San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-22
WHO'S THE BOSS g?
Some Peculiar Points in the Con-
struction of the City Hall.

Some Peculiar Points in the Con-
struction of the City Hall.
Ed. Braden is the boss contractor Of
this city. At least so it is said and he
modestly concurs in the allegation.
He has now on his hands three big
contracts. lst, the federal building
on the A lamo plaza; End, the city hall
on Military plaza; 3rd, the building of
the two county bridges over the
Medina at the Losoya and Medina
crossings. He has got these contracts
because he was the lowest bidder and
he has given good bond for the per-
Torrance of them, but those w no
know say that in bidding, Ed has cut
it far too fine even under the most
favorable circumstances. Ifthe feeders al
building nets Braden any profit it
is wonder. 1t might have done
so, if the local supervising
architect was not careful in the COM
pliance with the specifications. 1t is
stated on good authority that the city
hall cannot possibly be built under
SIS, 900 above the Braden bid, and
that the Medina bridges will actually
cost 81 900 above the contract price,
that is, if the specifications are rigid
ly adhered to. Mr.. Braden is, how
ever, man of "talent" and, Of
course, knows what he is doing.
A few words may be said of the city
hall contract. Mr.. Braden offered to
build the city hall for his stipulated
amount, Of San Geronimo, BALCONIES
or Comfort rock. There is no Comfort
rock worked, but there is a Kerrville
rock that is far cheaper and inferior
to San Geronimo or Balconn es rock.
Mr.. Braden naturally wants to intro
duce the Kerrville rock, the architect
objects, and the question came before
the building committee on Saturday.
All the advantages and defects of the
various rocks were carefully consider
ed and it was decided that the con-
tractor could use either San Geronimo
or BALCONIES rock, but none other. In
other words, the committee wanted
no Kerrville rock in their'n. Yet Ed.
Braden, it is reported, has since de-
clared that he has contracted for Kerr
vile rock, and that those who don't
like it can indulge in offensive Oscula-
ton. If this be true, it re-
mains to be seen whether Bra
den is the boss of the city
and it can only be so by the tacit con-
sent of the administration, = or
whether the city is boss and Will de-
mand and receive full compliance
with the specifications. The LIGHT
has its eye upon this work and will
not only watch this point with interest
relating what it sees and knows of
the matter in question, but it will also
keep it's eye generally on the building
and those connected with it.
In answer to a LIGHT reporters en-
quiry, Alderman Guerguin, a member
of the city hall building committee,
said that the contractor ed. Braden)
has given us choice of four rocks,
those of San Geronimo, BALCONIES, Fla
tonia and Kerrville, and the building
committee has selected San Geronimo
and BALCONIES rock, giving the con-
tractor the choice of using either or
both. These rocks must be used in
building from the ground upwards,
but there was no objection to the con-
tractor using San Antonio rock for the
basement The rock used, too, must
be equal to sample, and the commit
tee intend to see that all the specifica-
tons are faithfully carried out.