Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-14
| The NEW JAIL PLANS
! Expert Opinion on the Two
Sets. @
b ! O = ROOF
I Investigating COMMITTEE of she Isu-iness
Mems Association seill to Make Its
port IN til L -gA.,ty Of ...
tho Contract.

pASSCht SollliStSl iOf the new jail was IL
legally and wrongfully let Later on
1 a committee. composed Of practical con-
tractors was appointed to pass on the
relative merits of the plans proposed by
the contractors who got the job and the
ones who didn't. the Van Dorm Com
pany, the idea beine, that the report of
this last mentioned committee would
be OF assistance to the investigating
committee in formulating its report.
Some way or other Messrs. Via, Cole
man and Moore. of the contractors
committee, never seemed able to get to-
.rHether.. and the report on the plans was
i delayed. AT the meeting of the associa-
ton last night. MIR. Moore presented a
report. as a M smber of the committee
but representing himself only. and no,
the other two members. who. it appears.
have not yet examined tn. plans. This
report merely deals with the character
OF the plans and not With the question
OF whether the contract was illegally let.
or whether the Van Dorm Company was
given a chance to bid intelliSently. The
report is as follows:
To the Business Mems Association OF
Newport News, Va.
w. B. Vest, President
Gentlemen: AS one of your commit
tee appointed to examine the city Jail
plans furnished by the Pauley Jail
Company, of St. Louis Mo-, and the
to get the committee together. beg leave
to make the following report:
find upon examination that both
buildings are very good for the contract
price of $4,000. and there are some
things in the Smith plans that are bet
ter than the Van Dorm plans and some
things in the Van Dorm plans better
than the Smith plans. But take the
two together and compare the advant-
ages and disadvantages and there is
very little difference. If the building is
put up according to plans and specfi-
ecations. the city will have a Jail build
ing as good as any know Of
MI The foundation of the Van Dorm plar
s.ss snailes..#netter than the Smith, for the
reason that tits built on concrete foot
ng~GSinches thick. feet inches deep
while the Smith plan has no concrete
and Is only feet in the ground, Will
three double footing corners. The walls
are about the same in thickness and o.
the same quality Of brick. except the
front, which is in favor Of the Smit:
plan, as he specifies pressed brick which
the Van Dorm Company does not.
There is more stone work in the Var
Dorm plan. as they show a water t:b,
of stone above the ground on top of tn.
brick foundation. also the top of wall.
or battlements are capped with stone
They also have better and more stone
work in the outside steps and plat
forms.
In the concrete floors the Van Dorr
has Is inches in the prison department,
and hard pine floor in the auditorium.
while the Smith plans show s inches
concrete in al! :. . floors. I think the
Van Dem the best. rs q Woo. floor
would re best for the court-r room, hos
pital and cttice rooms.
I think the clustering is in favor O
the ST.. 18th plans. as they agree to plas
ter the entire building with brown NOR
tar, While the Van Dorm only specifics
the ma ap:ldng or Office rooms il
Whit ..nish.
I'M ne NTH building is AZ feet inches
get 6 inches with wing So fee;
IS by 80 feee. V:n Dorm 81 fee
by Al feet inches: wing 81 b,
It'd n There is $50 square feet NOR,
! e Ven Dorm building than in tn,
IN building.
There il very little difference in to
A.! two buildings on the main floor. a.
they are divided up very much alik .
Some of tie rooms are larger than 9th
ers, while either answers very we'll for
the purpose.
The cell department. to my mind. j.
in favor of the Smith plan, While the
Van Dorm plan has one more cell thai
the Smith, yet they are not as large ane
not arranged as well as the Smith plans
gether and does not divide the males
from the females. They have two pad
ded cells for insane patients. which is
very good and necessary.
Tie Smith plans have two females
cells, two Juveniles and one insane cell
entirely away from the other cells.
which is certainly better than the other
The heating and plumbing in the Van
Dorm plans is f1rst-class in every respect
and is very fine. and think much bet
!. ter than the Smith plans. though the
1sn.1:h:s heating and plumbing is very
good.
s II TIE roof of the Smith plans is to be
slate, which is much better than tin for
this climate and will be in keeping with
the courthouse.
The hospital arrangements are good
in both buildings.
The steel cells and locking arrange
ments seem to be, and may be, all right
but ! know very little about that kind
of work and do not care to express an
opinion. Both plans are arranged for
gas pipes and electric wires.
II the Van Dorm plans had a slate
roof would say that they would be the
best for the city to adopt. but as it is
it is very hard for one man to settIs
this point. unless he had time and op
portunity to go into g. thorough exami-
nation OF the plans and specifications.
Very respectfully.
J. M. MOORE.
One of the COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Moore was thanked by the assoc
citation for his efforts and work in the
matter. and his report was referred to
the investigating committee for action.
the contractors committee being dis
charged. So it is the matter is still un-
der considera ton. and there Is yet an
other report. final one. 1t Is hoped. to
be made. It was the sense Of the asso-
citation last night that the matter should
not be allowed to drop until it had been
thoroughly sifted.
OTHER BUSINESS.
There were present when the asso-
y citation was called to order, in addition
I%to President Vest, Messrs. Buxton,
4 Marye. Jr. Powell, Eastman. Orr.
Moore, Barclay, Bowen. Stuart Cooper,
II Bonynton and the secretary, Mr.. Huff
IMAM.
IN The meeting nights OF the association