Question. What is the labor, at fair prices and fair number of days' work, worth in each cap? Answer. Two hundred and thirty-three days in one of the entire caps would be a liberal allowance, which, at government prices for labor, including tools, superintendence, profit, &c., as per the invoice, would be $679 34, that is allowing for work, &c., at $2 912. Question. What would be the cost of one of the caps at that rate? Answer. $906; delivered in Charleston, say $1,000. Question. At the rate the government has paid for these caps, as per invoice, how much more will it cost to finish them on the aver age? Answer. $566 33. When finished they will cost the government $5,785 93. Question. What is a fair market price for those caps delivered in Charleston? Answer. I think $1,000 is a fair price. I would be willing to do them at that price. Question. What will be the price the government will have to pay for the fifty-two exterior caps for the Charleston custom-house, provided those already delivered and to be furnished for it cost as much as those paid for in this invoice? Answer. Four are corner caps, which cost about a quarter less. Allowing for those, the cost of caps would,, at such prices, be $295,081 92. Question. How much would they cost at a fair market price, delivered in Charleston? Answer. $51,000. Question. Did you take an inventory of the other stock, cut and rough, at Hastings, intended for the Charleston custom-house, and if so, what was its character? Answer. Mr. Oertley, the government computer, and Mr. Cluskey, were with me. We took an inventory of all other rough and cut stone intended for the Charleston custom-house, and not in the invoice, all of which was pointed out to us by Mr. Dixon's foreman, in his presence; the contents of which we have, since our return, computed, and the character of which is as follows, so far as it is possisible to determine it from the indefinite wording of the contract. Part of architrave, stock and workmanship, 165 feet 7 inches, lineal, at $15 16 per foot. .... Carving done in part, 51 feet 5 inches, lineal, at $1 per Medillion course, stock and workmanship, 70 feet 2 inches, lineal, at $19 84 ..... Crown moulding course of cornice, stock and workman- ... $2,510 24 51 41 1,392 10 235 20 603 72 96275 580 50 Σ Rough stock in the foregoing 29 parts of caps, 472 cu- $3,046 00 2,300 00 10,815 92 The valuation of the above for the stock and workmanship in the twenty-nine parts of caps, is based upon the prices charged for stock and work in the invoice, and for the part of architrave, medallion, and crown moulding course of cornice upon the contract with Larned & Co., and not upon the real or market value. Question. Would the real or market value be greater or less than the prices you have used? Answer. It would be less. Question. Was there any marble about the premises you did not inventory or compute? Answer. There was a good deal that was unfit for the Charleston custom-house or any place else, refuse marble, "culls," pieces off corners, &c. We inventoried and computed all you could find, or that was pointed out. Question. How much do caps of that size, in one or two pieces, cost, when cut from Italian marble? Answer. About $100 more for stock. Question. Is it a good plan to build caps out of more than two pieces? Answer. No, sir; they are not so solid. Two pieces is the least they ought to be in. JULY 3, 1862. Committee met. Present: Sargent, Chamberlain, and Wall. Mr. OERTLEY recalled: Question. Have you been to Hastings and New York at request of the committee to examine and compute the marble named in the invoice now exhibited to you? Answer. I have. Question. Who accompanied you at the quarry at Hastings? Answer. Mr. Cluskey, Mr. Hamilton, the contractor, Mr. C. P. Dixon, and his foreman, Mr. Weber. Question. How many blocks are named in the invoice, and in what state did you find them? Answer. There were thirty-one pieces. Seventeen were finished and fourteen not quite finished. Question. How many capitals will those pieces make when finished? Answer. They will make eight and one-quarter full capitals. Question. Is it usual to have capitals in so many pieces? Answer. It is unusual to cut them in more than two, or at most in three pieces. Question. Is it bad work to cut them in more than two or three pieces? Answer. It is; because the fewer pieces the better. Question. What do those caps cost each, on the average, by the prices in the invoice, when finished? Answer. In the neighborhood of six thousand dollars. Question. What would be a fair market price for good caps of the same size and style? Answer. From a thousand to twelve hundred dollars. Question. Did you take an inventory of the other stock, cut and rough, at Hastings for the Charleston custom-house; and if So, what is its character? Answer. I did; and now submit it to the committee. Part of the architrave, stock and workmanship, 165 feet 7 inches, lineal, at $15 16 per foot... Carving done in part, 51 feet 5 inches, lineal, at $1 per foot Crown moulding course of cornice, stock and workman- $2,510 24 51 41 1,392 10 235 20 603 72 96 75 Rough stock in the foregoing twenty-nine, parts of caps, 472 cubic feet, at $6 45 per foot.. 580 50 Rough stock in 13 blocks in sheds and yard, 575 cubic feet, at $4 per foot.... 3,046 00 2,300 00 Total .... 