Chapter 7

We do not agree to be responsible for the acts of the Clerk-of-Works, or for the negligence or violations of contracts by the contractors any further than we can reasonably detect at the time of our visits of supervision or inspection; but such negligence or violations of contracts, as we detect, we will have corrected, so far as the power vested in us will permit and as speedily as possible.

You are at all times to consult with us about desired changes or additions to the work; to order all such changes through us; and to notify us in regard to any work done or material used that you consider is a violation of the contract.

No allowance from our percentage will be made for drawings contracted for and not furnished, except upon a refusal by us to furnish such as may be necessary.

The supervision and inspection contemplated by this agreement, is such as is calculated to and ordinarily will secure the furnishing of materials of the kind and quality required by the contract, and the performance of the work in accordance with the plans and specifications, and in a good, workmanlike and substantial manner.

CERTIFICATES.

Where the work is under our supervision, or inspection, we will issue certificates of indebtedness to the contractors, as per terms of contract. The final certificate being an adjustment of the contract and extras, and also an expression of judgment on our part that the work has been carried out according to the general drawings and specifications and contracts by the contractors, but is not to form a legal obligation on our part.

If the building is not erected from said plans, the charges, instead of being based on the actual cost, will be based on the approximate cost, which is hereby estimated at $----, although the last-mentioned sum is not guaranteed to be the actual cost of said building. Should the actual cost exceed the approximate cost, we will make the necessary changes in the plans, so as to reduce the cost, should you so desire, without extra charge. Changes made in plans from other causes, charged for according to time consumed.

Travelling expenses and other necessary disbursements in addition to fee for services.

PAYMENTS.

Payments shall be made as follows: Upon completion of the preliminary sketches, 1 per cent of estimated cost; upon completion of the general drawings and specifications, an additional 1-1/2 per cent of estimated cost; upon completion of details an additional 1 per cent of estimated cost; and upon completion of the work, the charge for supervision or inspection. At that time, also, any differences between the percentage upon the estimated and actual cost is to be settled, and any deficiency is to be paid or excess credited.

Travelling expenses and other necessary disbursements are payable when incurred.

In case contracts are not entered into for the work within six months after the drawings are ready for contractors to estimate, payment shall be made for the work done at the rates herein before specified, computed upon the estimated cost. Provided, however, that if at any subsequent time the plans and specifications prepared by us, are used and the actual cost exceeds the estimated cost, compensation upon such excesses, shall be made at the rates aforesaid.

REMARKS.

Respectfully yours,

Accepted, ---- 189

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INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, N.Y., December 22, 1889.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT:--

_Dear Sirs_,--In your issue of the 21st. I note an editorial setting forth how the New York City Health Department trapped an ingenious builder, who piped his sewerage into his back-yard, and I, and, I think I can safely say, many other architects of New York, would ask why you omit, when publishing such facts, to mention that such work was so put in and is continually put in, in as bad or in a very unworkmanlike and insanitary manner, under the supervision of the same department, and thus shows how the paid officials and inspectors whose business it is to pass upon and approve the plans and specifications and to give continual inspection--to see, examine and test every length of pipe and every joint; who have the might of the law to strike down the offender who shall make bold to violate their mandates, fail to give protection to the innocent owners and purchasers of property, or curb the avaricious hands of unscrupulous builders and careless workmen.

I should like further, to ask you to publish to the New York City public, the fact that the "Department", the "Health Department", with its Bureau of Plumbing and Light and Ventilation, and the Building Bureau of the Fire Department, are unable to protect property owners and purchasers from errors in sanitation and construction as they are supposed by too many to do. Owners frequently think that unless they want "fancy" drawings and fronts, an architect is superfluous. The "speculator" finds it no advantage, but rather the opposite, to have an impartial judge between owner and Contractor, or a close inspection over his subs; as he gains little by the fact of his having employed a thorough architect, when he comes to fell, and loses by the bill for services and the legitimate price he pays for honest work.

The bulk of speculative work done in New York is after the most trivial plans made by some mere draughtsman or carpenter, and the "superintendence" is under the "keen" eye of the builder and owner--who is usually one and the same individual and who has made a definite failure at all the branches of the trade and frequently many others, and now holds position as owner of the property by virtue of his having paid, entirely in mortgage, for the same. In the large majority of cases that have been under my observation, they are entirely incapable of passing an intelligent opinion on any of the materials and work that make up a building, or at least on very little, and the gross impositions practiced upon them by their sub-contractors is startling. Their work is covered-in and is so left, I doubt not, in the majority of cases, as the inspection furnished by the "Department" is entirely inadequate for proper protection. The confidence of the public is continually bolstered up by such descriptions as the editorial above mentioned.

