San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-17
MORE TESTIMONY.
The live stigation Still Continues
Before the Commissioners
COurT


Commissioner Dryer called the investi-
cation committee to order and the investi-
cation into the affairs of the new county
courthouse building was again resumed.
The first witness placed on the stand was
Frank Teich. He said: There is some
difference in the expense of cutting stone.
Thin stone cost more than thick stones.
Each course has its line or bed. So In
laying they only lay one stone instead or
three, General sizes such as are being
used are cheaper than small stones. 1t
costs about five cents per foot more to
split the stone into five pieces than into
three. The same power is used. II any
thing 1t is cheaper because the derrick
moves but three times instead OF five. l
consider it cheaper TO put in three covers
than to put in five. There are about
1900 superficial feet in the extra two
courses. 1t costs 25 cents per superficial
foot to cut. The setting would cost about
five cents per cubic foot and the bedding
about the same. / regard the saving to
be in the neighborhood of of 5000. l
have examined the work on this building.
1t looks good on the outside, but 1T is not
so on the inside The specifications call
for joints three-eight inch in thick
ness, but here they are of all
sizss. Also there are many places where
l do not think three courses are equal
to FIVE. think that when the architect
called for five courses he new what he
was doing. In three courses it can not
have the right bond. That is one rock
can not properly bind into the other"
Mr.. Tarleton then took the witness
who assumed questions as follows:
TN some places the mortar has been
plastered for two inches. 1t is all right
In front a n q Onn1 lnh the
outside. 1t is cheaper 10 drill hole in
the granite and fill it up than dress 1t.
/ saw it almost everywhere. Any one can
see it. did not see the attenda. If We
could have figured on that we could have
saved the county many thousand dol
lars" / can't say If this stone is set
properly. But it is not safe the way it is
now, and it is not good. If 1T was set ac-
cording to specifications 1t would be pro
perly set. The contractors and | did not
have any contract together. | offered to
furnish him stone at 20 cents but he wan
ted an option. We had little dispute
but it is now settled.
A strong cross examination was made
and Mr.. Teich stuck to his statements as
given above.
Walter Scott was then sworn and said:
Il have memorandum of the work done
every day. | was very careful and
weighed cement, sand and rock at the
different times. Every pound of the ce-
ment went into the foundation"
Numerous other questions were asked
Mr.. Scott and his statement swere exactly
as those of former witness, his testimony
going to show that work had been prop
erly done. Court then adjourned until 10
o'clock this morning.
MORNING SESSION.
This morning, at 1O:45 clock, the com
missioners' court met, pursuant to ad-
journment. Commissioner j. Dryer,
acting judge, informed Mr.. Andrus, the
official Stenographer, that if any one cared
to see his notes, to have no hesitancy in
showing them. Mr.. Leo Tarleton. attor
ney for Mr.. Gordon,was absent, attending
the Forty fifth district court.
The first witness put upon the stand
was E. Jenull, who testified as follows:
MY name is E. Jenull. | live in San An.
tonic. My business is selling bottled beer.
My connection with the court house was
in grading the cellar. 1t was done by days,
work. / was foreman for the county. |
had nothing to do with any other part OF
the work"
Major Green stated that the report Of
the grand jury did not bear on the cellar
work, and the witness was excused.
Mr.. Emil Niggi was the next witness
sworn, and he testified as follows: MY
name is Emil NiggIi. | have resided in
San Antonio seven or eight years. | am
builder: carpenter by trade. | have
had experience in stone work, in building.
| was before the grand jury in its inveS-
tigation. / was bidder on the contract.
! bid on the concrete. | also had a bid on
the SuperStruCtuTe. NV bid on cOncreting
was q cents per cubic foot. Some of the
bids were lower than mine. | bid also on
the superstructure. The parties figuring
nj E.aiH antnlI iV, ln,r
stone cheaper than small ones. have
been around the building. My opinion Is
this: | have seen the addenda Of the
specifications. 1t is hard TO set large
stone with three eighths joints Stone
set in five courses would be easier TO set.
did not examine the granite stones before
set. | did not see the bids. / have no.
been on the inside and do not know I
there Is any defect in them. All the
stones are through ones. The witness
was asked if he knew anything more
about the building that should be shown
and he replied in the negative" Con-
tinuing, witness answered to questions as
follows: MIR. Newman. Of Louisville,
made application whether or not he could
put in three courses instead of five. The
court never answered him. The witness
said If he could be furnished with the
amount of cement, he could give the
number of cubic feet in the concrete work
He was furnished with the necessary in
formation"
Mr.. Franklin took the witness and was
answered. as follows: In laying the
height of the stone should be greater
then the width" Witness was excused.
The next man to be Intercepted was
l. E. BrOckpan, who, being sworn, gave
in his evidence as follows:
81 am from Virginia. | have been here
working on the building about three
months. According to the specifications
the work done on this building is good
work. The stones are cut well and put
up well. | am not working for the con-
tractor now. have no interest in the
matter"
In answer to Maj. Green, he said: 81
have set stone. have seen some of the
stone in that building set"
Mr. i II Davis was sworn and testified