Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-26

council have taken that ous Of our hands; I
have some mental reservation ~ TO the est.
mates furnished the council by tho board of
whsn
superstructure It was based on the printed
plans furnished BY tho architect; when tho
bid of Brennan Bros. for t203,0O0 was
awarded they came In and said that mistake
had been made, as it should be es4S, 900; tho
October bids were rejected as they were all
considered too high; the August October
and November bids were all the board OF
public works could receive; the council has
not paid Reagan Bros. TO my knowledge any
money other than the estimates sent in by
the board of public works.
Examined by Mr. Hall-The ]. I. Nichols
bid was made at the time the Brennan Bros.
that the Brcnnan's said they made 10000
error; 1t is only two or three weeks ago that
the council ordered me to return TO brennan
the $1,000 check he put up for Nichols; II was
two weeks ago that the council annulled tho
contract with Brennan Bros.
BY Mr. Webstcr-The board did not award
the bid OF Nichols; we would have given him
the check II he would show up; the person
identify himself; Mr. Brennan came, though,
and wanted 1t; the only Nichols who l could
find in the city denied all knowledge Of 1t, or
that he had ever sent in q check or bid.
BY Mr. Simeral-I returned the check to
Mir. Brennan; he said it was his check and
his 900
City Treasurer Rush testifed-I am tho
treasurer of the city Of Omaha; when tho
to the city hall fund; it has ali been paid out
as follows October 81, 1885, s2.l13S7; Dc.
cember 81, 1886, 1874; january 81,
ll,56; June 80, 1881, E,1eo65; July
ber 81, 1887, s., ,92s.51, making total oxpend.
iture of the $4,000; the vouchers may possi-
bly, show what was done with the other
5000.
made estimates on the city hall under the
name of Reagan Bros; since the annulling of
the contract by the council and the stopping
of the work | cannot tell what their claim is;
Mr.. Brennan brought in u statement two
weeks ago, which l saw by examination was
not correct; have gwen Reagan Bros. in
estimates s23, lO5 on $25, ,672 as the amount Of
work represented by them to have been
done; the bill shown me by Mr.. Brennan
was referred to special committee ap-
pointed by the council; 1 am a member Of
that special committee; | have never seen tho
bill since, and the committee has not met;
the work was not done very rapidly on the
basement; there was no rapidity of the work
on the building; told the contractor that the
work was going on too slow; l spoke to the
contractor about it last spring, and he prom
| ised to have the work done on contract time,
but it was not | think the cause Of
| of material and enough men. I have
never certified to any estimates
| that l did not think was satisfactory. have,
| however, refused estimates on inferior work,
| which 1 ordered taken down and rebuilt.
| When saw anything going on that was con-
| trary to the plans and specifications always
notified the superintendent in the employ OF
| the city of what saw, and when he could
| not correct it told the contractors that 1
| would not award them any estimates unless
they corrected them. There are defects in
| the basement which the contractors have
never corrected, although have told them
| to.
Cross examined by Mr.. Webster-I don't
| know that the council paid any claims Of
Reagan Bros. that did not sanction; il they
| had would have found it out / am not in
| collusion with any one to allow Reagan Bros.
| more than they are entitled to.
BY Mr.. Simeral-The council have allowed
! extras over my estimates; 1t was on the
| Twentieth street grading contract.
| BY Mr.. Webster-That was on the legal
| construction of o CONTRACT.
Henry Livesey testified-Was a member
Of the board Of education at tho
time the eontsG sa wa: sso made @
| building. At the time made an examination
| of the Myers contract; that was in 1885; I
am a practical contractor and builder.
| Mr. Webster objected to the witness ans
| done in 1886 in conformity with the
amount stated it could by the architect.
Messrs. Hall and Simeral maintained that
| the question was fair one, as 1t would show
| figures If the council had shown disposition
| to carry on the work. The court directed
| the witness to answer.
| Mr.. Livesey continued: between the spring
| of 1886 and the latter part Of 1887 the rise in
| material was all of 20 per cent, and building
| contracted for at 800, 900 in the spring Of
1886 would cost S240,00O to put up in the
| summer and fall of 1887.
| BY Mr. Webster-Labor and building ma
| terial was higher in 1887 by 20 per cent the
reason why did not put in a contract for
| the work was that there are too many
| people to please in city work and to do work
think a man could have been found who
would have done the work for 5000, 900 in the
| spring of 1886; the reason it was not done
| then was that do not think the city was in
| condition to receive bids.
Judge Wakeley interrupted Mr.. Webster
| by saying that the question was not rele-
| want One
Mr.. Livesey again: If was satisfied that
in bid to put up the building for 5000, 600,
but would not il / couldn't see where tho
money was coming from.
Judge Doane again called Mr.. Webster to
time, as asking questions that were not eS-
sential to the topic.
| BY Mr.. Simeral--The difference in prices
| of material and labor between May, 1877, and
| August, 1887, was chiefly in labor; about 10
per cent on labor, If not more; material
raised some, too the rise between labor and
material from the spring of 1885 to May, 1887,
| was not much; the Interstate law bill in 1887
| raised the price of material, lumber being the
greatest item; labor followed on tn, the ri rise: e,
| Mr. Livesey closed his testimony. and the
| court adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow
| morning when additional testimony will be
introduced.
District Court.
| CARR L. HoLT's COMPLAINT.
Carr E. Holt yesterday filed a complaint