The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-06
ENGINEER ORDERED
| BRICK TORN OUT
MADE WHAT HE CALLED APLA|N STATE
MEAT TO THE COUNCIL

Engineer Henney yesterday ordered
the brick work at the new light and
water plant torn out as being unsatis-
factory, and council last night unani-
mously sustained him in his action.
Benjamin Thompson the contractor
for the plant, appeared before council
and contended that he was being done
ar injustice in the matter. He told
council that the brick would be torn
out as directed, but that the city
would hear from him later.
"This is not a threat, gentlemen.
It is just a plain statement" said Mr..
Thompson.
Mr.. Henney told council that rep
resentative from the brick manufac-
turers in Jacksonville said the brick
sent here were not selected according
to the approved samples but were the
"run of the kiln"
The brick were ordered torn out by
Mr.. Henney because they were not up
to specifications, and for the reason
that not enough mortar was used in
the beds and joints, and because the
header courses were not all alike,
some being in the seventh course and
some in the sixth.
Mr.. Thompson thought that the
brick laying was done properly. He
asked that council investigate the
matter thoroughly for itself. He said
that while the brick were being laid,
Mr.. Robert Elmer, as inspector for
Twombly & Henney, had commented
on the work and had found fault with
some of it. Mr.. Thompson said that
the inspector could have inspected the
work as it was done.
Mr.. Henney said that if the inspec-
tor had gone up on the wall and in
spected the work to see that it was
properly done, after the brick had al
ready been rejected, it might have in
volved the city, and the city might
have had to accept the work.
Mr.. Henney said that it was true
that samples of the brick were ap-
proved but that the brick sent here
did not compare with the samples. He
said that neither the brick nor the
brick work were satisfactory, and that
he could, therefore, accept neither.
He said that Mr.. Elmer had rejected
the brick, and that Mr.. Elmer, in the
presence of Mayor Robertson, had in
formed the contractor that the brick,
if used, would be used on the contrac-
tors own responsibility.
Mr.. Thompson said that the mayor
was not present when Mr.. Elmer re-
jected the first car of brick. He said
that Mr.. Elmer said at the time that
he did not know whether the brick
were good brick or not. Mr.. Thomp-
son said that the mayor may have
looked at the car of brick later. He
said that he had heard that the mayor
said that not a single one of the brick
was good.
Mr.. Thompson said that samples of
the rejected brick had been tested,
and that, in spite of an unfair test,
the brick were found strong enough
for the work. He said that the part
of the wall Mr.. Henney had found
fault with had been washed by a
heavy rain, but that the rain did not
do damage enough to hurt.
Mr.. Thompson said that he had re-
quested council, and the building COM
mittee of that body, to inspect the
work and materials. It was pointed
out in reply that his contract with the
city provided that the engineers would
have the acceptance or rejection of
material and work. The contract
states that any material not approx
ed by the engineers shall be immed-
lately taken from the yard.