The herald., 1896-10-20
AFTERNOON SESSION
A Great Amount Of Work Done for
Half Day

When council reconvened at 2:30 p. m.
all members were present except Blan-
chard and Savage. Mr.. Munson presid-
ed, as he did in the morning session.
The principal subject of the after
Moons deliberations was the matter of
Contractor John Rebman's claim for
$4,000 for extra work on the city Jail
foundation.
Mr.. Mesmer appeared as a taxpayer to
protest against the councils allowing the
claim, and he made a speech in which
he intimated that the thing was a job.
He said he has known since 1854 the
ground where the city Jail was built,
and except for few washes in the lot
made by flood water the ground was all
right for a foundation, and he could see
no reason for making deeper trenches.
Mr.. Munson replied that the trenches
had not been made deeper. but that the
walls had been built higher to conform
with a higher grade Of the street, and
some extras had been made necessary
by the discovery Of number Of cess
pools on the site.
Mr. Kingery said it all came from a
mistake in the estimate as originally
made, whereat Mr.. Mesmer asked whose
fault it was, and said further that who.
ever made the mistake ought to stand
is becoming too common to exact large
amounts Of extras on public buildings.
r. A. Miller made a few remarks in
reference to Mr.. Rebman's claim, after
which, on request of Mr.. Mesmer, the
contract for the Jail building was read
in full; Then superintendent of Build
ings Strange showed Mr. Mesmer the
ground plan of the building and ex-
planned how all the foundation walls
had to be carried up three feet higher
than originally planned. After this ex-
hibit Mr.. Mesmer seemed less confident
of his ground and withdrew his objec-
tions.
H. E. Storrs. Professor Hough and
others had made personal inspection of
the work as it progressed. doing it on their
own account as neighbors, and they
were convinced that a great deal of ex-
ira work had been done, but how much
they did not know
Mr.. Kingery made one of his charac-
teristic speeches in which he took oc-
caslon to praise the contractors hon
esty, and said he had learned that Mr.
Rebman will have actually lost $4,000 or
$4,000 on the contract, even If he gets the
$4,000 he asks for. Mr.. Kingery wound i'm
his speech by moving that Mr.. Rebman's
claim: amounting In exact figures to
$S646.44, be allowed. This was seconded
by President Teed After some fur
ther discussion the motion was put and
carried, Councilmen Ashman, Kfnrery
Munson, Pessell and President Taed
voting aye, Councilman Snyder voting
no, as he said, because he had not been
present at the investigation and he
could not vote intelligently upon the
mbatter.
THE NINTH STREET DISPUTE.
Engineer Marsh Of the city engineers
Office reported that he had, since the
morning session, checked up the piece
Of Ninth street objected to and found
that though the crown Of the street at
some places was as much as half an inch
lower than the curb, 1t was at other
places even higher than called for by the
specifications. Mr.. Wiesendanger Jump
ed into the arena again and with much
choler declared that Mr. Marsh was
making an untruthful report, for he
himself was present when the measure
ments were made and heard the man
who was doing the measuring say "two
inches" at the places where Mr. Marsh
says 1t was half an inch. Mr.. Wiesen-
danger, while he was about 1t also de-
nounced the new street crossings as rot
ten frauds that any wagon wheel will
crush.
Mr.. Munson, in the chair, called down
Mr. Wiesendanger for his personalities.
Mr.. Marsh then had his word. He
said that the measuring man really did
call "two inches" at the spots specified,
but four inch blocks had been used in
stead of three inch, and consequently
when two inches" was called the crown
would have been one inch below the
level.
Street Superintendent Howard came