The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-13
JAIL BUILDING
WAS THE TOPIC
OF DISCUSSION
OLD FAMILIAR SUBJECT CON-
SUMED GREATER PORTION OF
LENGTHY SESSION OF BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
HELD LAST NIGHT.

HELD LAST NIGHT.
Nearly all of the long session of the
board of county commissioners held
last night, which lasted about four
hours, was consumed in the discussion
of the old, familiar subject, the new
Jail building, and during the meeting
two or three different controversies
vert given an airing.
The main question now to be de-
cided is whether or not the building is
completed. The contractor and the
architect say the building is completed
and request the commissioners to, in
spect it, while the commissioners say
the building is not completed and de-
cline to inspect it at present. F. NJ.
Blount of the Blcunt Construction Co,
the contra ctorS on the building, ad-
vised the members of the board last
night that the building had ben COM
pleted for several days and had been
considered completed by the architect
and that, in accordance with the terms
of his contract, he would insist that
the building be inspected within ten
days from the time that he had noti-
fed the architect of it's completion and
that he would insist upon being paid
the full amount due on the building
within that time, holding the county
in case of further delay. He claims
that when the architect informed him
that he considered the building COM
pleted he was relieved of all respon-
sibility and that whether or not the
board considers it completed is i'm
material with him.
Concerning Roofing.
In the course of the discussion last
night it developed that the kind of
roofing used on the part of the build
ing adjacent to Zarragossa street is
not of the material specified, but is an
altogether different kind of roofing.
Mr.. Benz, the architect, took the po-
sition that under the contract he had
the right to change his roofing with
out consulting the board and that he
had done So The contractor said that
he received his orders from the archi-
tect and that he was in no wise re
sponsible, whether this suited the
board or not.
The architect admitted that the roof
ing was not of the material specified
and that this part of the work was not
according to specifications, but held
that it was equal to specifications. At
this point of the argument a rather
lively tilt between the architect AMI
the chairman of the board of COM
occurred The chairman
asked Mr.. Benz if he did not know
that he had no right to change this
roofing, to which the architect replied
that he did not We'll, you will find
out" retorted Chairman Johnson. The
chairman of the board also holds that
this roof proposition does not amount
simply to an alteration, but to
change.
Declined to Inspect Building.
The architect recommended that the
commissioners hold a meeting this
for the purpose of inspecting
the Jail building, and reported that
all of the changes recently ordered by
acceptance of the building had been
made. This was what precipitated the
discussion, and the board declined to
inspect the building at present, not
withstanding the statement of the con-
tractor, already referred to, in regard
to holding the county liable for dam
ages and interest on money. 1t was
finally decided that the chairman shall
call a meeting to inspect the building
GAS PIPE CONTROVERSY.
When in the early part of the meet
ing the bill of the Peake Electric Co.
was presented, together with a COM
munication to the effect that the fix
lures had not been installed because
of the condition of the gas pipes,
controversy as to the blame for the
condition of the pipes was precipi-
tated. The contracting plumber stated
that the pipes had been tested and
had been in a satisfactory condition,
but that the general contractor had
damaged them in doing his work. One
instance of this kind was admitted by
the general contractor, who stated that
he had repaired the leak caused by
his workmen and that the pipes had
been again tested and found to be in
a satisfactory condition.
After a considerable amount of argu-
ment, the general contractor said that
at the present time, after other work
had been done which would entail an
extra expense to repair the damage,
he would assume no responsibility
whatever, whether the damage to the
pipes was due to his part of the work
or not He said that had he been noti-
fed at the proper time he would have
repaired any pipes damaged by him,
but that he would not do SO now.
1t was finally decided to instruct the
architect to have a test of the pipes
made in order to fix the responsibility
of the present unsatisfactory condition
of them, and the county will then
charge up the amount of the cost of
the test to the party upon whom the
blame is laid. The plumber agreed
that in case the responsibility Is fixed
upon him, he will stand the expense
of the test, but the general contractor
would not agree TO the pTOpOSllloIl, anu
the order was issued to the architect
without his agreement.
Railroad Contract Signed.
The contract between the Gulf,
Florida & Alabama Railroad Co. and
Escambia county, providing for the
right of way of the railroad company,
having been approved by the county
attorney, was signed by the members
of the board last night.
The contract provides that the rail-
road shall build the proper crossings
wherever necessary and that bridges
shall be built at crossings when neces-
sary; that signs shall be erected at all
crossings; that for that portion OF the
county road about a half mile below
Roberts, where the railroad survey
takes in a section of the hard road
the railroad company shall change the
route of the county road and build
road equal to the one now used in the
place of it for the county; that the
railroad shall improve the railroad at
all places where the county improves
it's abutting property, in the same pro-
portion as the county shall improve
the property; that the railroad shall
build viaducts and culverts wherever
necessary: that the county reserves
the right to grant to any and all other
railroads the right to cross this right