New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-21
C0LER BLOCKS MIR. HULL
architect Mast PrOUe Charges
AGAINST Eg-Borough President

The proposition to build municipal building
In Brooklyn is in almost hopeless middle on
account of controversy between Washington
Hull. an architect, and Borough President Golfer
Mr. Hull supposed that he going to get the
contract for building an eight story office build
ing at Joralemon and Court SITS. at cost of
about s2,0ooO00 Borough President Littleton
favored plans for a more expensive structure
from drawings by McKim, Mead & White
Under these plans the building would have been
three stories high. and would have cost about
S4,0O0,000. The aldermen wrangled over the
subject the greater part of the day yesterday
first in committee and then in open board.
Borough President Coler said that he would
not allow any of Hulrs plans for public build
ings in Brooklyn to be carried out until he went
before the grand jury and proved that state
ment made TO him by Mr.. Hull that former
Borough President of Brooklyn had demanded
$4,000 of Hull before he would approve the
Hull plans for a municipal building true
Mr.. Coler said that Hull had told him this
Little Tim" Sullivan then came along and
said that any man who charged Martin w. Lit
tleton with venality liar This was in
tended for Mr.. Hull. who in the chamber,
much wrought up over the way his plans had
been upset
The point Immediately at issue yesterday
port from the Finance Committee appropriating
100000 to go ahead with the Hull plans for the
municipal building A minority report favored
the McKim. Mead & White plans. The minority
report failed Of adoption by vote of 81 to 81.
but the majority report failed because it did not
have the required forty votes. The resolution
of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.
not having been acted on affirmatively within
specified he becomes
alive, so far as authorizing the expenditure of
100000 is concerned. This permits Mr. Coer, he
says, to go ahead and advertise for new plans.
He will ask the consent of the Board of Esti-
mate and Apportionment to do this. and proba-
bly, Mr.. Hull will come back at him with an In
junction, on the ground that his plans already
have been approved by the Municipal Art Com
mission, and that the city is bound to accept
the Hull plans
The Committee Salaries and Officers in
report, recommended that Joseph Haag be ap-
pointed secretary to the Board of Estimate at
salary of $500. and it was adopted.
Mr. Littleton last night was in ignorance of
the trouble which Mr.. Hull had reused in the
aldermanic chamber. When told of Mr.. Hulls
statement Mr.. Littleton said:
Mr. Hull has been circulating stories about
me for several wears Just before I came into
Office Borough President Mr. Swanstrom my
predecessor, held a competition for plans for the
proposed new municipal building. The plans
drawn up by Mr.. Hull were awarded first place
When came into office in 1903 the contract was
still inlet, and / undertook to examine the
plans of Mr.. Hull and TO investigate the sort of
work that he did. In February he issued cir
cular in which he accused me of stealing $780,
600 from the city. The next time that he came
into my Office l showed him of the circulars.
He pretended not 10 know anything about them.
told him that he a liar and cur, and that
I would have nothing more TO do with him.
then put him out of my office.
I didn't hear much more from him for
couple of years. and then began to hear of this
latest story of his that l had demanded S25.-
600 to put through the scheme for a new mu-
ncipal building. l let IL go because all that
could do since he has not exposed himself TO
prosecution for criminal libel by writing down
his statements, would be TO sue him for SLAM
der, and l have made UP my mind that that
would give him just what he is looking for-ad
vertisement. l do not know that il will do him
any harm to take him before the grand jury.
I invited him to go before the grand jury when
he told the Board of Estimate and Apporton-
ment that l had thrown out his plans unfairly,
but he refused. I could not give him the work
because he Is incompetent. I don't know what
is the matter with him He is either liar or
else he's crazy. OF course. 1 deny his charge.