New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-14
THE CEILING INQUIRY.
LETTING IN MORE LIGHT ON THAT QUEER
CONTRACT.
SPEAKER COLE AND AssEMBLYMEN sHEEHAN,
ENz AND GALLUP TESTIFY BEFORE
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
MARTIN TO MAKE CLEAN
BREAST-MR ANDREWS IN


MARTIN TO MAKE A CLEAN
BREAsT-MR ANDREWS IN
PERIL.
fsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRnuSEl
Albany. Feb. l3-There was a crowd Of 200 people
In the Assembly parlor to-day when tho Committee
on Appropriations began to take testimony In regard
~ the Assembly ceiling scandal All the members
OF the Assembly Ceiling Commlttee-Speaker Cole,
Mr.. Gallup Mr.. sheehan and Mr. Enz-were present.
The members OF the nves igating committee had
great deal Of assistance In It's work. the Asscmbyme
present. Messrs Saxton, Fish, Blumenthal, Asplnall
and Davidson among others examining the wit
nesses. Messrs Cole, sheehan and Gallup testified
positively that they could not remember that the
words papermache panels" were In the specifications
OF the contract they saw: but Assemblyman Enz testi-
LED that he remembered the words. Perhaps the
piost remarkable testimony given was that Charles
Andrews, the superintendent Of Public Buildings,
had submitted bids from two contractors TO do the
work to the Assembly Ceiling Committee before that
committee had examined the specifications for the
contract. The Assembly Ceiling Committee properly
thought that as the State had such valuable con-
tract to give out II had better be advertised in the
newspapers before It was given out The giving out
Of the contract was, therefore, delayed week.
SPEAKER COLES TESTIMONY.
Speaker Cole tho first witness.
lie said that he was member OF the Assembly Com
to that had tho letunB OF inc contract Tor the re-
construction Of the Assembly Chamber in 1883. The
first meeting OF the committee held three or four
days after Governor Hill signed the act making ap-
preparation for the reconstruction Of the Assembly
Chamber. "Mr Andrews informed me that the Gov
ernor had signed the bill, and at once came to Al
bany,' said Mr. Cole, the Controller said that he
would approve OF the contract unless he was sure
that the Assembly Chamber could be completed before
January 1. Mr. sheehan was the only member of the
committee not present at that first meeting. tee-
graphed TO him that the committee would meet and he
replied that he had business In court and could not
come. At that first citing Mr.. Andrews submitted
plans for the construction Of the Assembly Chamber
which had been drawn up by Professor Roe, archi
tect who had formerly been connected with Cornell
University Mr. Andrews SAID that an architect was
necessary and he thought Mr. Roe would do the work
well Mr.. Andrews and Mr. Roe were very strenuous
that We should adopt the plans at once In order that
the contractors might be able TO do the WORK before
January l. We directed Mr.. Andrews to advertise In
the newspapers tho fact that contract would be gwen
outs
Mr. Ainsworth-Dld Mr. Roe say "hat hno Oh 'ei'i"s
was 10 10 put Inf
Mr. cole-I do not reconeet that the words ''paper-
machep were In Ny impression was that the
ceiling was 70 be Of oak What kna OF an olA
ceiling Il was to be l have very muddy recollection
n But I certainly do not remember that there were
| 70 b. paplermaehe panels
Mr. Alnsworth-Iow about the second meeting
Mr. Cole-Au the members Of the committee were
present and M Andrews. AZ that meeting the speeih.
cations were submitted to the committee. Mr. Weed
moved that the bids opened The motion was adopted
by the votes OF sheehan Enr. Weed and myself
Mr. Gallup voted against opening tho bids Ihe contract
was then awarded Nj snaith as tho lowest oaaof
uon otlon OF Mr&EnE OF 80, 800 was voted 70
ur Andrews as Extra compensation for his work Of
supcrinicn5ence
Mr. 'Afssworth-wcSe the specifications read At the
second moctingi a
Mr. colo-My Oppression is that they were; at least
| took them up and read them over.
Mr. Ainsworth-IIad you any prior acquaintance with
Mr. snaith Mr. Roe
| Mr. Cole-I had conversation with Senator Russell
In which BIO bad mentioned Mr. Snaith to me as mAn
who desired 70 make bid
| Mr.. Ainsworth-Dd your committee talK ABOUT lne
| kind OF ceIlingi
Mr.. Cole-we dd; and tho talk was about an oak
ceiling We did think that eoneal panels should %
placed in the ceiling.
Mr. Answorth-was there anything said about the
difference I'm cost between a papiermache ceiling and
| carved oak coingl
Mr.. cole-There was not We discussed merely the
lump sum- II was my impression that II was to DO
| carved oak ceiling or Quartered oak ceiling.
Mr. Msr,nwas there any discussion Of the alternative
clause pormlttng tho Use OF papermac panels instead
| Of quartered oak carved oakI
Mr. Coe-There may have been, but do not recolect
that did. --..,....,.. =.
Mr. AsplnaI-Dm you examine the Apecineauons d.
the first meeting Of the committee
Mr. Cole-I have no recollection OF having read the
speeiacatlons At that meeting examined the drawings
n wa AZ the second meeting that read the specifications
Mr. FshIt you had read over the specifications at the
soeona meeting would you remember coming across
| the words 'papermache' ,. -,
Mr. Coe-I do not know as would read over the
| specifications hastily. -. -.
Mr.. Fish-How long did you advertise inc iae' IhA'
this contract would be given outI
Mr. Cole-From June Is 70 June 70.
Mr. Fishwas there any reason why this advertisement
should have been limited TO the Albany newspapers
Mr. cole-I suggested that the advertisement should
| also be nut into the NewYork newspapers but Mr.
Andrews said It would be unnecessary anu tn@' nc
| would notify some contractors by letter
MIR. sHEEHAN DEMANDS TO BE HEARD.
Mr.. sheehan demanded to be heard as the next
riiness Until to-dayp he said, until tho Speaker