The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-12
secured at $780, 600. although it cost but
$4,000 TO secure it. The monthly pay
roll was passed, and the Board ad-
journed
A Tissue OF ERROR.
Mayor WanSer's School No.
rs Ticker UtterlvIlDe-
mo1ished By Archi'
teCt Giele.


which embodied insinuations that
scr ooked" methods had been adopted by
the Board in the award of the contract
for Public School No. 25 to Patrick j.
Condor, was the principal topic of con-
versation in political circles last night.
That Mayor Wanser should make such
partisan attack upon this Board, while
wholly ignorant Of the workings of the
department., is causing so much unfavor-
able comment among his friends that mis-
ears will propably tingle for few weeks
to come.
Mayor Wanser is iniur ing himself
said Republican last night. "He is be-
ing led into these things by a crowd of
sore-head Democrats and chronic kicking
Republicans. If Mayor Wanser would
exercise little of his own good sense and
learn by personal Investigation the
methods of the departments that come
under his supervision he would
be congratulated upon his effor
to create reform where re-
form is necessary, put by afflliatin
with the people he trains with at the
present time he is laying himself open to
ridicule. The ends do not justify the
means. He has said he intended beings
Mayor himself, but his actions certainly
belle his statements. That these attacks
are merely political bombshell every body
knows and it is very unfortunate that our
Mayor should lend such a willing hand
to sue b schemes"
CLEAR EXPLANATIONS.
Not onl y did Republicans give vent to
such regIetful expressions as these, Dut
Democrats also openly condemned the in
justice done the members of the Street
and Water Board Every intimation of
fraud is desired by the Commissioners,
and every part OF the School No, % bus1-
ness is explained in manner which
demons trates that what was done was
done upon the advice of competent gen.
| tlemen and for the best interests OF the
city.
10 find out what there was in the
Mayors charges, called this morning
on Architect Louis H. Giele. who had full
charge and control of the work, and in
whose hands it rests to order all extras.
'That attack" said Mr.. Giele, sis all
buncombe. Mayor Wanser has no
grounds for the charges he makes. If he
understood plans and specifications he
would see In what peculiar light ne
places himself. Had he known the cir-
cumstances surrounding this case he
would not, think, have permitted him
self to become subject of ridicule.
THE EXCAVATION.
"Hfs Honor first takes exception to the
nodAs operdndt for excavating.. He cites
in the excavating specification this
clause:-
''The mason has to do all the earth excavat
ing, as required by plans, for basement, al
trenches, boiler pit, piers, and any other exca
waiting necessary. All earth must be removed
from the premises"
IF His Honor understood the making
and fulfilment of contracts he would
know tn at contractors eXcavate from the
grade line only. When bids were re-
ceived for this work, it was found that on
the school site there was solid bank of
sand measuring from ten to fifteen feet
in height. Neither had Columbia avenue
been cut through. Well it is a natural
thing to suppose that all this earth must
be removed before the building Of the
school could begin. Bids for the work
were invited on December 2, and the con-
tract was not awarded until January %.
During this time Condor, being the low
est bidder, began removing the earth.
That embRnkment did not show on the
plans, of course. neither did it figure in
the specifications. Naturally enough
Mayor Wanser and all other people will
realize that the cost of removing 1t was
extra" work. which must be charged to
the account of Public School No. rs. Con-
tractors, as / have said before, figure
from the grade line down. No attention
is paid to earth above the grade line.
again, the specifications did not show
anything for rock excavation. We did
not expect to find any rock there, but
subsequently lots of ii put in an appear
ance. The excavatng of that rock also
came in under the head of extra" work.
We found rock in four places. At first /
desired to build the foundation on the
IL L,xk xHx,lx Co. - H1oxw fb<a
surface line. l consulted with Chief
Engineer Ruggles and Commissioner
Madden, who was then Chairman of the
Committee on Public Grounds and Builo-
ings, and we came to the conclusion that
it would not be advisable to build brick
wall upon the rock, inasmuch as it was
not below the frost line. AT that time 1
informed Commissioner Madden that
rock excavation would be extra" work
and remarked that the expense for
extra" work must be kept down.
EXTRA MASONRY.
"Then his Honor finds fault about the
warrants for extra masonry work and
excavating. l have shown where the ex-
ira excavating came in, and will now
show him where the extra masonery
work comes In.
"In blasting rock it is an utter impossi-
bility to get down to an inch. MIR. Con-
don had to go down below the surfac e
line about six feet. and in blasting he
was compelled to go two feet further
In order to get solid foundation. Well,
that extra two feet had to be built up
again. and consequently Mr.. Condor was
entitled to pay for extra mason work
done. The total cost for extra excava-
tiou and extra mason work aggregated
So, 534, and wish to inform Mayor Wan
ser that IL ne was posted on such work,
and knew the work that had to be done
by Mr.. Condor in preparing for the
foundation OF the school building, he
would recognize that &, ,524 so is an ex-
ceedingiy low figure, and defy experts
to contradict that assertion. That part
of Mr. Wanser's letter is explained and l
imagine satisfactorily to any unprejud-
iced person.
BRICK OR RUBBLE.
In reply to his queries concerning the
brick walls / refer to the specifications as
quoted by him in his letter.
Have all cellar walls up to surface and all
rear walls from surface up to roof, built of best
quality North River hard d-burned bricks laid up
in strong cement mortar etc, and for the in
terror walls thus:-Have all interior walls built
of good hard bricks, laid up in lime mortar, with
flush joints.
las soon as we found that we had rock
to deal with, we discussed the advisable
ity of substituting rock for use in the
foundation walls instead of hard North
River brick. l told Contractor Condor
that l would consent to the use of rock
with the permission of Commissioners