10.815 92 Question. How did you arrive at the valuations named in this inventory? Answer. For the twenty-nine parts of caps I used the prices of the invoice. For the entablature courses I used the prices of the contract, as near as I could understand it. It was a very singular contract. Question. In what respect was the contract singular ? Answer. It sets no price for rough stock nor for carving, which is left for day's work. It states definitely the price for ashlar, pilasters. and columns. All else is left undetermined. Question. Is not $10,815 92 a very large price for the articles named in your inventory? In other words, is it not very far above a fair market price for such articles? Answer. It is a very high price. Question. What would be a fair market value for the articles named in the inventory? Answer. I think $6,000 would be a liberal price. Question. Was there any marble about the premises you did not inventory or compute? Answer. There were large quantities of marble, but none of it fit for the building. The blocks were not large enough for any stones. yet required for the building. Question. Did Mr. Dixon or his foreman request you to inventory any of that, or imply that it was for the Charleston custom-house? Answer. They did not, but said they could not sell it. Question. Do you know whether the caps delivered at Charleston have cost as much on the average as those named in the invoice and now at Hastings, upon which you have computed? Answer. I think they have. I have seen the invoices. Question. How many columns will be required for the exterior of the Charleston custom-house? Answer. Over fifty. Question. How many caps for them have been delivered at Charles ton? Answer. In the neighborhood of twenty full caps, and most of the columns. Question. What will be the cost of those caps, supposing there are fifty-two, when completed, according to the prices charged in the invoice? Answer. $312,000. Question. What would be their cost at a fair market price? Answer. About one-fifth. Question. Has not this exorbitant outlay over the real value of the caps been caused by the very defective and irregular character of the contract in allowing them to be charged for by day's work? Answer. It undoubtedly has. Question. Have you observed the use of the word Ionic in the contract instead of Corinthian? Answer. I have. Question. Is there any Ionic work in the building? Answer. Not to my knowledge. It is all Corinthian. Question. What is the effect of the use of the word Ionic? Answer. Only to confuse the contract. Question. What is the size of the Charleston custom-house? Answer. To the outside of columns about 150 feet in length; in width 120 feet. It is finished up to and including the architrave course, which is between 45 and 50 feet above the ground. Question. In what condition is the building, so far as to being finished? Answer. The steps are not set; the roof, if any, is temporary. The building is unfinished except the exterior walls, part of the columns, and the brick partitions. JULY 6, 1862. Present: Messrs. Sargent, Wall, and Chamberlain. C. B. CLUSKEY recalled: Question. Were you subpoenaed on the 26th ultimo to go to Hastings, in the State of New York, and did you go with Messrs. Oertley H. Rep. Com. 137-4 and Hamilton and examine the marble stored there for the Charleston custom-house, in charge of Edward Learned, contractor? Answer. I was; and did go, and with them examined the marble there stored. Question. Who had the sheds in which it is stored opened, and who pointed out the marble to you? Answer. Mr. C. P. Dixon and Mr. Weber, the foreman, whom I understood superintended and had charge of the cutting of the stone. Question. Is Mr. Dixon a partner of Mr. Learned? Answer. I am informed that he is, and so understood from what was said during the examination. Question. Does the marble you examined correspond with the invoice before you, the cost of which to the government is in the aggregate charged at $ 43,061 61? Answer. It does. Question. State how many blocks you examined, their condition and character, what their cost now is for the parts of the work to which they belong, and what it will be when they are completed and ready for use, according to the invoice value, $43,061 61, for stock. labor, profit, &c. Answer. I examined thirty-one blocks, (seventeen of which are finished and fourteen in progress of execution,) all of which, finished and unfinished, are parts of the capitals of the columns for the exterior of the building, ranging from an eighth to a quarter, and from a quarter to the one-half part of a capital, and when put together. (and clamped,) in not less than three nor more than five parts, will form a full capital-the whole thirty-one being equal to eight and the one-fourth part of a capital-costing on an average, in their present condition, $5,219 59, and when completed and ready for use, $5,733. according to the invoice value. Question. What part of the cost of a capital, $5,733, is for stock. and what for labor, profit, &c., as invoiced? Answer. The stock, averaged at $9 82 per cubic foot, amounts to 1,112 87, and the labor, profit, &c., to $4,521 13; total, $5,733 for for each capital. Question. How many capitals are required for the exterior of the building? Answer. The floor plan shown me calls for fifty-two. Question. At the invoice price of those you examined, what would be the whole cost of the number required? Answer. Two hundred and ninety-eight thousand one hundred and sixteen ($298, 116) dollars. Question. As an architect, what is your valuation of the capitals required, delivered at Charleston? Answer. In view of the number which the plan calls for, and twenty-four of them being placed against the walls, and that number requiring less work than the remainder, I would value and average them at $1,140 11 each, made in two pieces. Question. What is your opinion, as an expert, of the building of capitals out of a number of pieces, from three to five? |