New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-16
ALLISON WEEPS on STAND
BIG MONEY IN BUILDING.
Tells Of PUlliHg Darlington Back
Into Plumb.

/
toie q Schwandtner called for work in accordance
with tho plans II Neville * BagCe fled With the
Buildings Department, because Schwaudiner asked
u no couldn't make 4 reduction IN the iron and
Steel M Allison testified that ne gave 20 the
tractor plans prepared hy Guy 2. Waite. IN which
SAVING ln steel could be made che designer af-
+ hrmed. by using his special brand II nreprcoTnE.
The entire testimony 81 the witness went to show
the methods employed rv contractors who. eager
10 set the work building are willing TO su--
Sest any method o. reducing tho expense IL thereby
they can OBTAIN iae contract. This IS q common
occurrence. reputable architects declare and is
more than any other cause the sson for 50 many
c.cap- unsafe structures Rushed 20 completion bv
zpecUators IN which class Mr Allison placed his
! company, buildings ara s}iuped and the work IS
sighted in every possible way
Louis Bird. broker. gave him fre Hoo- plan n
the Darlington. M Allison said. which he took 70
Neville & BaCga. who finished The plans for him.
I wanted a structure IN accordance with the
laws Of the Buildings Department he went on
The plans were filed MAY =. and t was nor
I until June that T learned that there might be 4
reduction q the weight n The iron floor beams.
During June and July. 1905 We had been ap-
preached by various areproolnE companies. and
Wa had been led to believe that The steel called
for by the Neville & BaEge plans was excessive
ana that there could Be a reduction of Tho weight
Of the floor beams
On June . VIC received p letter from, the Metro
noltaa Fire PROBING Company stating that ny the
uSe II their system saving - 20 no. cent IN steel
could be made
Later va received Communication from Guy
3. Waite who had been IN the Buildings Depart
ient tor eight years saving that by the Of his
. hreproofrE great saving in steel could he had.
and that n would secure the approval Of the
Buildings Department before No signed the con-
tract
We Gii sign the contract with Waite on July %
but on November . 7 received word from the
Building Department that Tho Waite plans were
disanproved- We then cancelled the contract and
Jet It 50 10 the Roeblinr Company"
rrsr haTy -r,--
truth when he told you that the plans had been
approved before You signed the contract with him
on July 90
i Ola not trust him absolutely. had not -
ceivci notice from tho department"
Tno contract for the iron work was let 10 Pole 4
schvardtner. on August IS and called for the con
str"otoo according 10 The Neville and Bagge
plans
Mr.. Schwandtrer came TO later and asked r.
he could not reduce some Of the steel and iron"
ar. Allison said Tt was distinctly understood
that the hreprooinE should be done according q
plans approved 10y the department. toIs POLE &
Schvandtner that II the Building Department
would approve tho Guy B Waite plans then they
could do Tho steel work according 20 the Waite
plans. our contract with Pole & Schwaadtue7
called for the iron and steel work 70 bs done ~
approved by tho Building Department. according
10 tho plans % Neville and BaE-e
BENEFIT TO THE CONTRACTOR.
On question from Mr.. Just. ~ the jury Ny
Allison declared that the contractor would have
obtained tho benefit from any saving on the work
as he had agreed TO build according 70 the Neville
Bsgge plans for tho same price as from the other
plans
Mr.. Allison read letter from tho Roeb,irz Con
stFucton Company saying it could save thirty tons
Of stee! On the beams according to the Neville &
Bagge plans and n 81 could look ove- tho spe.iara
lions for the columns and girders. st could prob
ably save much more. lie had consulted Ny
BaEge, who advised against this offer. and warned
him against any changes iu columns or girders.
steel construction began November ]. before
any word came from the Buildings Department
that IL had dsapproved the Waite plans Mr.. All
son did not know whether tho steel was ordered
according 20 the Waite plans those of Neville &
BaEge. On his asking Pole d Schwandtner they
said their plans" The second plans had been
dFa0proyed. said Nj Allison. Thereupon Pole G.
schwandtHeE. with their lawyer. presented a bill.
Tor 800 for new plans which they had drawn. and
charges for additional lion They were told TO stop
WoFk. on November 50 They presented
tract which tho witness said he refused 10 sign.
julius Tou.ck. an cugnee- for Pole d Schwand--
neT, explained that the columns and girders had
% Neville q Bagce. said Mr.. Allison the only
S;,it..se tl@de vas 10 nave me beams one inch
Lad been employing an engineer named HeatIey ou
employed William o.fiea. who had been a drauEhts-
man ~ Neville a. BaEEe.s oniGe ana VINO drew
testified that no had been In tho habit Of going
for advice w To- his time he admitted that no
didn't go once in January and February
Mr. o lea would have informed US whether the
Informed US % tho contrary would have gone
10 Neville & BagEe and asked them to look things
No ARRANGEMENT had been made for anybody 10
order ,.,ndcr1red ygaierial 10 be removed OF 10
order work not satisfactory 20 be taken down;
O'Eca had authority for condemnation.
Did Mr.. O Hea report that any OF the ma'eria!
.nEaf fefartOryH' asked
1T was up the Buildings Department 20 tel
Us that vas the answer.
fIalujn Pole & SchwauGtner-z foreman, told N.
Allison February Il or is that inc nuldlne was
connected With the building II they had ever heard
al "A building being out Of plumb. Although they
had never heard Of ones being eiEhtcen inches out
N- Allison thought Halpin had fixed q all right
v heu re pulled into place with cables FrenC''
the iron work Inspector. Nas never told about ms
That any danger 10 the building would come imme- /
df, s5 aitgT " Ms 4oab9ui s to me Irstvqrh
ness OF the iron contractor, the Wines s&id nS
. no 20 to the buildings DEPARTMENT and found
that tho contractors mad dared GO on WIZ tieiI
y ~ 49,, a. he new plans. signed by Henry !
l.o%ey Pfesg ,s-5rne~ to the buildings Depart
,5ert vifh a set OF plans The witness admitted /
r,Is-e beCalse o. the word Of Tomek. an employe /
~ ne On L,s1Jar- * .s and r. witness said. II
.7vt nes Of iron high as my shoulder. covering /
one-thi-d u the street rom my room actoss tLs
'ra red. 81 had al been hoisted 10 the eleventh
story. have here letter rom lhe iin,. peoP's
FaIf lad been delivered. TINS had az been hoist
SI-~.ed Inc street and had sent police ofnccr /
=. So. >, .1-,pialn J NJ Brown on saturday. /
F.truary . and he demanded that the iron be re- 4
-,x,d iron tI,a front Of his premises The officer
I'd fIaIpin that he would arrest him i The iron !
was not OF The street in a very snort time
..C-sntlercu there was nothing less than seventy
I've 20 one hundred tons Of iron or this floor /
-, 80 sex Won whether Won honestly believe that
could not have gtsr men Tse s {es c bri8g
se cheapest architects. the cheapest iron contrac-