Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-06-15

bullulup NOulllb0Se llSlu d luSGblilB VI
: Thursday night last, at the Auditor's
office. The meeting was attended by
Yost & Packard, the architects, and
their attorney II, S. Parker, Thos. f
Conley and others. The decision o
the circuit court declaring Illegal the
contract because the building commit
tee did not aid in its execution was
brought up and thoroughly discussed.
The members OF the building com
mittee, on account of the courts de-
cision OF illegality of the contracts
made by commissioners, expressed
their Intention OF insisting on going
over the entire ground and wherever
contracts had been let upon competition
and in the regular way, they would en-
dorse them; but in all other cases they
would annul and re-let the contracts.
The course would cover the first con-
tract made-that with Yost g. Packard,
and to this point attorney Parker stat
ed that such a course would result in a
greater muddle than eyer. Upon this
question no definite plan of action was
adopted.
Yost 4 Packard, the architects, were
evidently present for the purpose of
giving light upon various matters con-
nected with the court house and were
subjected to very searching examina-
tion by members of the committee.
The change in the specifications, spec
ial mention of which was made by the
investigating committee, was thor
oughly discussed and in this manner
the facts in the case were about as
follows:
There was but one set of specifica-
tions for bidders-an original and du-
plicate copy. The original was kept
in the Auditors Office for use of bidders
while the duplicate was retained by the
architects. The alterations in the
specifications we're made on November
1st, the day after opening the bids and
these alterations were also made on the
architects copy by authority Of the
commissioners, and suggestions of Mr..
Townsend all of whom were present
when the changes were made.
In answer to the question ''why
these numerous changes should be
deemed advisable only one day after
the bids were opened" MIR. Yost said
they were chiefly suggestions made by
bidders, who had, while figuring on the
plans, specified changes which they
thought might be advisable, which were
noted and approved by commissioners,
with the object of getting material that
would serve every purpose and would
lessen the total cost.
After these changes had been made
on the original copy, the document was
taken to Columbus and new or "re-
vised copy" was made, one copy Of
which was retained by the contractors
and one kept by the commissioners.
In answer to the inquiry concerning
the whereabouts of the original COM
mlssioners copy Mr.. Yost said he sup
posed it was on file with the Auditor,
but Auditor Gaghan stated that it was
not, aud that he had never seen it, and
that upon his assuming the duties of
Auditor he had asked the commission
ers for it, aud they had informed him
that they supposed it was in the Audit
or's safe.
Mr.. Yost says that records of such
changes WAS kept by preservation of
both The original and revised copies of
specifications and that the contract
with Mr.. Tosnseud stated that all al
teralions or changes from original plans
should be added or deducted from the
contract price, as the case might be,
the amount to be determined by COM
missioners, architects and contractor,
or All arbitrating board, after compile
tion of building.
The contract price of 129 cents for
excavation, was upon inquiry, found to
be the usual price paid for such work
and this price was therefore recon-
! mended and approved by the commits
sioners. After work had been begun
on excavation Tor foundation walls, it
was decided to excavate the entire
basement. and thus get practically an
other story for the building, and the
work was done at the same price of 12t
cents. The commissioners decided to
pay this high price rather than go
without the basement.
A change in price on the Auditors
"reyised' copy, making the price OF
extra dirt excavation 35 cents instead
of %, has excited much comment. The
architects claim to know nothing about
who made the change, and as the docu-
ment has always been kept where any
one might have access to it, it was
limited that perhaps the change had
been made by someone who had u sin
ister motive for so doing, but as there
was no extra dirt excavation there was