New-York tribune., 1892-01-08
I LEG1L CONTEST OJER TERRA GOTTA.
ALL SAINTS CHURCH SUED FOR LARGE SUN
4 COT NTf.RCLAGM AGAINST THE
M,NTFACTTEFRS

MANlFAfI IIEE-KN.
4 suit involving the question Of the value Of terra
Gotta f,r building purposes in this climate Ia, been
lerun. the New York Architectural rerr"Cotta Com
MANY having Instituted litigation against All saints
Ennln catholic Church for the unpaid balance atout
sol 900 due on q ntact for the terra Gotta use" IN
tbc ,r.tfiictoD of the chnrchS new luildng. at one
huud cI and twenty ninth t. ard MadsOl-dNc ms
was in course of construction for about two years. ana
va, only completed lat summer. The TcrrtCoia
Comparv secured the contract for supplying this ma
t.ral for about $io,Ooo The material was to b" OF
hot hard. burned terra c0:a.r This the company a.
,crts tia Il ha, supplied, bat has only received Tloo'o
ON lrcoInt of the amount due. In response To thl'
.uit the church. through Peter Condon. IT. attorney
h,. started counter-sur for $4,000. being the amount
pald thc company. and the Balance damages for cN
uen,es aid 10 have been incurred in using the terra
rctt, which, il i. claimed will have 10 r. pp!ac ed.
Mr. Condor said Yesterday to Tribune reporter :
The storm, Of lat winter produced the effect o. dis
coIolng tho terra Gotta in mnny p"rS. Portions
chippod of and cracked, aud signs OF dianteStlo ap
pcaf cd. Whcr the block, began to show thef III
froriy il was resolved that some examination of thc
u,Iitv should he made before the ba.ancc was PAID
The church authorities offered to submit the Pleoh u
,h ouality Of the terra Gotta expert. but this
tho conp,y refused 10 do. The church then called IN
An cypeft who declared the material Ia b" riieflor
Mr. Condor chen showed the reporter the experts
written report from which the following cAtr''t i
tlcn. The material does lot reach the stahuard oi
coo, ouolity OF what Is considered lasting enough
TO recommend rs pas>abe work. Inc hun'D'r VI
picccs that arc totally imperfect and unsafe TO enter
into coed construction found very large
After some heated correspondence regarding the
ounltv of the blocks and the payment 0f tahHco
due between Father James W. Power oi the c"u'' IT,
and I,mcs T,ylor superintendent Of the architectural
comuonv the suit and counter were hiA'it"'e"
The church Immediately began 10 secure eNlu'oe' anu
emf = number Of samples Of the tcrrc0t'a Snppheo
IN the United States Watertown Arsen'l ios""s
station for crushing test. to prove "''" n'" "
duroIilItv The report received In response " '''
.hovs that they cracked at pressure "'''"e'"e
300 pounds to the square inch' - P'o'. VI
torn Gotta picked up at rahooh iio'"
another building In course u 80,
vitIstood the test up 10 9'''- p
. An ordinary Ilaverstiaw brick, MI 'oiu'" ",'
will stand "A similar test NJ to .ooo 9' mnch
and terra Gotta blocks are suppo,s,ne The church
Stronger than brick ihis et ihc quality of the
o Gotta wa, INFERIOR and shows that Tile ooh'iao'
has not been fulfilled A.. ,o,-,.cotta compony
49, ~ .e.u Yesterday aiterLrrn shiu 'tn".i'
"ncii i tad ,h' terra. GOTTA according 10 our con-
Wv, w, ' ,nd ,re suiug for an unpaid DaBhce, ihcle
is TO recognized tcst OF strrhkb have nr Slocs sub
Gotta 50 mere unwllims. On. 80 ouolity and that is
mt'tu ~ Mr. ceer admitted that terra Gotta sh2uin
,,itbstnnd a strain great 40 Il ~ ~ :, a ~ ',,,d 70
hrick which he said should ~ ~ ", h.re A. nv Win
me slnI, ~ t All saints Church is that the build
, ,Yas Tor two winters uDconPie., "hu Iat,. n,v
ainved 10 soak into the ~ walls, nrononv % al @,,d the
terra blocks had mo' ,nnre them more or less
first frost woun tieption TO several defective block
which we replaced Win o'H''