Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-28


We're paid for the work although the building
OF said stairs was In the original contract.
The committee would cite another case.
Snyder Damren, Who in the execution of
one OF their contracts, where they purposely
left out Ia joists explicitly called for in their
contract, refused when called upon by the
superintendent of the building to put
IN those joists, to pin the heavier ioists
properly. and double the trimmer ioists
By these refusals, and the neglect of the trus-
tees to compel the performance of the contract
although their attention was called to it. l 600
joists were left out of the building, thereby
lessening the support of the floor, and from the
best evidence we can get the floors are now
sinking, and before long will have to be sup
ported. CT may when weighted down by the
beating coils attached to the joists give way.
See the testimony of ", T.. Couplin, superin-
tendent Of building. pages 243 to $50, steroe-
rapher's report.
The plans and specifications made by the
architect, and which from the basis of ali bids
for building, provide for the deadening of the
floors. Notwithstanding this, the trustees paid
Snyder and Damren 1852 extra for this work.
Again, the plans and specifications of Mr.
Sloan called for the plastering to be what is
known as hard finish. In instance has this
specification been complied with by the con-
tractors, but plaster finish was substituted
Tor a hard finish, which is much cheaper, and
not nearly SO good or durable.
In building the inside brick walls, the specl-
hcations required every seven courses to be
tied into the outer walls. This also was not
carried out bat, Instead of doing this, the
walls were run up separately and tied together
by small strips of hoop iron. This is much
cheaper. as they built each wall independent
OF the other to avoid the expense of scaffolding
and greatly reducing the cost TO the contract
ors at the expense OF the State, and leaving the
building weaker at every point.
In the erection of the main building the con-
tractor failed to build the pilasters to receive
the stone columns for the portico of the main
entrance. Lit was impossible to supply this
| omission, and in place of stone porch, as
originally intended by the plans and specitiea-
lions, there is a porch composed of a mixture
OF stone and iron, which cost 81, 555I The
superintendent of the building in his testi-
mony says some one made a nice sum ont of
| the job.
The committee find all contracts were let or
purposed to be let, according to Mr. Sloan S
plans and specifications. In most instances
| the specifications have not been followed by
contractors and the work has nos been done as
well as the specifications called, and for some
reason unknown to the committee the inferior
| work was accepted by the trustees without con-
| sultatlon with the superintendent or architect.
A CROOKED CANE.
1t appears that the contract for brick was
made with Mr.. Ash. That in November 1868.
| wards, in September, 1859, Mr.. Kerr found he
| had oVerpaid Dir. Ash, and that certain bills to
| considerable amount had not been paid by said
Ash. To meet this emergency it would appear
| that the trustees adopted the novel expedieut
OF paying MIR. Ash large sum for his nipple
,nents and tools, and for dwelling the ground
where he had made his brick. The committee
nave been unable to find out from Mr.. Kerr the
exact details of this transaction, the amounts
paid, and consequently have been compelled to
adopt the foregoing conclusions. Ii is to be
hoped that the trustees can explain this trans
action to your satisfaction.
S205, 900 EXCESS.
The committee would also call attention to
the difference between the estimates and actual
| cost of the building. Dir. Sloan, the architect,
| who received $1,000 for the plans and specif-
cations. estimated the cost of the build
ing at $295,0OO. Vouchers on file
show it cost the State over $500, 600.
KERR IS KRooKED KAREER.
| Upon an examination of the treasurer
! books and vouchers on file the committee
| found SO many Irregularities and apparent dis
| crepancies that they consulted the Governor
with view OF submitting the accounts of the
hospital from it's first organization to com
mlttee of experienced accountants, with the
pubic examiner a member, who should
| make thorough and systematic examination
| OF the books and accounts OF
the hospital, believing that such
examination would be conclusive az to the
facts, and would render unnecessary furthe,
| investigation. Thls proposition met the ap
| proVai OF the Governor, and the following gen
tiemen We're appointed us such committee: II
NJ. Knox, public examiner; VIM. Smith. secrc
tary OF Senate committee ". D. Hurlbut, OF
| Rochester; j. H. Randall, of st. Paul, anc
Mr.. Whitman, clerk of public examiner All Of
| these gentlemen are experts, and of known in
| tegflty and great experience in all that pertain
ed to the work assigned them. They at once
| agreed on plan OF operation. The labor wal
intricate and arduous. After three weeks Of
close application they completed their task
The report is herewith attached in their owr
language and figures, and shows deficiency OF
| S4,UZ4.76. See schedule a. B, G, and ID. Also
the report of the committee:
| THE REPORT OF 1HE EXPERTS.
| The report of the committee of experts first ex
plains the condition of the books and the method Of
| procedure in making tie examination. They found
| no vouchers for current expenses for the sever
months from December, 1857, to June, 1863 and No
| vouchers in the auditors Office. They procured
vouchers from st. Peter for that period covering
| Sl5,GOo.25 which they allow The experts then saw:
|
pook, tabuates the yearly receipts and expenditures
| as shown by the vouchers themselves, paid within
| each current year.
Exhibit b" shows the receipts as Etaken from The
treasnrers books, and the disbursements as checked
thereon from the vouchers, with statement of error
ana how the balances Of each year affected there
| by.
The two exhibits, therefore, seldom agree az to an
annual balance btt thsy both lead by different road
| to the final result
This result is that the treasurer's books show {
| 6f
1875 of four thousand eight hundred and eighty-on
collars and eghty-six cents 4ssl86l, while the bal
thousand nine hundred and six dollars and sixty-twi
cents (S6, 906.62), difference of foH9. fHoUsunl
/ Gna ttoenty.four dollars and seIentg-eic cents
/ (S4O24.76.)
Exhibit 'C is comprehensive summary Of the tota
receipts from all sources, and the total disbursement
as corrected for the whole period covered in the re
Exhibit "D' is statement OF all the difference
| brought together showing how they occurred, tn
| dates appearing thereof in Exhibit Il.
Very many petty errors have been found in the e.
tensions ana additions Of vouchers, but the bal
ance Of these insignificant we have not encurn
oered our figures with them. The books are con
FUSED by an excess ole unnecessary matter. Many
entries are made of transactions not due to the yea
IN which they appear, which course appears to have
been prompted only by the need of squaring &C
counts, thus producing unsafe and erroneous re
suits.
Henry N. KNOX, Public Examiner.
WIN. SMITH, Clerk Of Senate Com.
| W. d. HURLBUT, accountant.
j. Il. RANDALL.
EXHIBIT '.D''-srArEMErr OF D1FEz FENCES.
l. Balance from temporary building ac-
| count, 1867, not carred for ward IS go Y
| 2. Error i'll entering receipts from pri-
! vate parties and sales Tor 1853 $50 81
| ). Error in Charging stewards petty ac-
count. ......;.... .....-.. -. 100 o
| 4. OVerpaid freight on lumber. ...-..... 122 Q
/ 5. Material sold and not entered 6 o
| &. Error in addition of pay roll. 5000 90
| Error, $500 posted S1s1 ....... 100 90
Error in addition. ........... / e3