The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-02
SEEKING TO REDUCE
COURT HOUSE COST
Mitchell, Prcndergast and Nc.
Aneny Begin Series Of
Conferences.
MAY CUT TO Sc. 200. 900

Mayor Mitchell. Comptroller p~orla.
CAST and President McAneny Of tho Al.
dermen have begun n series Of r,.,s.
ences with real estate men, builders e.t
architects with n view TO cutting f.,.
the cost OF the new county cour, hons.
The administration Is now a!ul,s
spending not more thar sG.OuOU.t ,.
the building. the former maNiurn Oh.
100000 900 having been i@ufl,m,Ny
abandoned. Some OF the real e.a..
men even estimate tho possible COS, "a,
about $1,000. 900.
More revelations OF extravagance and
possible pitfalls in the presen, ban,
and form OF contract. made by Tld.,
Adamson. director of the bureau os coz.
tract supervision. In his carefully
guarded report to the stock bulge; com.
mittee of the Board OF Estimate. cane
TO light yesterday. Mr.. Adamson be-.
lieves that the plans can be 80 Strung
that the cubic contents wouli he re.
duced one-half. Tho Munlclpal Bujd.
ing cost e. cents "A cubic foot ana AT
his rate the court house wolild cos,
t7,000,OO VI the plans were 40,
changed.
In his report Mr.. Adamson saws N.
form OF contract proposed by the C0ur,
House Board "ls admirably adapicl 10
the purpose of forcing upon the city The
immediate construction Of the c5Ir
house. Notwithstanding any nuauc.a. Ia.
ability. BY a provision In Article / OF
the general provisions tho contractor
would be able to laugh In the face o.
the H!fv Officials nnn rleh tho IHfFFF.,
to completion regardless of appropr.-
atlons. and the city would hc compelled
TO pay the bill with interest at { yer
cent"
He says the city could hc der-aulei
with ease under the proposed contract.
Let us assume he continues, "tha,
the low bidder bids the lump sum o,
sl2,oo0,0o and receives tho AVA
within thirty days he must set w his
schedule OF prices and his work r~o.
gramme Instead OF setting up ,er,,,-
mate prices he could put IN $50 a cubic
yard for concrete. $50 a cubic yard FOR
excavation and equally oNurhi'ani
prices for other Items. In this manner
he could divide his work as follows:
Foundations. $5.000.oU0 steel frame.
100000: superstructurc, 10000
mechanical equipment. sl,O0u,pou. In.
terror finish, Sl,0OU,OOO; total. $4,000
900.
Tho $4,000. 900 for foundations Nigh,
be many times the proper cost o, ne
work to be done under that heading and
the contractor could well afford 20 de-
fault on the contract after collecting
so per cent. on the first tom. as from
then on the completion OF the building
would cost much in excess OK the prices
set w In the schedule"
Mr. Adamson goes .rt7 -he do' Is ~
the nine spacious aud..ur.ums which APP
pear in the plans. and notes that only o."
was projected ~ the programme fOr tie
competition Of architects. EacA Of th,s"
rooms Is N3 by g. feet aad contains more
than 5000 square feet. The require
men's FOR the n large room called g.
600 square feet.
The PROPOSED library. occupy ny a.,
sixth floor, has Gu.uuu sIuar. ',,'
The present library OF tho Ju,t.rs
chambers in the Emigrant industrial
Savings Bank Building contains .l.5
square feet. Three-fourths Of tie iI1-
posed library space would be d.,ln',! ..
books. The books to I'll his space
would cost 81, 200, 900. Mr.. Atkinson re-
ports. and the cost OF operating 'Gr
now $4,000 a year. would jump ~
times that mouu