Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-19
WHY WORK IS SLOW
On the New Government Building,
According to Superintendent of
Construction Malone.
LETTING OF CONTRACTS DELAY ED.
Uncle Sam RaS S45O.0OO Worth of Work
on the Interior Yet to be
Dealt Out to Someone.
LETTING OF CONTRACTS DELAYED.
TIE ROOF CONTRACTORS CALLED DOWN.
Strong Letter Sent to Washington Asking That They
be PrOddsd Up at once.

1t is something Of tax on the memory of
people in Pittsburg to turn back to the time
when there was not a kick about the new
Government building.
Political upheavals have astonished the
nation since the first lick of work was
done for its foundations, and empires have
been revoluuonized since forest of pine
timber was driven into the earth for its
massive body to rest upon, but the Govern
ment building chestnut runs on seemingly
like the brook most people have either heard
or read about.
Pounds and pounds OF brain tissue have
been squandered in trying to find out why
the magnificent structure was not completed,
but all to no purpose. A DISPATCH re-
porter struck a lead yesterday afternoon,
however, that throws considerable light
on the subject. and will aid in
clearing up the dark secret Superintendent
Malone was found in his Office. looking just
as serene as If no intimations had been
thrown out that his official mead was in dan
ger. He said he knew nothing of the Wash
lngton rumor and at first was not inclined
TO talk. After some persuasion. however.
be changed his mind, and made some very
interesting and important statements.
He said that whoever authorized that part
OF the Washington story to the effect that he
was not pushing the work as rapidly as he
possibly could did not understand the sit
uation.
CONTRACTS YET TO BE LET.
''Now let me tell you, to begin with, !" he
continued, "all this work is being done by
contracts, which are let out by the Treasury
Department, and l have nothing whatever to
do with this part OF the business. After
they are given out, it then becomes my
duty to see that the work is done properly,
anG with all due speed. 1t is true that
great deal of work vet remains to lie DONE
and l will give you some facts showing this
is so. Contracts for the interior iron work.
amounting to S56, 900, and for the plumbing
and gasftting, amounting to S31 coo, were
let within the last four weeks. The con-
tract for the plastering, amounting tn S50,-
600. was let about six weeks ago, and the
work is now we'll under way. The contract
for heating, amounting to S1100 600; that for
the interior work, such as carpentering and
painting, amounting to $500, 900: that for
the approaches and platform, amounting to
So, 900 or over; that Tor three elevators and
other minor details. amounting to SIC, 900,
have NOT been let yet.
SO, YOU see, that of S137, 900 worth of
: work let within the last few days, as it were
most OF il is being pushed right along, and
the balance will be started as soo5 as possi-
bic, possbl this week The total work vet
TO be contracted for will cost S451, 600, and
of this 1 have nothing whatever to say.
That rests entirely with Uncle Sam.
THE ROOF LONG OVERDUE.
Here is another feature of the situation:
The Pennsylvania Construction Company
secured the contract for putting on the roof
and doing the iron work in the same. The
date of its contract has already expired, and
sJill the roof is not completed. Now l have
written the company several letters and had
several personal interviews with its
officials, urging in the most posi-
tive terms that the work be finished,
but to no avail. After exhausting every re-
source in my power, l finally notified the de-
Partnent last week that if the company did not
put on larger force of men at once. in order
To hurry matters along. would advise that the
contract be taken from them, as the roof would
not he in before the close of the building
season. and there the matter rests
Il show YOU what we have been doing l will
we have got all the floor arches III the tile con-
cTeung on the floors completed, all the gas
pipes III, all the water tanks on the top story
a large amount of the rough plumbing finished,
ana all of the -proofing to the ironwork
complete. In addition to this. all of the der
TCkS have been taken from the roof and the
yards are fun Of timbers as you can see. Now
II you can suggest how / can hurry matters up
anv, would be pleased to hear from YOU"
The reporter passed or this proposition
but modcstlv inquired of the Superintendent
II he had any idea when the building would he
out Of the terrapin and ready for occupancy
DUTIES OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
There you go again." came the reply Have
not just finished an explanation of the situa-
ton to you? Ny duties are to superintend the
contractors. as said before. and as fast as the
work is let use every effort to hurry them
along"
Mr.. Malone quoted from his last annual re-
port, showing that big lot of work had been
done during the year ending september 30.
Among other things was the laving of g. sos
cubic feet of granite masonry, three -fourths of
the cleaning down and pointing, hoisting four
heavy derTicks to the roof, renewing all the
running ropes, the old ones having rotted ont
putting ia four new booms laying S5O, $50 bricks,
and other work of more or less magnitude that
would fill column of space to enumerate and
during this period the winter months had to be
taken into consideration.
In conclusion, Mr.. Malone said the authori-
ties at Washington had been paving close at
tentlon to affairs here. and that officials had
made repeated visits during the year. SO that
they were familiar with all the details