New-York tribune., 1911-04-21
DENIAL FROM GOVERNOR
DiscIaims Responsibility for
Placing Orders for Lumber.
JOB AN EMERGENCY ONE
State Architect Ware Says Mate
rial Was Furnished at Whole
sale Prices by Thomson Co.
tBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

tBy Telegraph IN The TrihIrc.l
Albany, April 20.--Governor Dix tonight
discla,rned responsibility for the fact that
pra ctically all the lumI er used in repairing
the FIRE swept portion of the Capitol is being
purchased from L. Thomson e. Co. fr1n
In which Mrs. Dix and the Governor S
brother-in-law are interested. as told IN to-
days Tribune.
"T understand the lumber Is being fur
nished by Thomson & Co." said the Gov
ernor. when asked about II. because they
were the only people who had i6-toot spruce
" hich could be cut a; once-Canadisn lum-
her. you know. The other firms did not
have it,
Some Of the other lumber dealers say
Thomson & Co. had to call on them 10 get
the quantity required for the Capitol job, -
the Governor was told. They attribute
the placing OF the order with the Thomson
firm 10 your influence"
II don't know anything about that" he
replied. II had nothing 10 DO with placing
the order, and die not know about II until
II was done"
Working as assistant 20 Superintendent
Saunders on this repair job for about a
week has been q young man named Ertz-
berger-Archibald Ertzberger He gets 50
z day an assistant Inspector in the office
Of the state Architect. He is a son OF
Archibald :. Ertzberger. who g. an official
OK the Thomson company, the firm supply
ing the lumber This young man vas ap-
pointed by state Architect Ware because
rc was sent TO him by Governor Dix, who
said he knew his family and the young man
was worthy and deserved the JOB Ertz-
berger as an assistant Inspector in the
State Architects department has ysrious
duties He is called on 20 tally the number
q mon and teams at work or :he repair
job. tie may BE- called on 10 check UP
The Quortily and quality Of the lumber de-
live-ed for the states use by the firm OF
which his father is an Official. and In which
Mr.. Dix, his patron Is Interested some
employees say he has checked up lumber de-
lteries.
The contractor agreement-under which
this repair work On the Capitol Is oeing
done Is Of considerable interest The con-
tractors are Callahan K Prescott. Of Reese
Vile and Glers Falls. Their agreement
N!th the state calls FOR payment 10 them
as their profits on the Joo OF 10 per cent OF
me cost " labor and materials. This con-
sists Of a 10 per cent profit allowance and
per cent overhead charges" an allowance
made to them to cover the wear and tear
on their plant. Office expenses and execu-
tive salaries
The contractors got this job on an emer-
gency basis. There was no competitive
bi1dng. The Capitol IRE occurred on the
morning Of March o. on March % the
%
Governor Dix is head and OF which Lieu
tenant Governor Conway is a member. met.
By formal resolution they directed the
state Architect 10 engage contractors. un-
der their direction, 10 make safe The dan
gerous portions OF the building and do what
repair work was necessary TO render the
Capitol usabe Nr Ware selected the con-
tractors and MS choice was ratified by the
Trustees of Public Building.
Mr. Ware said to-day that the purchase
OF The lumber from the Thomson firm prob
ably represented a saving in money 20 the
state. Curtis Douglas, the Governors :
brother-in-law, had sold the lumber 20 the
contractors az the wholesale price. Mr..
y are said. in doing this he was violaurS
a. understanding the jobbers had with the
retailers that they were not 70 sell to retail
customers. but he figured Il was state
job and an emergency and he Vas justified
IT, doing H. The point made by Mr.. Ware
vas that the wholesale price made by NJ
Douglas To- tie contractors was less than
the price from retail dealers for the same
lumber would have been, therefore the state
Was the gamer by Just that difference.
State Architect Ware IS a candidate for
rea ppointment. lie is a Republican ep-
pointed by Governor Hughes.