San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-14
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

A posted citizen says that the
county commissioners are simply
playing q game of humbug in the
selection Of the plan for the new
court house.
That in advance of even the adver-
ment for plans the whole matter was
decided upon.
1t amounts simply to the city ring
taking charge of the county job.
In order to do this Mr.. Kramer has
been already decided on as the
architect, and his plans will be
adopted.
This is a matter of great public con-
Germ. Mr.. Kramer Is q clever gentle
man, but his ability to build u large
public building, as illustrated by the
ci,y hall, is certainly questionable.
The city hall is not finished yet,
and not paid for. 1t is not yet GER
tain but that the city may be COM
PEELED to pay large bill Of extras to
Contractor Braden in consequence Of
the faulty specifications made by Mr..
Kramer.
The city hall is substantial build.
ing, SO far as stone walls go, but it Is
an architectural botch, and 1t would
be q great misfortune to have another
betch perpetrated upon this city.
But, the order seems to have gone
forth, and now that city jobs are run
ming low, the ring will step in and
take charge of the big county job.
What odds is it to the men who are
today working the city for all it is
worth, whether or not slab-sided
barn adorns the public plaza, just so
that they finger the business.
If it is inevitable that the city ring
shall step in and take charge of this
county job, let them be appealed to
10 allow some other plans to be
chosen except Kramer's, even If
Kramer gets the SUPPLEMENTARY
of the building.
The county commissioners need not
fear the power of the "boss;"-before
the next county election is held,
political conditions will change to
that extent that no such combina-
tions as controlled the last election,
will be possible.
The county official is short-sighted
who depends upon the power of the
ring as it exists today.
A citizen asks, what about the new
city hall; is it very fine building?
Yes, it is q very fine building COM
pared to the bat cave, but in many
particulars 1t is an architectural joke.
What about the fact that it is to
cost fifty thousand dollars more than
1t was contracted for? Why it seems
that Braden bid upon Mr.. Kramer's
specifications which required that
the stone should be simply
quarry dressed, but afterwards
required the stone to be
smooth dressed and filed, this
added at least SIC, 900 cost to the con.
tract. Braden fell behind, and the
city took charge of the job, Mr.. Kra-
mer all the while serving as city
at q tat salary.
1t seems to have struck the city off,
cial organ as decidedly libelous that
paper up In Michigan should ublish,
as q fact, that the city contemplated
appointing q city balloOnist.
The city has about as much use for
q city architect as for q ballOonist; in
fact there are number of superflui-
ties paid for out of the city treasury.
= =
The idea of creating the Office of city
balloonist is not q whit more redicu-
lous than other offices created by
this administration.
FOR SALE
FINE piece of property on Presa
street car line, will pay 10 per cent
on investment. John II. Hambleton