, 1876-06-25

!
pLny for S3333a, ,5oO-Neo York Iieul Esiate Record
A CRY FOR BREAD.
Troubles of the Workmen on the
Fullerton Avenue Conduit.
Unfortunate Complications Between
the City and the Contractors.
The story Of the Fullerton avenue conduit
will undoubtedly be some Of the most interest
Ing reading in the history Of the public works OF
Chicago up to date.
The present contractors are Fitzsimons g.
Conncll. Those parties signed 4 contract with
the Board OF Public Works to do the work after
the most approved fashion. Among other
things, it was specified: That both the land
portion and the lake portion should be OF brick
masonry, 16 inches in thickness; the masonry to
be Of hard-burued, clear-ringing, wcll-forned
bricks, free from lime, Of the sized used for con
struction Of sewers III the city; the brick to be
laid in the best ccment-mortar, in four rings or
with the edges toward the centre, and with
toothing joints; the cement to be
equal to that known as the best
OF Clark's Lasalle, Of past years,
and not merely the best that may happen to be
- ho ,ro,1c hv n,;r;nr two ,nrasI1les of ,l.an
sbarn 81 u ' sand witI, one of cement and used ~
soon as possible after being mixed; the bricks
must be clean and thoroughly wet If required
before being laid; those having smooth sur
faces to be used on the inside face Of the con-
duit, and to be laid fair and smooth by line,
and to u true cylindrical form, and SD forth.
Public Works .....-...'
The duty of such Inspectors was to report ir-
revularitics at once Their names nrc as fol-
1uws. II. KroesrheI1. +. n. Bjshon. w. Keeean.
4 S,e;nhach N;nin1 insncctors: f. Hunter AZ
a s.einoacl, Anilil1S mn. 1nspscsos, ~ iunte ia -
AlGGan1.1 anu enS nateay, .iasoly ahSlse.uia.
The tlr1n Of Fltzslmons q Connclh having
given the necessary bonds, entered upon tue
work, agreeing. to do the same IN conformity
with the specifications. In the contract it was
provided that the contract should not De sub
let unless with the written consent OF the Board
Of Public Works. The City Engineer says It is
hardly probable that the hoard gave its written
consent, yet the firm Of FitzsMons y Connell
entered into an arrangement with another con-
tractor, Peter Callaghan. According to one OF
the firm, Mr.. Callaghan was not q sub-contractr
or, but lid what is known rs "task-work."
MR. CALLAGHAN
forthwith engaged about fifty men, to work at q
given price, eight hours day, It being expected
to accomplish in that time ''shift VA regular
days work. Barclay was appointed ae Inspector
Of this portion Of the work. But he disappolnt-
cd the Board OF Public Works, 1t appears. II,
Irregularities were going. Oil all the time and
were never reported de was, accordingly, DIS
charged, as, also, were Alr. Ca1laghan anu hls
men. -.
June Is the Committee on streets and Alleys
81 the Nor!n Ulvislon suomlt1eu 1epott 10 Lie
Council, when gave -
THE OPINION OF EXPERTS
on the work to be that the lob ~ TINS particular
section was miserable. me following extract
from the report ~ll sulllcc:, Inc sunni, sof
first wing, and also the second wing, were ialo
IN cement, and IN some places inc tnlfa wing,
but IN nearly all cases, Inc outer OF 1oursh ring
We 1ound TO oc pcr1ectly lfce !ron' eeinsnt, ana
the bricks thrown IN promlscuously, rcgaruless
OF shape or solldlty, anu, We think, totally unht
tor the pressure tlat It VIII llkely oe sup1ect 70
at some 1uture tlmc; thcrciore we canhoI sce
any way OUT OF tie tUieihina out ny iAAils uo"H
she arch IN sections anu reouiulns tnc SAINT, "
being, III our views, Inc ouly pfacticaolc way ol
rcmedylng the evil" lie report was la1d over
and ordered published.
Ihe Work IN this sec1ion once stoppca by
reason Of noncompliance with the specifications.
Fltzsimons q Gonhell, the main contractors,
refused to pay Callaghan, and, as consequence,
Callaghan could not pay his men. Hereupon
tile worknen the majority OF whom have large
f1r rnn