New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-01
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS.
ur.rrNG THE CHICAGO CUsrOM-HoUsE.
.rsr,FyIxG THAT THE SPECIFICATIONS WERE NOT
FOLLOWED BY THE CONTRACTORS.

up.rrNG THE CHICAGO CUsrOM-HOUSE.
..sr,rv1xG THAT THE SPECIFICATIONS WE'RE NOT
FOLLOWED BY THE CONTRACTORS.
WASHINGTON, July 31.-In the Hill inyesti-
,,on to-day Mr. Coleman asked for ruling ON ms ap-
s,.,,e, for the suspension Mr.. Hin pending the
sty.stieation The chairman said that the committee
nod no power to grant TINS request The question haa
r supnitted to Secretary OF the Treasury ana nc
had refused the application.
Iosn Woodnan of Woodward Warner, Chicago, was
examined by Mr. Coleman. He hal been In the steam
"a heating business for nearly thirty years He was
,,,ar With the heating apparatus in the chicago Jas
600, uouse as constructed by Bartlett. Robbins q 70
=, oornaoy with Mr. King, Of Chicago, ne had maue d
..resul examination OF the apparatus Oh inurSuv,
pr,sav and Saturday Of last week, ana maze speoai
natiou of the boilers and the castiron COILS on the
80 Aoor He read the SPECIFICATIONS
., partlett Robbins Co. relative to the character aud
maize Of the boilers. They required that the boilers
shoplS have ninety-seven three-inca tubes Wheh lie
,anned them no found that the boilers had ony ninety
,xo tube, This caused reduction In the hes'ns Gu
naisv Of the boilers II made difference In the COST Oh
making the boilers and the labor OF setting them lie
ud nor tell the amount without making calculation
THE spec,acations also departed from IN the ha,
&c., Of hollis ana nuts for castiron pipes which numbered
ov.- oo0 Square bolts used while the speclnca
lions olled for hexagon bolts The difference was zen
,r cent Ia the value of the bolts The witness also sa
he found difference IN the length and dimensions OF
me tron coils from what required The COILS
on the third floor we're six inches less than required
The specifcations required the pipes to be 3l0 men
metal lie found some of the pipes used OF mucn less
,ckuess The fact that there less tubes ana inc
r,ne shorter and thinner made reduction In the hea
ING capacty and also reduction IN the cost The INSIDE
measurement of the pipes less than required ana
made ference in the heating capacity The witness
said he had examined tho reservoir tanks over the atc
and touud that they differed from the specifications IN
material and construction poorer quality OF IRON was
used than called for square tank was put III when an
angle tank was called Asquare tank is much cheaper
than angle tank
Mr. Coleman asked the witness IL he could ten from
his examination II the heating apparatus was sufficient
Mr. Woodman said he did not think the heating appa-
ratus sufficient to keep the building at 7O' fahrenhe
with the cold air ventlators open as originally desie
mated He estimated that there was difference OF
ahout 90 DER cent in OF the work as put ~ h
"a called for ia the specifications he Daseu s 10
on he character the apparatus on the thru Hoo' VI
In crosse xaminalon Mr.. woodman admitted that ne
had bid for heating apparatus Tor tpc SlcasO @
ing and did not get the contract HIS old was apou
SOS 900 than that OF the lowest Duaers D"Eo''
A. b. King Of Chicago, employed by the Northwestern
Railroad COMPANY the next wlnese IN lcfo nc
was master mechanic the Chicago Custom House; is
carpenter by trade; heard Mr. Woodnans tesunonS.
lie and Mr. Woodman examined the heating apparatus
In the Chicago building Thursday, Jrday ana Satn
day last Mr. WoOdmans statement III regaFu u he t.
suit of the examination was correct