San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-06
GRAND JURY'S REPORT.
Court-B House Number
of Gases, etc, Acted Upon

IL lut IlOHs ptO. NOOudll,
Thirty seventh Judicial District:-The
grand jury sworn on October Bird, 1892, and
charged by your honor to examine into
the affaifs of BeXar county, any reckless
expenditure of the public money, and all
complaints, charges properly brought
before it, beg leave to report that
its labors are about concluded. The
grand jury diligently examined into the
condition of the county courthouse, now
in course of construction, and contracts
relative thereto.
Tho county courthouse when completed
according to contract, promises to be
credit TO the county, and the character OF
work done Is good. 1t will be of red gran
lite from the grade line to lintels of first
floor, granite columns and steps, and the
body of the building will be gray sand
stone, with red Pecos sandstone trim
mingS.
The contract with Gordon & Laub, ar
chitects, provides that they are to receive
commission of 3 per cent for getting out
plans and experimenting construction,
including furniture and fixtures, 81 per
cent to be paid on completion of plans,
and II per cent on amounts as they are
paid TO contractors. Mr.. Gordon has
SINCE, Nv UTubT VI Tue UttH Ildut
sole architect. 1t appears that the lowest
bid on the concrete footings and founda-
tiOnS did not. reach SC }, that all the
bids were rejected by the commissioners
court, as being too low, although, In the
opinion Of the grand jury, the bidders
were responsible men, and able TO furnish
any reasonable hond. The work was done
by day labor, under superintendent APP
pointed by the court and cost SIS, ITO IS, 1t
hninU plpirnpn however that additional
eXcavating' and material was necessary.
On september the %, 1892, the contractors
were paid Sl,152.50 for extra concrete
work. The contract was signed with
MesSrs. Dugan Il Kroeger, for the base
ment walls and SuDerstructure. not in
Guiding the iron WORK, for 1924, 967, they to
receive 80 per cent on work as it is done.
and 10 per cent 90 days after satisfactory
completion of contract. The Speciiica-
tionS and also the contract, require that
in case of any omission, change or altera-
ton being made In the work, the diff
ference Sha II be paid the contractor ifthe
expense is greater, and shall be allowed
to the county if less than specified.
The contract requires thatif any such
action Re desired, 1t shall be particularly
pe1i lied in wiring by the architect,
and Tho amour Of difference assessed at
The time by hin, and that the county, act
ing BY aud thrCUgh its judge and also the
contra, tors shall sign "a written agree
ment thereto before the making of said
omission, change, addition TO or altera-
ton" In addition to specification refer
ring to the exterior foundation walls up
to and including first floor sill course
states "the Height courses to be changed
If acceptable 70 the architect. The speci-
fications read "all the walls to have
damp courses of slate about one inch be-
low the finished level Of floor in
basement. and one course just
above line, laid in cement" OF
these two damp courses OF slate, one
had been entirely omitted, and the courses
in foundation walls have been decreased
from TO 3. In neither case was this done
by written consent of the architect, nor
do these differences appear on the minutes
of the commissioners court. Expert teS-
timony before the grand jury estimates
the amount saved in labor only, in the
change of the granite courses, at between
So and 81 J. yet no credit is allowed
the county, nor in the case OF the omitted
damp course of slate.
MeSSrs. Dugan & KrOeger were award
ed second contract for iron work for
sos Go, but have only been paid on their
first contract. They have received to
date Isl, 1920 and the grand jury is of
opinion that the amount Of work done
does not warrant the payment of so large
drawn on WORK to date, by the architect,
leaving due him and undrawn S6l3,56
Since the present grand jury has had:thiS
subject under Investigation Supernten-
dant has been appointed by the court,
much needed improvement.
The grand jury has closely investigated
the condition of the cOunty poor house,
Peter Kleid, superintendent, and begs to
report thaJaffairs are conducted greatly to
the loss and injury of the county and the
djScredit of the said Superintendent. The
grand jury recommends that the man
agement be changed without delay, on
account of gross miSmanagement and
cruel treatment of the unfortunate in
mates. This sad state of affairs has eX
tended over period Of many months and
the grand jury is unable to comprehend
how the same could exist without the
knowledge of the commissioners court.
Many cases are reported where the said
Kleid has, while intoxicated, beaten and
cruelty used the unfortunateS. The
grand jury has investigated 1s7
cases; h; : sent in 1O5 indictments, I
dismissed So cases. 81 informations filed
by district attorney and 2 cases carried
over. Signed: j. Ii. French, forman,
Albert Maverick, Adolf Wagner, Clemente
Dunn, A. P. Rivas, H. Cunningham,
Albert Stoves, j. w. Richardson, Sam c.
Bell, Albert Meyer and II. Tournat.