Omaha daily bee., 1892-05-15

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commissioners thought that by plating htty
acres OF the poor farm and selling the lots, n
fund could bc created, Tho longer they
thought the moro determined they became.
ana at last thev decided TO lsy out and seh
2S5 lots.
Commissioner Corliss Of Waterloo pre-.
ciuCt tathcred The resolution and II went
through TIE land was plated by the county
surveyor ana on November g. lSSG, the propo-
siuon to sell was submitted to the voters OF
the county, but unfortunately il was not car
ried bv tNo-thirdS majority, aud as q result
parties who purchased lots at the subsequent
sale have brought suits against the county
aggrcgatiug something over SlO0,OhO, asking
Tor the return OF their money, on the ground
that the election was void ana that the sales
were illegal
On Fe6ruqrv 90. lS>7, J. II. McCuloch,
who was then county Judge. appointed Johu
Rush, Chris Hartman ana Jonn L. McCague
TO appraisc the lots which were to Ue sold.
On March 3 they took tho oath Of olicc aud
the proceedings were reported 10 the county
commissioners. Mr.. McCague was absent
from the state anu on April William Glib
son was appointed 10 fiji the vacancy
These appraisers visited the premises and
on Aprll Is reported under oath that the lots
were worth SOS. $50 or an average OF SS7S 81
per lot These lots were IN that portion OF
the farm known as the east fifty acres.
About that time the commissioners adopted
resolution that the proceeds OF the sale
SupAll bN AupINlElAlCl 10 tue erection OF
suitable builclnE FOR the care and protection
OF the county poor and insane.
In April of lNSj, after duly advertising tho
event, puoliC sale was held Thousands of
persons followed brass baud and lourneyed
To the poor farm. Ghe auctlonuer, Tom
Riley, mounted dry goods box and offered
lot !, bleck |, for sale. After soma spirited
bidding II was knocked of to w. l, Kier-
stead at $500, and after the disposal of tho
235 lots the commissioners found that thev
had hospital fund OF SI3l, $50 on hand,
Slgl OBS. 10 OF which was cash and the bal
aucc was notes secured by mortgages on lots
sold
Awarded the Contracts.
Shortly after this the commissioners took
steps looking to the construction of the
building. Architect +. +. Myers Of Detroit
was enDlogod TO pregarc the plans and the
detailed drawings, ana upon these a number
of parties bid. Ryan X Walsh was the low
est bidder and was awarded the general con-
tract at Slu6 g37 -, while j. = Pope \ Co.
were awarded the steam heating contract NJ
S256lq
Iau L. Shane was employed as supcrin-
tendcnt N 500 per mouth. Work upon the
building commenced and proceeded until the
structure was up aS high as the water
tables. Then II was ordered stopped by Mir.
Suane, he declaring that poor material,
such as woul- Lo' pass inspection, was be-
Ing used by the contractors.
y short time thereafter Mr. Shane was
retired and NIr. Ross appointed TO hl the
vacant place. As time rolled along the fact
OF poor material having been used became
apparent, and not Only that, but evidence of
poor workmanship was visible. y section
Of the south wing, being unable to sustain
its own weight, tumbled out and fell to tne
ground Shortly after tue roof hau been
raised the corridor arches of the north wing
gave way aud fell, nearly wrccking that por-
tion of the building.
Other evidences OF poor work wero visible
on every hand, and II was not until after
two coats of mineral pant had covered the
exterior of the hospital that it had anything
like presentable appearance.
II was also appareGt that the contractors
were milking the county, as large bills for
extras were presented for allowance ut every
session of the Board OF County Comms-
sioners
Some of the Extras Charged FOR.
A sample of some of the bills for extras is
given. After the north wing had been re-
paired Ryan X Walsh pat in bill of 8, $50
Tor i9i beam arches, $50 for turning the
brick over the Same. S3J.9J for tearing out
those portions of the arches that did not fall,
SGD for pltting the material back, Si32 for
sCventy-thrce yards of cement placed In the
floor that was broken, Slj2 for LUMBER used
in the new floor and so for nails. Tnen there
was another bill for extras for making the
same repairs. These figure were 81, $50 for
siAty-three center beams. s., 52J for turning
the brick arches, $lS2l2 for brick used in the
gable ana S3SjlO Tor eX IA brick used in re-
pairing the walls OF the corridors.
These bills OF extras were not all, by any
means. They kept on until they had piled
up TO the enormous sum of Sj0,6l249, over
and above the price at which Ryan * Walsh
contracted TO erect the building. Messrs.
CootS and Shane, the superintendentS. al
lowed, after n careful inspection, s., So. 81 OF
the bills, rejecting a., 1886. Then the
balance went before the commissioners,
, where it WAS again rejected, after which
Ryan x Walsh brought suit in the district
court for the full amount. The case was
tried ana a verdict rendered in favor of the
county. An appeal was taken TO the supreme
court, where the decision of the lower court
was set aside. The supreme court issued its
mandate, instruCtlug the county TO pay Ryan
X Walsh $4,000, but it is doubtful when the
judgment will be paid as suit has now been
brought against the contractors and the
bondsmen to recover, and hold them for the
damage 10 the hospital caused by the recent
falling OF the corridor arches.