Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-09
POOR WORK At COURT HOUSE?
Steel Experts Who Make an Examina.
ton Say Yes.
HALF RIvETs ARE IMPERFECT
In ~ Coarse Of the Inspection
Percy Covert Gets His Nose Badly
by One Of the
workmeR.

'FiCty per cent OF the rlvtts In the steel
work for the new court house building are
imperfect" declared Frank Mclaughlin, a
structural engineer who has examined the
building. Thomas Bannop, a bridge in
spector for the Northwestern railroad, af-
firms Mr.. McLaughiln's statement.
These declarations and an assault upon
Percy r. Covert. president Of the local
stoel workers union. are two developments
In the matter OF the construction OF the
court house. Covert is the petitioner for
an injunction against Caldwell & Drake.
John o. Yeiser. attorney for Covert, went
20 Architect John Batenser and secured his
consent 70 have an examination made Of
the rveting and boiling OF the steel In the
new court house. The party which went to
the court house included Mr.. McLaughliu,
who Is connected with the building Of the
Morris thestSr. Bannon. Yeissr and Covert
Rivets Poorly Heated.
Bannon and Mclaughlin then vent over
the building and examined the rivetlng and
boiling throughout. At the end OF the in
spection they made the statements above.
There was imperfect heating Of part Of
the %rlvets." said Mr.. Mclaughlin, land
more than half OF the rivets arc imperfectly
driven. This Is a conservative estimate"
Mr.. Bannon spoke even more radically.
Meanwhile Jap Goodwillie, a Council
Bluffs mar working on the building, made
what Covert and his side assert was IAN
entirely unprovoked assault" upon Covert.
Goodwillie, II is declared. first struck
Covert upon the nose, causing the blood to
flow. Covert did not return the attack,
but remained passive throughout. When
Goodwillie, according to the story. raised
his arm threatening for the second time.
Covert held his arm in front of his face
and four more blows. which II is alleged
Goodwillte struck. fell upon this defense
for the face.
Dickinson Refuses = Complaint.
Covert, after the assault, sought out City
Prosecutor Dickinson, who refused to issue
a John Doe complaint against the assail-
ant. Covert at this time was unable to tell
the name Of the mar who had struck him.
Come round to police court in the morn
Ing" was what the city prosecutor said to
Covert.
1t is now likely that the petition for an
injunction VIII be advanced to an early
hearing, and the, question OF the work
threshed out in court.
Good rivetlng," said Mclaughlin, rs,
OF course On absolute essential to the
strength ana safety OF q building. Two
beams Joined by rivets ara supposed to
have the same strength as one continuous
beam would have, and defective riveting is.
as any one can see a matter of great
danger" -
Caldwell DenounceS IL All.
George A. Caldwell of Caldwell & Drake
denounces the inspection as superficial and
not properly timed.
I'm the first place. says Mr.. Caldwell,
ian inspection is not fair az present, wheu
the work Is incomplete, and when many
bolts are to be replaced by 'rivets. Again
the party. did not remain here over thirty
minutes and a thorough inspection could
not be madss1 IN isuch eTameyt w b.
Mr.. Caldwell was asked with respect tc
McLaughiin's statement that 80 per cent
of the riyetS are Improperly driyen,"
1T is false, and ridiculous, too" said the
contractor. r