Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-31


plan for the city's half. The entire build
ing will cost in the neighborhood Of Eve
millions OF dollars. and some citizens were
foolish enough to imagine that the expendi-
ture OF so much money ought to result in
the erection of an edifice that would be .
credit to the city. They did not know the
capacity of their officials for laundering and
larceny. The choice Of different plans for the
TWO halves of the same building provoked
agood deal of indignation, but it amounted
to nothing. The citizens submitted, even af-
ter 1t had been demonstrated that the county
commissioners had been bought by one
architect and the city council by another.
The conviction became general, however.
that the building would be an unsiehtly pile,
and instead of an ornament be blotch upon
the fairest portion of the city. The contract
was awarded, the county commissioners fix
ing upon Lemont limestone as the material
out of which to construct the half under
their control. 1t was charged that they had
been bribed by the proprietors Of the quar-
RES, and the charge was pretty clearly
proven. The city council then proceeded to
make the award for the other half of
the building, and fixed upon Bedford
sandstone. The limestone is almost
as white as Italian marble, and
the sandstone is dark gray color, which
deepens with age. The result is that the
east half of the building is being construct
ed In white and the west half in black, and
each from different plan. The conse-
quences are an architectural monstrosity the
like of which has never been seen.
When, for the first time in sixteen years.
Chicago chose Democratic mayor, he d.
rected his attention to the manner in which
the city's part of the building was being
constructed. He appointed committee Of
competent architects, who made thorough
survey of the building, which has only as vet
reached its third story. They found that
there was one defective stone in every six
used in the wall, the defects consisting Of
sand pockets and cavities that had been
filled with mortar, cracks and patches,
in all numbering 1872 These defects
81
constitute those on the surface
only, and there is no telling how many moro
are hidden from view. The superintendent
of tho work confesses that he was aware of
the placing of defective stones in the build
ing, but did not protest because the loss to
the contractors would be great. There we're
other grave defects in the construction of
the building, and an entire disregard of
plans and specifications. It is probab le
that half of that part OF the building will
have to be torn down 80 as to insure its
safety.
It is manifest to every one that the peo-
pie of Chicago have been robbed of at least
. million dollars on this job alone. The
proofs of fraud are plentiful, but SO common
have such things become that nobody seems
to think it proper to prosecute the perpetrat-
ors. In no other city would the erection of
such an uncouth building have been permit
ted, while almost anywhere else the robbers
would have been checked in their career
long ago. 1t is not too late for the auth orr
ties to save several hundreds of thousands
of dollars, yet we do not expect to see any
action to that end taken, for Chicago Justice
is queer compound, consisting principally
of giving honor to criminals.