The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-08
ITSAVERY BAD CASE
On ALI Sides There Is Adverse Com
ment About the New High School.
FAR TOO MUCH SAND USED
Some OF the Mechanics Claim the
Building Has Been Shamefuily
Handled. But the Whole
Truth Is Not Yet Known.

Great Falls, May THE people Of
this city are anxiously awaiting the re-
port of the committee appointed to
investigate the allegations Of corrup-
ton in conjunction with the construc-
ton of the central high school build
ing, but the report cannot be mace De-
fore the end of the week. The COM
mittee is zealously prosecuting It's work
and the investigation will be thorough.
Many witnesses have been examined.
and it is alleged that IL the report does
not reveal a horrifying state Of affairs,
which will result In the imprisonment
of certain men, there is no justice IN
Cascade county, and the laws against
bribery and perjury are dead letters
and a mockery. Those who have
watched the progress OF the investiga-
ton and have observed what the I'M
covering OF the foundation walls OF the
building has revealed, arc grateful to
the standard FOR its expose OF faults
which would, II 11ncorrected. probably
have resulted In the death of hundreds
OF children. The course which the
Standard has taken in, behah OF the
public 10 commended by all honest citi-
zens, and from their own mouths those
who have heretofore accused the
Standard Of misstatfng particulars and
making wrong deductions. now sus-
tain the Standard. The boodlers who
were in the combination to fleece the
public are now opposing each other,
each anxious to square himself, and
1t is stated that one of them has made
an affidavit which reveals the entire
inside history of the transaction, and
indelibly blackens the characters OF his
accomplices while, for himself, he Of
fers palliation and makes a plea SINH
lar to a hypnotic plea in murder
case.
The excavation at several points
around the foundation of the building
has been completed, and an inspection
of the work which Is now revealed,
much to the CONSERVATION OF the
guilty, will convince any parent that,
through the investigation granted at
the demand of the Standard. his chill
dren have probably been saved from a
horrible death, No committee report
will be necessary to convince him that
for a few dollars certain men would
have stained their souls with murder.
Two weeks ago, through the columns
of this paper, President Holmes, OF the
school board, urged parents to visit
the building. The foundations were
then concealed. They are now open to
inspection. and every parent and every
taxpayer should examine them.
A Standard reporter, in company
with three well known and responsible
mechanics. visited the building to-day
They found that every charge which
the committee of the Trades and La
Dor council made last December was
true. To the casual observer 1t appears
that the defects then existing have
been remedied, but such is not the case.
Where the committee charged that
joints were too wide, they are still too
wide. as scratching away the mortar
showed. But to conceal the faulty
work new mortar had been applied,
band rjointer or similar instrument
had been recently run over the mortar
to make the joints appear narrow.
Where the committee said that a wall
was out of plumb, IL was still out of
plumb. 1t has been claimed that that
wall was rebuilt this spring, but the
cold. Stone dust had been thrown over
the Joints to make them appear mar
row. In the footings, which the speci-
fications require shall be OF through
stone several small stones are dumped
together. In no place where the walls
were covered with earth were they
pointed up, yet in the basement, the
walls. which do not appear from out
side the building. are pointed up. Be,
meath the earth the walls are Jagged
and lop-sided, but where visible are
run plumb Where brick walls adjoir
stone, they are not tied in, and have
already parted. Heavy beams rest or
the center of arches formed only OF
three layers of brick. In several In
stances the walls do not go as deep ms
claimed. and yet pay has been claimed
and allowed for depths TO which thu
walls do not go. Where Portland ce
ment Is required Dy the SpeclnCdtlOnS
the mixture is still soft and damp, and
an unusual preponderance of sand II
apparent. Asphaltum coating of th'
foundation, necessary to render IL i'm
pcrious to water. extends only three
feet below the surface. There arr
creviccs between stones which will ad
NIT mans hand. Mechanics CLAIM
that only sand has been used for NOR
tar, where Portland cement is required
The committee has secured an affi
davit from a firm which delivered Ak
ron cement at the building. MASSIVE
beams are laid, resting on one edge o
the walls, when they should exten,
ar least to the center. These BEAM
should be secured by plates but an in
terested party has admitted that m
plates have been secured, and tn
beams lie on shingles, board ends ant
the like. How to place the plates ant
still maintain a level Is problem
which mechanics cannot solve.
There are other defects. and the.
will be fully exposed by the COMMITTEES
which is an honorable one. A practi
cal Joker has erected a sign at tn
building, "Dangeri Danger. kee
away" But many visits TO the build
ing will awaken a public frenzy whic
will make IL advisable, perhaps, 10
the alleged boodlers to henceforth kee
away from Great Falls. The accuse
men are brazenly proclaiming thei
innocence. but Mark Tuck did tn
same thing two years ago. until afte
the investigating committees repor
was made, when he took a night trai
for Canada. and has not since bee
heard Of