Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-28
THE CITY HALL PLANS
nm MYERS BEFORE TIE GROUNDS
AND BUILDINGS CoMmIrTEE.
After warn Words An Understanding 10
Arrived At, and the Plans VIII
he Finished Up. &c.

oit, engineer: Mr.. Q. L. P. Burgwyn,
snp,I,islne architect o. the City Hall ;
MIR. f.. +. as ers, Of Detroit, Mich,
draw or Of the plans for The City Hall;
Mir. George ". Myers, his son Judge
II. II. Marshall. Mr.. Myers's counsel
and Dir. RheImsn, draughtsmau on the
custom-house building.
The Chair stated that the committee
was called together 70 meet Mr.. Myers
and bear shat he had TO say about the
plans.
THE CITY-HALL DRAWINGS.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that he had
at the last meeting of the committee
showed wherein the drawings were To-
complete, and, as the committee knew,
the matter had been postponed until to-
night, when SIR. George Myers had said
his father would be present, and they
could further talk about the plans. He
then handed the clerk a paper, which
contained, in detail, the deficiencies in
the City-Hall plans. This paper the
clerk read, and while he was reading it
Mr.. Myers, who in tall, fine-looking
man, with waving gray hair, aud wear
ing eyeglasses, listened attentiyely. At
the finish he rose, and, striking tragic
attitude, he exclaimed in ringing tones
"Gentlemen, this 10 me is humilia-
ting. During thirty-flve years Of pro-
fessionAl life have never had similar
charge brought against me. | can't
come here as drsughtsman to obey
men who have never had any experience
in such buildings or plans Of this sort.
/ am willing to obey the order Of this
Board IN any particular but if you
gave an order that / know was defec-
tive would you expect me to obey it?
IItgsrd that my integrity as an archi-
tect has been questioned. That | can't
permit, gentlemen. / have built such
buildings all over tho country-in
Texas and elsewhere and have never
been treated so before. ] have made
those plans as complete as any man
could make them. When these plans
were returned to be corrected, why was
not this paper, with all these allege-
ments, sent back with them? Why is
il thrust at me now? There is some
thing behind this, gentlemen, that |
don't understand, aud am afraid there
can be no satisfactory explanation
given"
MR.. MYERS WARNS UP,
"Those plans" said Mr.. Myers,
"sre complete, and / am willing to
pay the expenses Of any expert
in the country to come here and
examine them and say whether or not
they are complete. | will pay his ex-
ptnses here and to return home, which
will probably cost me several hundred
or thousand dollars. | will say, fur
Their, that YOU can't find a building in
the country that | was the architect of
that is not complete. 1t is easy to find
fault, gentlemen, in q hypercritical
way. came here once before, and
was met with four legal sheets Of paper
covered with alleged imperfections in
those plans which have now lain here
for years. ! never would have written
o single line or made a stroke of the
pen on those plans if had known that
/ would have had to come here as n
sehoolboy. Those plans are here.
can't come here and furnish plans and
brains too. That mean in all the en-
phasis possible. | regard that paper
as an insult, and that don't propose
to allow"
NO INSULTS ALLOWABLE.
Here Mr.. Snead sprang to his feet /
and exclaimed, AND we don't pro-
pose TO allow you to insult us. We
came here and expect TO treat you
kindly, and want to be treated so our
selves"
Heretofore Mr.. Myers had been talk
ing in 4 very loud voice, walking back
ward and forward, and emphasizing his
remarks with waves Of his arms. This |
manner he now dropped, and, turning
to Mr.. Snead, no said in low, apollo
getic voice
THE PLANS EXPLAINED.
i mean no disrespect. Those plans
are as complete as they can be made.
| speak professionally gentlemen. |
have no intention of wounding Colonel
Cutshsw's feelings, and l know he
would not mine. am sure that can
convince Colonel Cutshaw that those
plans are complete and to show you
my feelings towards him, | will say
that at any time during the work, as it
progresses, | will give him any assist
ance that can and make any explana-
tion | can. My duty has been, and my
aim has been, to protect the Board. |
would regret more than Colonel Cut
shaw if | made mistakes in those plans,
and | would be the one to get the
blame. Now, take one Of those plans,
gentlemen, and will show you"
Mr.. Myers then asked for one of the
drawings, which was handed him.
Mr.. Myers then explained several
points about one Of the plans to few
members OF the committee.
Mr.. Myers then called for other
drawings, which were handed him, and
which he tried to get Colonel Cutshaw
to look at, but could not. After vast
ing some time in talking Mr.. Pizzini
moved that each Of the drawings be
taken up separately, and that Colonel
be requested to point out the
parts and let Mr.. Myers
explain. This was agreed to.
THE SPECIFIED FAULTS.
Just here Colonel Cutshaw said the
paper which be had prepared, showing
the deficiencies in the plans, had been
at the request of Judge Mar {
shall and Mr.. George Myers, who
wanted it specified in writing in what
respect the plans were not complete.
The first drawing was then brought
laid on the table, and the first
discrepancy pointed out--a lack Of
igures giving certain distances. Mr..
Myers, in explanation, said that the dis
ance was the same from some point to l
ONE other point, and that should DO I
lsed as q guide. Colonel Cutshsw did {
Tot agree with him, and would not re- I
pSea his mint A d;oauee;on foiiouad | q