New-York tribune., 1902-03-04

Some of the foregoing amounts are estimated
,n, al of them are understood 70 be under the
mark
Mr. Rives's opinion was asked some time ago
nv Controller Grout. with reference 10 a bill for
architects fees presented by Horgan & Slattery.
Jobn r Thomas. the original architect Of the
Hall Of Records. died last fall, and the Board
Of Estimate in December appointed Horgan q
slattery his successor, agreeing to pay on the
same basis as Mr.. Thomas was being paid The
fees 10 Mr.. Thomas recommended by George B.
Post. ". r. Mead and Richard NJ. Hunt.
committee Of architects. were: Five per cent
on all general construction work. per cent
for decorative work and furniture selected by
the architest and 10 Per cent on decorative work
and furniture designed and built by the architect
Under this contract Mr.. Thomas received 3la
per cent on all the construction, steel and ma
chinery. thus far put into the new building, and
IA per cent on certificates Of amounts due the
contractors This left IL per cent on the gen
eral construction for Horgan q Slattery. The
Corporation CounseIs office refused to stand by
this new contract, insisting that the new ar
chitects should receive not more than per cent
On furniture designed and built and only "a
per cent unfinished work.
AS the work on the Hall Of Records is not
yet quite half done, il viii readily be seen that
Horgan & Slattery struck gold mine When
the Board Of Estimate in December last turned
over 70 them the unfinished contract OF John X
Thomas. The spectacle Of Horgan & Slattery
shouldering a task Of eminent an architect
Mr. Thomas was q little too much even Tor
Mr. Whalen's office, and for obvious reasons they
insisted on reduction Of the commissions, feel
ing pretty certain, apparently that Horgan &
Sl6ttery would not be equal 10 the task or car
rying Mr. Thomas's contract forward on the
same lines.
One Of the assistants in Mr. Rives's Office, in
commenting the decision last night, said
This contract. under which Horgan & Slat-
terry took UP the uncompleted work Of Mr:
Thomas, was not prepared with the object OF
making Horgan & Slattery safe, as has been
charged. It was prepared on account of htlga-
ticn between the Corporation CounsePs cf7ce
and several architects appointed without writ
ten record Of what they were 70 do. In conse-
auence Of this defect litigation was brought
against the city in the last year or two and IL
was found necessary, in order to protect the
city's interests, 10 prepare written contract
setting forth the terms Of the architects employ
nent- good part Of this litigation arose ,i!l IN
Brooklyn and Queens Horgan q Slattery S
contract in the Hail of Records is Identical with
the contracts which are being given out now for
new city work
The opinion from the Corpora ton Counsers
Office was a disappointment 10 Mayor Low. who
IS distinctly hostile TO Horgan Slattery. be
liey-ing that the city should have no more 10 do
with them. His attitude was made clear yester-
day when a bill came Up before the Armory
Board. Horgan & Slattery were included for a
considerable sum. The Mayor, in speaking 70
his associates, said:
Gentlemen. I will do nothing whatever with
Horgan q Slattery If l can avoid II. am IN
favor Of terminating all ations with this firm
I wish 10 start afresh but if we cannot end all
relations we will have to finish what work we
have with them"
Controller Grout Is equally firm in his oppo-
stion 70 Horgan & Slattery
Mavor Low at the meeting Of the Armory
Board yesterday introduced a resolution which
provided that the president Of the New ork
Chapter Of the American Society OF Architects
he requested 10 select three experts, one or
whom the board viii draw, TO decide on all plans
for the 69th Regiment Armory. In referring 10
the resolution. the Mayor said
We rr-,st set precedent now for selecting the
srrrf+ece Tor n,iblfc buildings by competition. One
IN TIE T7rorx and Manhattan taken from the New
York Chapter Of the American Society Sf Archl-
tects. one in Brooklyn, from the Brooklyn Chapter
This does not limit the number or BIDDERS, but
merely is committee 10 pick out the pest plans 10
be submitted this board. OF course we VIII nave
10 tell the committee what is necessary IN the