The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-15
THE STEVENS iPIRTMENT HOUSES
Now for nm Examination OF Architects, Engi-
ncers, aud Builders.

Richard NJ. Hunts suit against Mrs.
Paran Stevens. John J.. Mclchcr and Charles
G. stevens, executors Of the Paran Stevens cs-
tate. for sG.O2O. balance claimed for services rs
architect in building the stevens apartment
house at Filth avenue. Tw'nty-scvcnth street.
and broadway. was continued before Judge
Sanford yesterday Tho architect AYERS that he
consented. in July 1870. to erect the building
for si5OOO. II was completed. he says. March
q. 1872 Mr. paran stevens died on the 25th Of
the following month. Tho $4,000 was to be
paid To- Mr. Hunt in three insallmcnts. Of $4,000
each. The last was PAYABLE on the completion
Of thu building. Between the completion Of the
building and the time II Mr.. Stcveus's death the
bill for this nstalmcnt was presented. but ow-
ing. Mr.. Hunt uvcrs. TO Mr.. Stevcns's sick
moss. II was not paid After his death his exec
tutors refused 10 pay II.
Tho executors. In their answer, say that
Mr.. stevens consented to employ Mr.. Hunt
only because in his estimate he placed the
cost Of the building at 100000. whereas
in fact il cost ssDD.oOD. Hn built it..
They say for the sake OF the rental
itwoull vcld. and II II had cost only 100000
h would hay" been u profitable "nfnrpr~'. An
cN.f cgn' Won oi th' pawn ny %, tuf si'tWO
e. Nr. Hunt they enN, was tha' the luidine
W.. designed. whcr"Hs they allrge, II was I'M
skliuNy built ~ various ways. and "-Ir inN
IN ihe matter or the heating apparatus. They
claim thlt owing To- his wnut Of skill i'm huill-
ing mud his carro- mess i'm making estimates
a. is inicli 'd To- tine c.tIi" over $2uOnul. or at
lDi-i tiHt hr ought no. t. hc allowed the bal
an. of tho tl5oiO b. was In rcroivc.
Mr. Hunt also luims lrYmthr estate 81 u2o bal
uurr du, him 'ornuildin. ting apartment house
at 1850 broadway He WH- tu hn paid , per cent.
con- Tine cost which woull have amounted 10
: .32l Mr. Stevens nuid him only $500. The
,,Nnii , & mn, ' l, ,' fp i iin va" ,iis
hon~o VA cons Iteration of his $4,000 rontrnrtto
nllI me Stevens APARTMENT house, but thnt on
Mr Hunt PREF, ntn- clWm ~ Mr. stevens
The latter ruu- -n'c 20 pay him $500 pcs In fun.
The amount sued fey sG,o20 is mni" up of
s1uW balance r'Wul' Il i'r hudtn- the StoN. ms
apartment hol-e. and 81 02O halunc. ciHImrl OF
ser ,nl. Ter a" huiNlug ~ ,lGD BrnHlway.
the court room. Sine wore q dr,s- ~ durN green
'r-r.a biu'k shawl. a dotted h.n'h hH.. veil.
gnl "a hat % yellow straw trimmed with purple
John y. Morhcr. .sop-in;law OF Mrs.
Sic\ ne. testified NET while hc had ghnr." II
tr~.c Mr. Hunt merely To- gct Information COM
/ corning the huildin- on' oi the things il"
which th' steam apparatus allied To- do.
Mr. Green. % ARP nt.r.t stiiiod that hc had
taken M ine hn-nboard. of many of the rooms.
! aud found that In" nnoting had mot been cN-
tended far rhuush tn Keep out drlusht- NJ mir.
u" used mortar e. r"uNir tho defect On the
Twenty seventh street side hc snw win tow
who's arch had been cracked. The sill stone
/ was found tnh' hruA,n.
Frank White, rt cugineor " the building.
/ testified u~ g. d"ic T. in the steam pipes. lie
/ snid he WAS ohii.od To change the position Of
/ tlrDu lines Oi IlpH-.
Henry Dudley. an architect. testified that thu
ercnt'st bulge that he had discovered IN the
"a h-- - the windows was one inch This
| bulge. lac thought. VIZ the fault " the mn-ons
/ AMI not 20 the architect. Norkmen. he ~
J plained. haNo a WAY VII they Hrc not wat he'd
OF laying the outer rdg,- of stone ia an Nrua-
mental az ia n"arcrtpg crthan thor,ar edges.
Tint l. 10 say. the joints between the stones are
/ tighter whore they are exposed To view than
wher' they are hidden. Ii make prciti"r work
/ t. the eye. hut is bad work. Aiterward wien
/ the weight Of the wall presses upon the arches
/ The rear Joints ar, pressed together. and the
/ .fr.t j. To- throw the arah forward. Nj. Dud-
/ Icy had noticed cracks in the wall ON tine Fifth
| avenue end Of the building. which had l. On
/ caus 'd 10y tho settling OF the party wal. The
! driving Of plies Ia immediate contact with an
J existing foundation caused Il suction Of the
! earth downward. and tended to make tn foun-
dation settle. The settling Of this party wall on
I The south side of the building would have the
! cil"t Of drawing in the north or Twenty
/ seventh street front He had not noticed IL in
/ his observations with the plumb line but it had
shown itself in cracks in the wall. The iounll-
/ ton. a. shown 70 him in Mr.. Hunts plan. he
/ thought very admirable The reason why tho
/ Twcniy-scVrnih street wall would Toe drawn in
/ 10y IN" sinking of the oppusit" wall was that il
7 was connected with II 10y floor tmberS. These
iimberS in this building are about twenty-sryrn
I ie"t long Tho Twenty seNcnth street wall. he
thought. may have been drawn in one-eightl
or one-Iuart"r OF an inch.