Omaha daily bee., 1892-03-15
THAT KELLoM Mupp1E.
Architect Berlinghof Tells Ills side OF u
Story-Why lie Protests.

Architect Berlinghof Tells Ills side OF the
Story-why He Protests.
OMAHA, March l4.--To the Editor of The
BEE: Future success in my profes sion
nay, my very means Of livelihood depends
upon my abilities as an architect and the in
tegrity with which those abilities are en-
ployed. You do not, perhaps, realize the in
fluence which great newspaper like The
BEE wields in forming public opinion, and
how, like another Fate. 1t may make or mar
the destiny of young man struggling to
make himself. Unfortunately, am at log
rerheads with the majority of the Board OF
Education. My legal rights | expect to vim
dicate through the courts of justice. In the
meanwhile, and awaiting the result OF these
issues, humbly beg you, Mr.. Editor, not to
pass judgment upon my motives as u man or
my efficiency as an architect, and l pect-
fully request that you withdraw, uucondi-
tionally, the imputntiou contained In your
editorial of March s. 1892 which editorial
was short, but cruelty to the point: "Archi-
tect Bcrlinghoff's own admissions in the
charges made by Contractor Mengedoht In
connection with the Kellom school building
are enough to condemn him in the eyes of
honest men,
The "intervew" in question was pub
lished in the same issue as your editorial.
The only language IN that interview which
could be tortured into an admission of any
sort was; ibid you advise Mengedoht to
strike the Board of Education for extras on
the stair building on account of change in
the plans after part of the work had been
doner "Yes, l dio," said Mr. Berlipghof.
"He had a right to ask an extra for that
understand that part of the stairs had to be
built twice on account of the change and
Mengedoht ought to have put in an extra be-
cause 1T was not his fault"
am willing to stand by every word in the
above quotation. So far from being dishon-
est, the principle involved is absolutely fair
and reasonable. The plans and specifca-
tons called for stairs of a certain height
and pattern and part of the stairs were
built as called for and ready TO deliver.
Subsequently there was n radical change
made in the plans and specifications, and this
change required that new and different stars
be built. Here was an extra expense which
some one had to bear. The question is, who
was to bear iti Certainly not Mr.. Menge-
doht who was clearly not at fault IN the mat
ter; but both law and equity would say that
the persons making the change were the
proper ones to pay the costs, and these per-
sons were the Board Of Education.
So far as the other charges made against
me by Mr.. Mengedoht are concerned l have
denied them each and all in my interview re-
ferred to and l could add nothing to the
strength of that denial ny repeating it here
l did claim to Mr.. Mengedoht, and still
claim, that the wide brick arch over the
front door would have been very much
strengthened and improved by the use of an
iron beam. and that without this eve beam,
as II Is called, the arch was very liable to col
laPse. Inc correctness ol tnls propositloh am
willing to submit to any expert in the world.
Now, If what say is true, why was not the
iron beam usedl 1t was made and delivered
on the ground and the expense of putting it
IN place would nave peen very triillng IN
COMPARISON 10 Ine auaeu strenStn IL Woulu
have given to the building. If, in MY dis
gust at this stupid omission, l expressed
myself to the effect thai the bullolng would
Coiiapse, IL was all L sa3d on tne SUBJECT.
for Mr; Mengedoht 10 assert tpat was anX-
lous TO nave tne puiloing tImole down, or
that IL should crush OF ltslown weight, Is
aosoiutely 10 lalsiIy. dc mlght as well ac-
cuse me OF arson, burglary OF any other capi-
taI o1ense.
nave contract WIN tnesB sBoaru OF tuuca-
tion whlch mean 10 entorce- Que clause OF
the contract provides as follows: "All work
10 oe oone uhuer tne supervision ana 10 tne
satlslactioh OF salo arcnitSct Myseit anu
partner, MT: Charles II. beli. executed pond
10 the schnol district OF Omaha In the sum or
tlo,ocu, IN whlch we guaranteed with the
scnooi ooard 10 compete, IN accord
auce WIN Piaus auu sptcihcatiohs,
.n.s I'M m outiaihR AT cost not eXceeaing
eoo,ooo unuer OUT suPerlntehuence. ou VIII
therefore see that we not only agreed to
superlntend tne construction OF thls nulld'ne,
out had given large bonds upon TINS under
'ahuine. EMotoo'ei, VIC iees " suPeriht teh
oehcy woula pe inc taost considerable part OF
our prohts; out the board, without our au,
IIority ana against our proIest, employed
Mr.. Hamilton as superintendent. Ihere Is
an OLD saying that too many COOKS spoil the
broth" Mr.. Hamilton a: L yseli disagreed
almost from the start. HIS way OF doing
things and mine We're totally diferent.
Wheh protested 10 the boaro OF Eaucatlon
that my way was proper ana shouid oe iol-
iowcL, was IN every instance snuooed ana
Mr. Hamilton sustained; 90 not know what
pontlcai oackirs Mr.. damilton may possess
70 70 make MN sucn prime 1avorlte win the
Board OF Education, Tor ! am no politician.
90, however, profess TO know my business,
ooth as an archltect and superlntend-
ent, ana submit that poth under
my contract ana tne terms OF my pond IL was
my duty TO see That the plans and specihca-
tions were strictly carried out and the work
done anu the material lnrnlsheo as provided
ior Accordingly when tne work was near
ing completion sent to the Board OF Educa-
ton my solemn protest against some OF the
work zone anu some OF the material fur-
nished My objections were as follows:
l. Between the rough and hnlshed floors
the specihcations called Tor Tar teit paper
Inere was substituted tue ordinary DullOlDR