The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-19
the COMMITTEE
4. IS HARMONIOUS.

= > : LA. "a. -
IS harmonious.
(Continuod from first Pnge.)
the plans end Specifications collected ~
the board.
The tnprovasne lts necessary 70 nlhRe
the building bed-btg-prnof would COST
io said, nbo,,t s1o,5o0.
tined that tho floors were. hid ny nm
before tho roof was pitt or the building.
Against Advice.
trh,s xns t,one he said against his ad-
vice and Judgement. but ut the positive
orders OF Dr. Foster. A letter was
introduced written BY Or. Foster TO Mr.:
Wilson, In which the contractor was tolu
thnt he must put down the floors pc
fore he proceeded further than the secoha-
story with the brick work; 49,. ao,o
Mr. Wilson Said he had never uoho
such q thing before and he WAS averhs
to obeying although he saved l.Oo from from
not having to build scnffolding. ], - /.
Mfr Wilson testified that had tho 1lo %
been laid after the roof had beenrput oll,
tho cracks IN the flooring and ceilings
would not be one"half as large % tley
now are. ~.
Mr. Wilson said that he had done me
work we'll ana In workmnnliko man.
ner and that he had used green ti1lp9l
because the board had 80 specitied,
ue asserted that the building had been =,
accepted that his bond had been G can a..
ed and that he was not resp Es! .o ,,oin,,
INV Of tho defects that are now peins
considered. -, i, /,
Senator bison interjected: the pon 60,
should not have surrendered that Dond.
Mr.. Wilson also brought out tho fa t.e
that the building was first caiNd the
"Fostcr Building but was later nh nancy
tho Montague Building. s.l sa
Orders From Foster.
Mr.. Probasco testified that he received
his instructions from Or. Foster 5ana
reported to him. He contrndicteu ~,
Wilson flatly, asserting that the reuson
why Mr., Wilson did not wish 70 ny ~
he aid not have the flooring. Tho Wit
ness said that Mr.. Phips, the brlck con,
tractor, told him that he (Phips) ilad
accepted the contract with the under-
standing that the floors should go IN as
the brick work progressed.
The witness said that IN his OPINION
tho Montague building had been put up
according to the plans and spee,i,ca tl .hat
It was brought out by Mr.. Pulllam wa
the witness was sixty-fivo years OF age
whom he was employed to inspect Inc
construction OF the work.
The questions asked by the committee
tended to draw from the witness the
statement that he had enjoyed but HUE
experience as a builder or contractor.
The investigation has now peen -, sit' the
for ten days, and It is probable that my
session viii last at least two weeks
longer. That the committee Is doing
excellent work, none can deny. lor
it works hard and sits seven hours e'.c!'
day. besides holding meetings at night.
The cost to the State Is about s125
day, which Includes the pay and exposes
OF the committee, the Offices .n s,, 0t -
nographer, the witnesses, ms well as
mileage. II the committee sits for TWEEN
ty-fiyc. days, the expense OF the invNtl-
gation will amount to a trlfle over $o.CyO,
which is n small amount when IT IS con
sidered the amount Of labor which IS
being done and the extent OF Information
that Is being acquired. En-
The Proceedings.
The morning session was not called
10 order until 1850 o'clock the commit
tee having been in executive session since
9:2O o clock.
Mr.. IN. IL. Baskerville. OF the firm Of
Noland and Baskerville, architects. who
planned the Montague building was
| placed on tho stand.
| 1thJYitness said his firm was employed
to furnish plans and specifications only
tho board employed the firm OF intervals
BY tho day to come to see the work.
Witness said that a carpenter was
employed to overlook the WORK. ne .
thought that area tct.s sli0't'd sircrS'sc
:,,r work b It slhn, In ms ease cnrrct,-
ter was employed rs beng more cconon1t-
| mi, Witness sa,:l that lle did not recon-
| mend Mr.. Pcbasco, the carpenter, as ne
| did NOT know him. iNltlcs3 st'1. IN re-
! ferrin,, to green tlmo,r used ~ constr'c-
| ton, that the specifications did not eau
| for seasoned timber, and read from tte
| specifications. which, ne se'd. "erc
! passed by the board
| Witness said he had never seen q Wood-
ioist building which did not have cracks.
Chairman Saller asked the witness II
! tha cracks could be so closed that Deo-
| bugs could not got into the ceiling.
Witness said that there would always
| he cracks. Witness Hn:u :h.lt Hntt,ne N
concrete floors would cost forty cents
! foot, but the metal nths and nara pas
| ter could be put IN Tor c16ht cen c''ts q
! foot ,roo,1v
,mnrove the fire risk, &. well IS 40 away,
| tn a great degree, Will 'he cV'is thi'
Witness said that seasoned lumbar was
| ,ot called FOR because 1t cpll1 not De
gotten In time for The constructor OF
| tho building. ,.,oo I
Witness said he would not advocate
e.roen timber If he could set amy better
Witness said tho special board passe.
on the lumber before tho bids were We, /,
asked, and tho special board was fullS
aware OF the matter. -,
i Witness said the sub-floors were lag
/ as tho work progressed and before th :
roof was put on. Witness sa'd .na ~ :
| was better to wait until the ROOF "as
on before laying the floors
TO Save Money,
Chairman sndler asked II when IN.
] floors wero laid before the roof wn'
! mt on. was it not done by the contrac
l tor to economist and save money
Witness said 1t was ~, ~,
\. Witness then said that Mr.. John WI
4 son. tho contractor. had come to mn ~
n and asked him If he could put down TN
I floors beforh the roof was put on.
Witness told Mr., Wilson that he wa
not employed to supervise the work AM
could not advise him.