Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-23

The communication following from a
veil known mechanic, was handed into
this Office yesterday for publication:
SEATTLE, Oct. p. 1888.
Ed. PosT-IsTEILrsEscER;
Passing the new school building in
the northern part of town on Sunday
last, nv attention was attracted 70 the
settlement of timbers and to assures IN
the walls. whereopon proceeded to the
basement. there observed brick piers
from two to FIVE feet high. with a post
on top one-third the size of the pier
standing in some cases on one corner
of the same, and the whole thing giving
way in all directions. and pier and post
standing upright. similar 10 a dogs
hind leg. Several of the brick piers
were teiescoping down into the stone
foundation, the stone seeming to rise
Up 70 look at it. The specifications call
for cement in the mortar, but on exam
lining / find no trace of it being there.
The public il curious to know who
the real contractor for the mason work
il, as ii il generally known that the
stone for the school building came here
consigned to a member of the school
board, and IL also wants to know how
the builders expect to hold the building
up until completed, az 1t is not one
fourth finished yet, and is already CIV
ing way.
The information contained in the
foregoing was of so startling nature
that an investigation was at once set on
foot for the benefit of the home readers
of this journal. 1t was found that
Judge Burke, one Of the School Board,
had already taken the matter in hand,
convinced that vilIainous attempt had
been made to rob the people by putting
up building contrary and IN every way
inferior 70 the building called for by
the specifications. He had stopped
| work, and had instituted an examina-
ion by experts. Ii was found that the
stone and brick piers were as stated IN
the communication above, and that
their rebuilding will be necessary.
Much Of the stone wall is also defective,
and Is now opening and falling down
| under the pressure Of the building
| above. In fact, 1t was found that the
construction was faulty throughout,
| huu III pain NIOtdtiou VI CouAnCt. Eoo
| bad was it, that the great building
could never have been finished, as it
undoubtedly would have fallen down
before completion. The contractors are
Fletcher d Gormley, who have been
giving constant assurances to Directors
and others that the work they were do
ing was of the best possible character.
A great deal of the work already done
will have to be done over again, if not
the whole of it. To insure good, hon.
est job, s. Z. Clougs has been appoint
cd by the Directors as superintendent
of construction, with orders to stay by
il TO the end, from the beginning of OPP
erations in the-morning to their close in
the evening. No blame is attached to
Mr.. Donovan, the architect, who will in
no wise be relieved by any change now
made. 1t was proviaential that the dis
covery was made Mt so early q day in
the construction, for if by any chance
the house could have gone on to com-
pletion and occupancy, there is no tell
ing how many innocent young lives
would have been sacrificed some day in
a terrible disaster caused by its collapse
and destruction. II the construction OF
such building, in violation of specisi-
cations. is not criminal offense, il
should be made one by the present Leg
i8lature