The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-11
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
Another Phase OF the Investiga-
ton Being Made as to Its
Construction.
Questions From a Builder Archi-
tect Paulsen Is Requested
to Answer.
Reasons Advanced Why the Granite Steps
We're Piecsd-Dlrect Issue Between
superintendent and Architect.

To The INDEPENDENT: Having read the
article of Taxpayer" with the replies
made to the same by Messrs. Williams and
Paulaen, / cannot resist the temptation to
ask a few questions, which, have no doubt.
will be verified as touching facts by the
proper parties;
la it not 4 fact thnt the accepted plans
for tho high school bnilding were designed
regardless of the slope of the school
ground, and that the plans called for a
foundation Of a depth of two feet four
inches, with n footing of eight inches only,
which would have been-as even a non-pro-
fessionnl can see-entirely insufficient TO
support tho weight Of such a heavy build-
ing, unless the ground consisted of solid
rock (nnd then the front would havo
cracked the same), which Architect Pnul-
sen must have known was not the case, as
he has for come time been n resident of
this CITY? Is it not also a fnct thnt no
access from tho outside, and no light had
been provided for the boiler room in the
original plan, which necessitated the Luild-
ing of expensive aren walls? This care
lessness in drawing the plans for the foun-
dation caused the county an expense of
about $4,000.
Is it not a fact that the walls or the upper
structure are only twenty inches and eiEh-
teen inches respectively, and could not be
Ind up with rock in the manner specified
without using cement, in o. der to make the
building perfectly secure2 This deficiency
of the architects specification caused an
extra OF $1,000.
had to be reduced in size, because the fig
ures of the accepted drawings did not cor
respond with the figures of the detaiis2 This
error in the plan caused an extra of $4Oo.
Is it not Il fact that the main stairway
could not be constructed to support itself
as designed. md that it had to be made Sc
cure with iron beams End heavy brick
arches2 And is it not also a fact that the
platforms of this stairway, if it had bsen
constructed according to detail drawings,
would have come eight and one-fourth
inches above. the window sills, which neoes-
STATED the lowering of platforms and
changing of stops and columns? This
exceeding $1,000.
Is it not a fact that lion plates three
fourthB inch by IS inches by 10 feet had to
be bolted to the wooden liptels over most
of the windows to help these wooden lintels
to support the stone walls above the bass
ment and to prevent the walls from crack
ing and sagging? This hlunder OF the ar
chitect caused an extra of about 81, COO.
Is it not a fact that the outeide granite
steps had all to be pieced out because the
first floor plan showed them to be shorter
than they ought to have been to fit the
foundation? This blunder in the plan
caused come extras.
Is it not.a fact that a shingle roof was
Originally specified and the root plan de-
signod to support only the weight of shin
giles? The changing of this roof with some
other extras caused an expense OF about
$4,000.
These are facts, which cannot be denied
by the trustees, nor Superinten-
dent Williams, nor Architect Paul
sen. who has kindly invited the public
to his Office, where he will give them all this
information they may ask. Why does he
not invite ONE reliable professional men
to make an examination Of the plans for
the benefit of the public? A non-profes-
sional will believe almost any explanation.
Mr.. Williams claims having pointed
out many of these deficiencies and errors
in the plans before the trustees accepted
the NJ
Now. it seems to be very strange, to say
the least, that the advice of MIR. Williams.
who WAS employed a. a counselor bv the
hoard, was entirely ignored and that the
trustees, merely upon the assertions of
Architect PaulBen, that the building could
be completed for the moun they had de-
termined to spend, accepted his set of plans,
the deficiencies of which they were told in
advance would cause q lot of extras.
BUILDER.
Helana. Fab q 1900