be
olagtotl Que Of the architects OF tho new Court
House. This communication. was naado ut the
Mr.. Cocllrano nnl state theso things to him,
Phia proposition Atr. Coohrano docined. as he
did q somewhat similar QUO made y year ago, nns
IL was not repeated. The Aldermen who lad
votes to sell wont elsewhere for tholr monoy,