, 1877-09-09
PREPARING TO BEGIN.

THE RUlLp1SG COMMITTEES AND TIE MAYOR
met Yesterday afternoon ID the Council Cham
Der. All the members Of the Committee were
present, and Mr.. Ralph, Secretary of the De-
partment of Buildings, ot1iciated as Secretary Of
the Committee. Tie meeting was the first one
to which the reporters were admitted.
The minutes Of a previous meeting were read
and approved. As they contain information not
heretofore published. it might bc we'll to state
that they announced that upon motion made
by Aid. Ballard the Committee had decided to
take 10 action in regard to the building Of q
dome for the Courthouse; that upon motion
OF AID Cook the base for the foundations OF all
exterior aud interior walls Of the city's portion
OF the new Citv-Hall shall be composed OF con-
crete, tlirty-six inches thick and that no piles
be used under said City-uall, or any portion Of
the same; that upon motion Of AID.
Cook tile Department a1a Of Public
for bids for excaratiug the City-Hal1 lot to i
uniform dcptl, Of eleven feet below street
grade; that upon AID. Ballard's motion the
Chairman Of the Committee was instructed to
1nittec OF tue Board OF Commissioners OF Cook
Comfy, and arrange with them for conference
with the Council Committee; that the Mayor
anl Aid. Van Ostlel were instructed 10 make
contract with Architect Egan for plans, etc
The Mayor said that lie and Mr. Van Usdel
had had q
TALK WITH ARCHITECT EGAy,
and the result Of their conversation could be
seen i'll contract which they had prepared and
which Egan had signed. The document is as
follows:
This article witnesscth an agreement mude and
entered in1o this sth day of September, 4. H.
1877, by. and between James J. Egan, architect;
of the City Of Chicago party OF the first part. and
Sad frs: patty agrees 10 and with the said second
party for and in consideration OF certain sum of
money hereinafter mentioned to prepare, make,
furnish, and deliver to said second party full and
complete copies OF tic exterior design OF the Cook
County Courthouse az it ls now being erected on
BLOCK 10, Original Town OF Ch!caso such copics 10
include the cast, west, and north nr south elevations
texcusive OF the central domc}: also to fnrn,sh
copies Of all Eecttous OF front elevations and de-
tails of ctlt-stone work Tor the sae Also to fur-
nisll plan oi The entrc c1terior walls. with di-
niensions on the same figured in detail Tue
sections of the elevations to have heights g1yen ID
full by figures in detail Also to furnish table or
approximate weights OF pier or pilastcr in the
exterior walls the upper surface Of the concrete
base. Tie whole is 10 be done in complete, ar,
tislic. ami comprehensive manner. the plan aud
tablu OF weights to he furnished Oh or before the
l:stn day Of the present month OF September, and
tho entire wurl; completed or before the lat
day Of October mex, ensuing. In consideration of
such drawiuss plans, elevations, and sections be-
ing fully and completely made and delivered in
the manner and time herein agreed upon, said
second purity agrrca to pay to sud first marty
their legal cp1escnta,lves the sum of s., 100. In
testimony OF which witness the nand aud seal Of
Mayor uf the city, As Chief OF the Department Of
Public Works. together with the signatures Of
majority Of the Committee on Public buildings Of
the City OF Chicago, duly authorized to make such
agreement by ordinance PASSED Sept. 3. 1877. such
payment to he full Of any and oll architectural
services heretofore rendered.
Aid. Van Osdcl spoke in exclamation Of
THE REASON WHY
4 contract had been entered inflow Egan. he
said that the county and city had agreed to have
their respective portions Of the Courthouse
harmonizc in exterior design. Egan had de-
61gncd the county's half, and of course had tue
plaus BY which tho structure was to be built
Another architect might copy those plans, but
he would Of course, be obliged, in order to do
that, to get permission from Egau: That per;
mission Egan would, Of course, not giye, and
therefore that individual was the only one who
could furnish the plans which they must have;
Aid. Cook said that the city might make
measurements OF the county's structure as far
as it has progressed and build from that, but,
OF course, that would no slow work, and they
would not know the weights falling upon the
different sections Of the foundations There
fore, it was necessary, absolutely essential,
that Egau should be engaged to drew the ex-
tetinr design, and, as shat drawing was to IN