, 1879-08-01
The Building Committee Examine
a Number OF Contractors.
All Except Walker Repudlate the
Idea Of Two Pinns.
BE Claims There Were Some Changes
After the Contracts Wers Let.
Contradictory Testimony AZ to the Con.
dItion Of the Building.
Tho Mayor Calls on tho Experts for 0pin.
ions About the Structure.
A Partial idea o. to What These
Opinions Will 30.

Opinions Will 30.
BUILDING COMMITTEE.
s1AM1N1Na r,tE BIDDERS.
The Council Building Committee began tho
Investigation into the construction OF tie City
Hall yesterday morning. tho Council Chamber
bciug used, since the committee-room WAS too
small. There were present Of the Committee
Aid. Phelps (Chairman) Throop, Graonfs, mid
Riordan, and Laulcr, acting as a substitute for
1fcCaffrcy, who Is not ia town; C!ty-Attorncy
Griuncll, Joseph +. Bontield, representing Thorn
lEusou 4 Heed, the cut.stouo contractors; !;
Mesars. Reed, SlcNetll, Ktmbal!, ninaaale,
Angus, Sexton, and Mortimer, who aro directly
Interested IN tho work; e1-Ald. Cook and Vim
osdel, ex-Supt. cleveland, Architect Egau,
and Ed Walker.
Tho bail was opened by Aid. Phelps, who
stated WhAk was contcmplated,-n examina-
ton !Mto the charges made by tho Committee Of
Experts
air. Bonteld said, In order to nrriyo at the
facts, all the parties Interested ilirpctly Or In
directly should be called, as their muucy nlul
regulations we're at stake. The fullest latitude
should be allowed, but lie was not Icssrous OF
introducing anything not pertinent. as to tho
stone work, he wished thorough, complete,
and exhaustive e1an,natl0!,,-t nothing be
.suppressed,-so that the public could undGr-
stand exactly tho condition Of the hui!1DE. II
there was anything done not according to the
contract and its spirit, tic contractors were
dcstrous TINT tic work should be changed.
They, however, knew Of nothing Of tho kind at
present. T1,cy wisllrd to bring in such witnesses
rs wero skilled in tho Interpretation Of contracts
aud specifications.
Aid. Lawlcr suggested that whoever WAS
called be sworn BY tho City Attorney.
Mr. Bonflcld said those be represented Ind no
objections to that.
Mr. Grtnneli remarked that tho administering
Of an oattl was entirely discretionary with the
Committee. Different individuals lad been re-
questcd to come In ind gtvo their. oplnions,-
to explain their connection with the work. 1t
uas questionable whether ono could be held for
perjury under an Uatl administered bY tile Conl-
rpttco, lilo lad TO authority to utlmIuistcr an
Aid. Th,oop inquired II thoae vho test flied
before tho Committee OF Expcsts were awpvu:,
AID. Lawlor replied III ,Lc affirmative. =.
should have amy objccttun to being sworn.
ALT. 1rnnna saw no necessity tnr It, and
moved that the oath be dispensed with.
Tie motion WIS agreed to, Lawier alunc voting
tho"
WILLIAM st'sEILLn
who is interested IN tic brick cnntract vas tho
first ono caltcd. lie examined tue CLEVELAND
plans, apd stated thut They. were the
ssss ssss na as psssaou, sqssa o n hr nsFe e.scu a
IN one pier, which was M extra. Quits nun.
March or April Of 1875. lic know nothing about
the stone work. There had been some little
yettienent, he thought. as there was crnck ia
the spring OF A nrch, over door In the aub-
basement, but ha really .lidn't knnw tue cause.
It might or might not have arisen from q settle
ment 10 the fouudat!ons. That was tllc only
track III tho brick work.. It was about quarter
pf all inch wide. lie iirst uoticed It. soniu tinc
h Tie spring. It was mure noticeable now tilnn
lheu. A twelve-inch wnfl adjoining "sYmpa-
lhtzrd u with the cruck. There was no crack it,
Seen settlement since. It woufl aiaye shown
ulcre. The foundation might be- bad In slat
spot. Ilu did nut nut IN the sub.basomcnt,
lie Ind not mcnt!oncd Tho existence, Of The
rrark to my one. There was llu weight abUYe
on tl,e twcivcincfI wall, md there was door
waT over the cracked arch. The defect was not
material one.
ucatGis. sewcF.br!ck Werc not mentioned.
There wore hollow places IN tho buttresses. lir
Honlc have liked It better II they hut! been
solid, as thai Wouldshaye given better lonnta-
tton fur the colutnuB All thu bonl-stopes called
for by the specifications were In thu Interior
wallis. Tllcy. were not in tho piers between the
windows. lie lad nothing to do with putting
tht1n In there. He could not put IN bnnt-
ttone onc"nalt Lcnloht xnu tue oihee halI bca-
ford.
"Whcrcver the brick wall requires bond.atoacs
II ia your bustneas to put them inf''
?cs, tn inc interior wnlla, but not ID tho
outside wal!s uu1er our eohifact' nave moth
lns TO do with putting In bond'steaes lu tic c1-
ternal wall pcrs."
John ANGUS
corrohoratetl MrNcI,l az to thu olans. 11o l,nf,
Heard Of m changes in them, nor inI he lad INV
difficulty iu ccttiug at tiunl, liz nad seen tic
crack rnforred to bY MrNctli. 1'iiut wa Iast
week, Good marketable brlck was called fDr
f,v fhn eo1tract. nnt1ttufr ,yns said nhout arwrr
brick. Tho crucscd wall could 10 lakeu down
IND carted out without injury to tho building.
McNel1l was recalled, mud said he knew Of liz
other cracks In the building. Ilo hatl seen 1.a
breaking away Ut tho stunU from The brick OF
account Of tile nhscHce of bond-stones.
Every other course Of stono was anchored to f.,c
brick. The stuea did not uyorlap In every
other course. Very few VI them gsaspel ,tsu
tmpost-abuut on1 In each pier lii tho upper
story. This piers wcro not as strong rs II huuu.
cd clear through.
No slushilg wns called for; ahnye Joints were
required. There had bceu shr,nkngo Of NOR