Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-02
TAX OF THREE MILLS LAID.
Some of the Almshouse Bills Will BE
Cut Down Before Being Paid.

Cut Down Before Being Paid.
Last nights town meeting was orderly |
compared with other meetings held here |
recently. The report of the almshouse |
committee was the feature of the special |
meeting. John L. SAKE was chosen chair |
man. The report of the committee was as
follows:
To the legal voters of the town of Water |
bury in town meeting assembled on Fri
day evening, December l, 1898.
Your committee herewith submit report
in accordance with the votes passed at the
town meeting held November 13, 1898.
Being authorized to secure the services OF
an expert to assist us in our investigation,
we obtained the assistance of Mr. II. ).
Nissan of New York, who has examined
all the work thoroughly with ourselves.
We note the most important items de
manding attention in order to complete
the contracts. We would say that the ex-
terror mason work is very well done, also
all of the carpenter work that Is COM
pleted.
STEAM HEATING AND PLUMBING.
We find that the plumbing and steam
heating plans were made and furnished by
the plumber for his own work. There
were no specifications, the original ones
having been discarded because too high.
Therefore il was impossible in the short
time allowed Us to ascertain accurately In
regard to the quantities and the cost of
materials used. The plumbing and steam
heating work is exceptionally well done
and is less liable in our opinion, in the fu-
ture to require repairs than the other work
on the building. We find that the charge
of seventy ,7ul cents per hour for plumber
and helper is what he charges regularly
and We also find it is not considered eNor-
| bitnnt in other places. The selectmen
| claim that the plumber WAS to furnish The
plumbing fixtures at "A profit of ten per
! cent. We find that on these fixtures there
is a much greater profit charged. We
recommend that the selectmcn require the
plumber to revise his bill before payment
of the same. We recommend that the
| plumber receive at once the amount of his
bill as presented. retaining the sum of
| 81 900, and when his bill is corrected and
work accepted to pay him whatever balance
may be justly due him.
MASON WORK.
\ The plans call for concrete footing four
feet wide by two feet thick under the main
walls. The architect states that he did not
| demand more than sixteen inches of this
| from the contractor. just why he should
| demand only sixteen inches of concrete
when the plans called for it two feet thick
]
does not appear clear to the committee, but
We found it even much less than sixteen
inches in places We Investigated. The
specifications call for stone for this con-
crete TO be broken small enough TO put
| through two-inch ring We found many
cobble stones larger than this and not
broken.
In regard to the brick work of the boiler
| house, We find, on account of defective
= /
about three inches and is in a weak and
dangerous condition and liable to fall.
We do not consider the cost of the mason
| work of the boiler house excessive if the
work had been well done. The plaster
ing, especially on the lower floor, is very
| poor. There are also cracks and breaks in
it, and it is unfinished around the win
dows and doors. Some of the walls are
badly disfigured and should be cleaned.
No place or provision is made for range,
or slate-shelf in the kitchen as called for.
Kitchen brick hearth should be leveled
and smoothed. The stone trimmings
should have the accumulated mortar clean
ed from them, excavated earth and rub
bish should be cleaned out of the cellnl
and areas and other places The brick
work is not bonded every sixth course as
called for
There are no iron doors at the bottom OF
the ash pit as called for. Around many OF
the windows, especially in the dormitorles
the wind blows in between the wood worl
and brick work and needs pointing up.
The stone sills do not run under the
wood sills in many places and in conse
luence of this We found is several places
that the rain had driven through and wet
the walls, floors and ceilings. Some OF
the slate hearthS are not of width speci
fed. The mason work at the west dool
entrance to cellar is not completed. The
main watertahle is eight inches thick in
stead of nine inches. Some area grating>
are not as specified and some are broker
and out of place. Area copings call fol
three inches by twelve inches blue stone
and are nearly all three inches by eigh
inches. None of the bottoms of the areas
included in the contract, are concerted
Specifications call for it. There are Nc
brick relieving arches over lintels of win
dows or doors in the dormitories as called
for.
The brick wall at east stairs leadin.
down from dormitories is crooked anC
stairs conld not be fitted up against i
tightly. There are no coal shutes Il.
called for.
Plans call for twenty windows opening
; in cellar filled with brick work. Thi,
: brick work has been left out.
5 None of the fire places are of any use a.
at present, and are not faced or finished
= with brick as called for.
= We consider the plastering an inferior
2 job and do not recommend any extra pay
ment for the same. The charge of the ma
r son for changing from bluestone to brown
stone trimmings we find should not exceed
four hundred dollars ($4OO)
/ The selectmen say that they did no
' agree to pay extra for the change, there
} fore the town is not liable for it, but as tn
D | town has the benefit of it we recommend
t that this sum be allowed the mason in tn
/ | final settlement.
! In regard to extras on the mason wor
a | we cannot tell whether the contractor i
u entitled to extras or liable to deduction
. until he has finished his work according t
e the original contract. We recommen
V that the mason receive no further pay III
r til his contract is completed and accepted
CARPENTER WORK.
In regard to the carpenter work on tn
boiler house We consider that his charg
> was very excessive This contract was fC
9 thirty-six hundred dollars ($3 600 Th
work could easily have been let for tiftse
g hundred dollars 81. 5OO.l We find six t
rooms in the administration building thf
= are not wainscoted: specifications call fc
y it four feet high. None of the ventilatol
& in the roof keep out the birds or the rair
and are not weather proof. We find for
!; flights of stairs that the plans call for al
u left out entirely. Hand-rails are called fc
= on all the stairs; there are none in tn
: building The verandah at the west end
:; left off entirely.
An expensive refrigerator and ice box
: called for; there was none built. The ca
penter says he did extra work in place
it. There are leaks in the roof that shoul
be repaired ut once. Zinc-lined coal hi
is called for; there is none. There are n