A NEW YORK ARCHITECT.

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A SEEMING ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD AN ARCHITECT.

PITTSBURGH, PA., December 30, 1889.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT:

_Dear Sirs_,--Please answer through the columns of your valuable journal the following:

I will designate A as the party for whom I drew plans, etc., B as the owner of property adjoining, and C as the contractor for A. I drew up plans and specifications for a 60' 0" front by 60' 0" deep building for A, including party-wall for A and B who has 35' 0" front by 60' 0" deep lot. I was employed to render full services, such as to draw up plans, specifications, details and superintend the construction of said building for A.

A wrote to me asking me whether I would allow B to use my plans and specifications to be copied. I answered, emphatically, that not under any circumstances would I allow it without compensation, as the plans, etc., were my property, and were only designed for A.

A let the contract for erection and completion of the building to C, I having made the articles of agreement for same.

In the meantime I was notified that B and C were taking sub-bids for the erection of the 35' 0" building, all with my plans and specifications. They were taking the sub-bids from the same parties that were to do the work for C on the building for A. B let C build the 35' 0" building.

I notified B and C that I will collect my commission on the construction and completion of their building, to which notices I have no reply.

The 35' 0" building was commenced at the same time as the building for A; my plans, specifications and details were used for the building by the same sub-contractors, etc.

The buildings are now nearly complete, and the building for B or the 85' 0" building is a portion of the building designed for A with slight variations made by C.

I think the above to be very explicit; and now, gentlemen, I would like to ask you for your opinion as to my compensation, and to what extent I am entitled to it.

Yours very respectfully,

F.C. SAUER.

[We think that you are entitled to the full commission of five per cent on the cost of the 35-foot building, and believe that you can collect it.--EDS. AMERICAN ARCHITECT.]

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VENTILATING WOODEN COLUMNS.

ZANESVILLE, O., December 23,1889.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT:

_Dear Sirs_,--We notice that in buildings in the East for factory purposes, all wood columns have a hole bored through the centre for ventilation. What size should the hole be for 12" x 12", 10" x 10" and 8" x 8" posts. Also size of cross holes for the purpose of communicating with vertical hole, and how far from ends.

Respectfully yours,

A.E. PILING CO., LTD.

[We have referred this to Mr. C.J.H. Woodbury who replies that the method followed by the best mill-builders is to bore a hole along the axis one and three-fourth to two inches in diameter. The method formerly used was to bore the hole in half-way from each end after the column was finished, but as the auger would follow the grain of the wood, the holes would not always meet, and running out nearer the side of the column would produce structural weakness which has been revealed in tests of columns whenever destructive tests of such columns have been made. The better way is to arrange a lathe with a hollow headstock and a guide which will carry a pod-auger boring in from one end. This will define the axis of the column whether it is to be turned or left square. Near each end, say five inches, a couple of transverse holes generally five-eighth of an inch in diameter are bored. This arrangement is to reduce and in some cases prevent checking in the same way as has been used, time immemorial, for getting out hubs for wagon wheels.--EDS. AMERICAN ARCHITECT.]

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BOOKS IN WATER-COLOR PAINTING.

SPOKANE FALLS, WASH., December 11, 1889.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT:

_Dear Sirs_,--Will you kindly advise, through the columns of your paper, what is the best self-instructing work on architectural water-coloring, and oblige.

INQUIRER.

[The best drill for the eye and hand that we know of can be obtained in the shortest time by getting Buskin's "_Elements of Drawing_," and doing faithfully and exactly all the exercises which he prescribes, including both those in black-and-white and color. Many people, however, do not care for this drill, but prefer to make a few bad imitations of simple chromos, and consider that equipment enough for architectural work. For those, Penley's large work, the "_System of Water-Color Painting_" is the best for copying from; or the aspirant may get some of the little Winsor and Newton "_Handbooks on Sketching in Water-Colors_," to show him how to choose and mix his pigments, and use as models to copy from some of the colored prints of architectural subjects which are to be picked up in the stores. There is a good deal of choice among these. We have ourselves published one or two, from originals by Mr. Botch, which will answer as well as anything we know, being admirable in color and architectural feeling, and just sketchy enough. Pains should generally be taken _not_ to make an elaborate picture of an architectural sketch, and the processes preliminary to making a highly-finished water-color painting, such as laying a ground-color of neutral orange, and sponging it partly out, cutting out foreground lights with a knife, and so on, are best dispensed with. Chinese white, also, should be used very sparingly, and only where the scale is so small that it appears in the form of dots. A good lesson on the importance of keeping color subdued, for the sake of heightening architectural effect, can be derived from any of Front's works, which, by the way, might with great advantage be used to copy from. These will show the value of what most students consider beneath their notice--work in two tints and give the best models possible of artistic distribution of light and shade.--EDS. AMERICAN ARCHITECT.]

