The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-06-27
Corrects Erroneous Statements.

DEAR SIR-FOr the general
information OF the public you may
state in your columns a few points
in connection with the new court
house now in process OF construction
for Bates county.
When new court house starts in
any county there are many questions
in which the people feel interested
and matters which they should know.
The appropriation for our building
$50, 900 and all arrangements have
been and are being madeto complete
the entire work within this appro-
priation. When the successful archi-
tect makes an estimate Of cost OF
such building il should include. and
does include. all reasonable condi-
tiOns usually encountered in the pro-
cess Of the work The county court
reserves the right in the contract to
make deductions or additions as IL
may be found advisable. and the cost
II 10 be tIutu OF utl utAFu a. 'iIV td@t
may be. For example. | specified the
foundation to 30 down a depth OF
five feet finish grade. and in case We
had struck solid rock at a less depth
the county would have been entitled
under the contract to a credit and
the amount to be set and established
by the county court and superintend-
ent. On the contrary if we found II
necessary after We made the excava-
ton to 90 deeper. We reserved the
right TO set the price and esta blish
any depth We deem proper and con-
troll the cost of same. After ! cut
down for the trenches | discovered
that the ground had been filed TO
an average of two feet from
the natural sdrface which neces-
states the dropping of the fOun-
dation in like proportion to secure
"A proper foundation. This we are
doing and we shall 90 down TO a solid
base whether two feet or twenty
feet, before we commence the walls,
however, this is a matter of construc-
ton and comes entirely within the
limits of the contract and the apprO-
priation of the building, but in case
had not forseen the many obstacles
which is usually encountered then
the cost would have exceeded the
appropriation which the people voted
for this purpose. 1t is not the inten-
ton of this office to go into print
any farther than to state that we
shall have first-class foundation
and building throughout without one
dollar extra to the people beyond the
as to the exact depth that ] shall eX
cavate | am not ready to say. as no
sane man can Judge of the condition
of the ground until he sees it. As a
rule physicians do not prescribe a
remedy until they know what the
disease Is, neither does an attorney
brief a case until he knows what the
case is. Therefore think the county
court and myself eXcusable for first
ascertaining the quality of hardpan
to be found upon which to start the
walls, but let it be understood that
we have contemplated from the first
to use our Judgment in the premises,
and that we have kept the matter so
In hand that a solid foundation can
be secured without extra cost to the
people above the appropriate
voted. As to the cost of any con-
struction in the building, whether in
foundation or elsewhere is a matter
wholly within the conditions of the
contract. | consider this eXplana-
ton due to the public and must be
excused hereafter from further publ
cations. | will state in conclusion
that if idle parties persist in foolishly
holding a wake where there ism any
corpse il is no fault of mine. | will
take pleasure in showing any tax
payer the plans and contract. but
rest assured that the construction
will be of the best quality and the
cost will not exceed the apprOpria-
ton. Very truly, yours,
GEO. Z. MCDONALD,
Superintendent of Construction.