Daily Republican., 1880-02-09
Tho Cour, N suse contract.

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1t is to be regretted that any trouble
should have occurred in the erection o
the new Court House on the part Of thu
contractors which will initiate against
the completion Of the building by the
first of October. When it is considered
that the sub contractors are certain o.
losing several thousand on a job like
the building of the new Court House, |,
need not be wondered at that they be.
came somewhat restive and discouraged,
and when they have almost exhausted
the amount Of money they were to re-
ceive for their part Of the work, with
the Job on their hands not half finished
and some of their hands unpaid, they
are entitled to sympathy rather than
condemnation. We do not know in the
face OF conflicting reports whether the
sub-contractors have acted exactly on
the square or not, bat be this as 1t may
it is very certain that the most perss-
vering industry and the most rigid econ
omy will not save them from losing
money on the job. An unrehecting
public will say that they should not
have taken the building at such low
figure, and having done 80 they should
put up with the consequences without
murmuring. This we consider rather
an unjust and undeserved reflection.
Mr.. Given the maiI contractor is no
special friend OF the REPUBLICAN,, or
at least if he ia we are not aware of II,
but this does not prevent us from say
ing that his long experience in build
ing has made him safe calculator and
when he undertook to build the Court
House for $6S, 900, there is no doubt in
our minds that he saw his way clearly
through, and would have put up one
Of the prettiest Court Houses to be seen
within radius Of one hundred miles at
Tenth and Market streets, for the low
figure which We have named, had it
not been for the sudden and unexpec.
ted rise in material soon after the COM
mencement OF the work. Iron of which
the joist and girders are made and
hardware have risen one-third in price
lumber has advanced, brick are high or
and the beautiful serpentins and
Ohio stone have also gone up, in fact
there is nothing, not even labor the
last always to rise, but what is much
higher than when Mr.. Given took the
contract. Under these circumstan-
ces he cannot help but lose
money, nc matter how careful,
pushing and economical he may be.
This was no fault of his. He could
not at the time he took the contract
fOresee the sudden rise in material,
and neither could his sub-contraotora
and hence the trouble.
It does seem to US that under these
circumstances the Levy Court should
not hold Mr.. Given to the strict letter
Of the contract. New Castle County is
rich and is getting a new Court House
for $68, 600 which il finished in accord
ance with the plan thus far carried out,
will be fully worth 100000. We are
informed that Mr.. Given expects to lose
$40, 900 on the contract. He will be
lucky If he loses no more. The rise in
material alone since the contract was
made would amount to that. The Levy
Court Of New Castle county we think
should secure Mr.. Given against loss at
least 30 far as it has been oocasioned
by the sudden rise in material. There
are those Of course who would object to
this, and who will insist that contract
is contract and should be adhered to.
TLis is true, but when we take into
that on the one side are
some &c, 900 tax payers and on the othsr
side one man, it would appear no more
than a simple matter of justice that the
10000 tax payers should step in and
make up the deficiency caused by the
unexpected rise in material. This cem-
ing fiscal year there will be some 1000
additional assessments made which
will bring almost sufficient amount
INTO the Treasury of the County to pay
or this deficiency. We are not expect
Dg that Mr.. Given, under any circum- |
stances, will allow the work on the
new courthouse to lag, and he will no
1oubt compel his sub-contractors to
keep their promises, but If he was as
sured that he would lose nothing by
unavoidable circumstances over which
be had no control, he would have more
heart TO 60 on with his work. l