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THE DUTY ON GLASS AS IT AFFECTS CONSUMERS.--In a letter to the _New York Times_, Mr. J.S. Moore writes: As I am on the subject of glass, and as the members of the Pan-American Congress are inspecting our magnificent metropolis, I wish to call their attention to two subjects. First, our dirty streets, and second, our splendid windows. Dickens has immortalized the "Golden Dustman." In this city we have the "Dirty Ringman," or we may say "Ringmen." There have been millions in New York's dirty streets. The most honest and persevering Mayors and other high officials have got stuck in New York street mud and were never heard of again. Our aristocratic home mud has flourished without any protection, and the pauper mud of Europe or any other mud could never beat our home product. Here our amiable and friendly Commissioners of the Pan-American Congress can see it demonstrated that our mud industry can flourish without protection. I will now call the attention of our Pan-American friends to the windows in New York houses. They are invariably of plate-glass, and there is not a city in the world that can beat New York in handsome windows. Now, then, it is an actual fact that the tax or duty on plate-glass is as follows: Plate-glass, 10 by 15 inches, 3 cents per foot, or 13.60 per cent; plate-glass, 16 by 24 inches, 5 cents per foot, or 19.78 per cent; plate-glass, 24 by 30 inches, 8 cents per foot, or 27.46 per cent. Now, we must admit that this is a moderate tax. The above glass goes into the houses of the rich. Of course, it will not do to tax influential and rich citizens. But now let me show how we tax that class of people who build three-hundred-dollar houses, or the hundreds of thousands of farmers who live in the far West. Those houses are glazed by what is known as common green window glass. Let me show to what extent we have taxed that class of people in 1888:

IMPORTS OF COMMON WINDOW GLASS IN 1888.

Duty Collected, Per Value. Ad valorem. Cent.

Sizes not exceeding 10x15 $288,927 $190,815 66 Sizes 16 x 24 265,919 305,357 114.83 Sizes 24 x 30 346,486 440,685 127.15 All above that 477,132 626,740 131.35 ---------- Total $1,563,497

We have squeezed out of the neediest, most hard-working of our population $1,563,000 taxes on their "daylight" or window tax, which has gone into the Treasury; but we have squeezed at least $5,000,000 more and put it into the pockets of people who made similar glass. Our Pan-American guests may reflect on the above statistics and come to the conclusion that having flourishing window-glass industries may, after all, not be the highest blessing.

I beg to assure Mr. Carnegie that I am "not" a grumbler, as I don't want to run the risk of having the door of heaven shut in my face when he succeeds St. Peter in office.

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THE NATURAL-GAS SUPPLY.--At the recent meeting in New York of the American Geological Society, Prof. Edward Orton, State Geologist of Ohio, and a professor in the State University, in his paper answered those who claim that the great natural gas fields of the country are practically inexhaustible, and that nature is manufacturing the gas by chemical combination in the subterranean cavities as rapidly as it is consumed by man at the surface. He claimed that the supply of natural gas in those States was not only limited, but was being exhausted very rapidly and would be drained in less than nine years. The gas, he said, is now being used as the basis of a varied line of manufactures, the annual products of which aggregate many millions of dollars, and it is driving, besides the iron and steel mills of Pittsburgh, potteries and brick works, over forty glass furnaces and a long list of factories in which cheap power is a desideratum. The gas is the product of ages, which has been accumulated in the porous limestone of Ohio and Indiana. It has been produced so slowly that when once exhausted it will take many thousands of years for it to again accumulate in sufficient quantities to be used, even if the elements necessary for its production were preserved, which he thought was not at all probable. The pressure which forces the gas out with such tremendous power that it sometimes reaches 1,000 pounds pressure per square inch, is not due to the pressure of the gas itself, but to the hydrostatic pressure brought to bear by the column of salt water that enters the porous stratum of rock containing the gas at the sea-level, and which by its weight tends to force the gas out. To the explanation and elucidation of this phenomenon, Professor Orton's paper was more especially devoted. The men who are engaged in the practical development of gas and oil fields, said he, made great account of rock-pressure. It is the first fact they inquire after in a new gas-field. They appreciate its importance, knowing that the distance of the markets they care to reach and the size of the pipes they can employ are entirely dependent upon this element. He defined the term "rock-pressure", and showed the decrease of its rate westward. He said four hundred thousand people in Northwestern Ohio and Central Indiana alone depended upon natural-gas for fuel and illumination.

