The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-28
Continuation of the Investigation
on Building Expenditures.
THE FENCE ADVERTISING CONTRACT.
Supervisor P0tisrs Letter Testimony Of the Postmaster
United States District Attorney and Others
ADJOURNMENT TO WASHINGTON

vesgaton OF the expenditure Of SGT 600 in or
the appropriation tor constructing and furnishing the
United States Court and Post ONCE Building
their session yesterday.
Tho examination OF CALVIN T. Hulburd, Supern-
tcndcnt Of Construction. continued. Other wit
nesses were examined during the day, and At five
O'Clock T. NJ. tho committee adjourned. TO meet at
Washington Tor the examination OF the books and pa
pcrs In the office OF tho Supervising Architect relative
to the construction and furnishing OF the said building
Mr. Calvin T. Huburd testified that the value OF ma
tcral used after tho 18th OF September 1875 amounted
TO So ~ 4s, the labor TO Sl5 500 99tota So $50 Al
the amount expended Tor furniture after May 60 1878,
was 72,S09 SO. The following letter shown him
and tho question ii had ever been received BY
him
TREASURY DrPARrxExr
OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING ARCHITECT.
C. 7 Hulsrnp h.q superintendent, Posi- Once and Court
sln--Tpon receipt this letter You viii suspend all
the exception q tho work the ironing lie
psrx Please prepare and Tor" ard to this Office At tho
Your reqaston for employees ether than mechanics and
with exception watckmen. You win please
81 rs month"; q @s s sss s:i' ssi % no.
longer TAM MUS rreJpTrffIEqR Architect
Mr. Hulburd rcplicd:-"l disabled and not at
my Office during that month"; but understand that it
was received At my Office" In answer TO the jury,
what explanation do you give Tor tho expenditure OF
ST. 900 for construction after that letter rccoved
witness to say that thero was only one court
room that could be occupied;
TIKI oyPicEs UNITED STATES MARSHAL
and District Attorney finished; the building
would have been rreparably injured By tho elements
II the already done had not been properly pro-
tectcd tho Post Office Department could not have been
moved into the building and that tho tho build
ing has been under his control except as to the
general management Of the workmeu, SC The
only respect in which he could influence the
cost Of the building Was in caro- and pru
dcncc In the management OF the construction;
he expended $50 outside of the authorizations
tho deficiency OF 1927 900 almost solely from the
extraordinary cxertions made complete the building
that II could be occupied; he thought they could
have reduced the deficiency II they had been allowed
longer time TO ready for tho Post Office Department
instead or having twenty days. rush, but tho build
ing could have been completed and furnished
It is for tho amount OF money their disposal;
the inspector who hero in August 1875 OF the
opinion that tho rushing OF work in that month in
creased the expenditures about $4,000;
not aware that any work had been done in
the building; all the working furniture Of the Post
Office had not been provided at the time
that department moved tho building;
rough Pine furniture put together; Of that is
still use the Postmaster told him that the increased
dispense
with the services OF forty five clerks; witness could
not tell what 1t would cost TO furnish tho Post ONCE
with the furniture now required; he had not finished
and furnished any the building that not
occupied; some occupied that furnished;
he could not tell what amount Of money would be re-
quircd to complete tho building and furnish It.
INVITING PROPOSALS.
@ You have purchased material without making
conracts did you have any Instructions to do SO by
the Supervising Architect? A. l am not that
We had any except tho instructions referred
yesterday. Mr.. Potter and Mr. Mullctt were often
hero and said to me, You will invite proposals for
such and such things send out and get the lowest
prices and order them without sending tho depart
mcnt At FIRST used to advertise, but found that
sometimes the bills Tor advertising thar tho
material wanted TO buy; Congress afterwards took
that power from the superintendent
Q. Could you have reduced the amount Of the de-
nccncy II you could have had your time
plco the building up to its present stage. A. could;
think that II might have been reduced about
third labor has fallen price, but that could not have
been iorcsccn; some oil the materials the
strucon have fallen IN price; 40 not mink any
appropriateness resulted from working through
O Then you think that $3.50, 900 was actually re-
CURED above the appropriation to complete the build
ing IN the most economical mannory A. Yes, sir, so
1t completed
o Has any part Of tho present Indebtedness been in
without
O You say tina. you were urged to hasten tho work
by Judges, the District Attorney, &c, that tho build
ing could be occupied by them Can you produce any
written request from any OF them that cnecty A.
think there may have been somo from the Marshal's
office, but requests for articles VI furniture wanted for
tho Post once Dcpartmcnt accompanied by
sketches, which were not acted upon until they had
rmK RENT or THE FENCE
Q. Who made tho contract on the part OF the govern
mcnt for the OF The the fpncc2 A. did
he nrfce III thcr W Il
written contract; WAS sent To Washington and APP
proved; but, by one alter another the contract was
thrown up until AT last during the last year. did
anything for Il. The money col
lcctcd and deposited in tho United States Sub Treas
q We're not tin, copper. coal solder and workmen
employed here sent to construct the roof Of the
Custom ioGscy A. The work done here, the ma
tcrals sent here for that purpose BY directions
IRON Washington.
q. We're not those workmcn carried on your payroll
during that timer A. Not unless tho timckscper
false 10 his trust; have no personal knowledge Of
such thing
. We're tho tools used 10 repair the warehouses on
l.alght street made hcrcy A. portion of them
were taken from here or repaired here.
Y. Did you Keep any account OF tho labor for tho
purpose Indicated abvycy A. II entered our
daily reports
o. What disposition was nadc or those entries when
you made up tho roiIsY A. They were dropped from
the roll Tor the time being
o. desire 10 call your attention 10 tho rernodeIling
OF Tho The Tribune building by the black
smiths here A. never heard oi 10 not an hour
dollars worth OF work for tho Tribune building
donc here that know oi
o. Do you. Mr. Barlow (rhc inspector, who was In
tho roon,. repI,cd.j A. know that the contractors
were tho same; they had their iorges. and
material in both places: ~ the work done by
them here but with their own men, with thor own
material and their private expense; the con-
tracts for set Ia place; they had 70 furnish
everything
The committee then took recess for an hour
The first witness called In tue afternoon was Post
master James uo said ~ gave directions the
superintendent of the Post once hasten tho work,
but repeste .y urged Mr. huIburd 10 let into the
building have recollection OF writing 10 him
the subject; came here the 2slh Of August; not
hall Ut the working furniture In place 1t that
time; what had been furnished with permanent
urnurc Of tho best ORDER all 81 the old furniture
that could be used sent here, ami ~ use;
tho remainder sold ny order Vt the Supervising |
Architect; the distribution department. for Outgoing
matter perfect now, and need in that de-
partlnent there furniture here that Is not abso-
utsly needed; need Ia other departments; the
quality u tho furniture ID excellent; we |
have bad 70 for tho distribution OF |