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STATUE GIVING A DOUBLE IMAGE.--At the Italian exhibition in the Champ de Mars there was a statue that attracted much attention from the visitors. It represented Goethe's Marguerite standing before a mirror. This latter gave by reflection the image of Faust. The artifice was well concealed by the sculptor. In reality, it was not a double statue, but the figure of Faust was skilfully obtained by means of the folds of Marguerite's robe.

Marguerite holds her arms in front of her, and these same arms form those of Faust, who holds them crossed behind his back. Faust's face is carved in Marguerite's back hair, and the man's figure is obtained, as before stated, by means of the folds of the woman's robe. This curious object might inspire some of our sculptors with an analogous idea. We do not know the name of the author of the statue, but we can say that it was exhibited by Mr. Francesco Toso, a Venetian manufacturer of mirrors. The statue was of wood, and of nearly life-size.--_La Nature_.

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SITE FOE THE KAISER'S MONUMENT.--Three or four Berlin banks have secured the preemption of all the buildings in Schlossfreiheitstrasse, with a view to pulling them down and fulfilling the Emperor's wish to have his grandfather's monument erected there. Only a few days ago three of the most eminent Berlin architects declared that the place was absolutely unsuited for that purpose. The banks are said to have agreed to pay 5,000,000 marks for the houses, and an equal amount as compensation, and intend to form a lottery of 40,000,000 marks, with prizes to the amount of 30,000,000.--_The London Standard_.

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The salient features of the business situation this week afford every encouragement to the promoters of new schemes and the pioneers in industry. Among the additional factors which will stimulate trade and business during 1890 are the following: The construction of fifty per cent more railway mileage than was built last year; a very great increase in lake tonnage; a large increase in inland water-way tonnage; a very great increase in rolling-stock; a greater increase in locomotive capacity than has been made during any one year in our history; greater activity in house-building, and greater activity in the building of shops and factories. Several other interesting features also deserve mention, among them the very strong probability of the establishment of a larger number of banks daring 1890 than were established during 1889 or any previous year; the more rapid expansion of the building and loan association system, particularly in the newer States; the increase in the output of the gold and silver mines of the West and Southwest; the opening-up of valuable coal-beds in many localities, which will tend to the establishment of little industries; a great increase in the area of land devoted to agriculture. Speaking generally, the agricultural interests will be stimulated. Speaking prophetically, it is very probable that prices will continue to advance, but by infinitesimal degrees. Speaking conservatively and in the light of recent experience, it is safe to assume and assert that production will be evenly gauged to consumptive requirements. Those who have kept a close eye upon the operations of manufacturers in all the leading channels recognize one very gratifying feature, and that is, that they are protecting themselves against unwarranted and unexpected advances in the cost of their raw material by making purchases for future requirements, ranging from three to six months. Users of cotton and wool are largely doing this; so are users of iron ore and iron and steel, as well as users of lumber, stone, cement and building material generally. This general policy of providing for legitimate future requirements is one of those instincts which safely guide the commercial world out of danger into safety. One fruitful source of panics in former periods of activity was the failure of consuming interests to supply themselves with raw material to complete their contracts. The business world has learned wisdom from its experience, and is now quietly turning a corner and wheeling into line safely early in 1890. The tanning interests of the United States have pursued this course in their limited field. The boot and shoe manufacturers, if they have not bought largely of raw material, have, at least, taken such steps as will guarantee them against a sudden advance. The clothing manufacturers have wisely purchased for their future wants; in fact, in almost every avenue of activity this policy has been pursued. The users of Lake ore have already bought five and one-half millions of the seven or eight million tons of ore they will want this year. The users of steel blooms and billets have bought so far ahead that manufacturers are now declining to make further contracts, excepting for very strong reasons. The Southern pig-iron makers are debating with themselves whether they will accept orders for pig-iron to be delivered next summer or wait a few months. Scores of illustrations of this sort could be enumerated. In many quarters this policy is believed to be an unwise one. Experience has shown it to be a safe one.