Iron and Steel Work

"Fenc.

The Contractor is to supply the fence shown on plan at the foot of the court at first story, which is to have diameter steel bars with pointed tops spaced 5 inches on centers, and to have cross-bars of flat iron, the cross-bars to be built into the wall, and uprights leaded to blue stone coping. Fence to be 8 feet high.

"Iron Doors—Iron doors are to be made of %-inch by iron frames, covered with No. 16 crimped iron, securely and properly riv eted, hung on wrought-iron hinges, and provided with heavy bolts and locks.

"All the doors in the sub-basement are to be of iron, and the door to the sidewalk elevator in the basement is to be of iron.

"The coal vault door is to be made with a flap at the bottom, and is to be provided with bars extending across the same, with proper sockets on the door frame, as directed." The number of bars required should be mentioned.

"The door to the deck-house on the roof is to be of iron.

"All iron doors at walls are to have east-iron eyes properly built into the masonry.

"Shaft Framing—The vent shaft at the boiler flue, and the pipe shaft at the toilet-rooms, are to have by by angle posts at the corners, extending from the bottom of the shafts to and above the roof, as shown on plans. In the height of each story, there are to be two sets of cross-pieces made of 3-inch by 3 inch by angles extending from the posts to the walls, securely bolted with countersunk head bolts, and securely fastened to the brick work.

"All the above framing is to be put up per fectly plumb, and is to be riveted together with 1/2-inch rivets, prepared to receive the fireproof blocks, and fastened to the wooden beams by means of lag screws and proper packing pieces.

"The deck-house, including the roof of the same, is to be framed with good and sufficient angles and tees, prepared to receive the fireproof blocks and the skylights.

"Light Cast-Iron Wor.

All cast-iron work is to be particularly well made and finished and of uniform thickness; and all castings must be clean and sharp." This specification is perhaps as clear as it is possible to make a specification for cast iron. Nevertheless, there is room for trouble to arise from difference in opinion as to what the terms "particularly well made and fin ished" and "clean and sharp" may mean.

"The front column at the rear entrance, first story, is to be made of cast iron as directed, with panels.

"The sills for the elevator door openings are to be special, and to have groove for sliding doors, to have nosing and beveled apron; and all are to be properly fastened.

"Door-sills with nosings and risers, all with 4-inch bottom flanges to receive the vault lights and sidewalks, are to be provided for all the entrances. The tops of the sills are to be check ered as directed; all to be made perfectly water tight.

"Vault Lights—The vault light work com prises all the work shown on the first-story plan, including the trap doors, ventilators, and all the circular vault covers. Steps and risers are to be made as before specified under the heading of 'Light Cast-Iron Work.' "The vault light work is to be that manu factured by , or by , or others proved by the Architect in writing; to be made of concrete construction reinforced with steel and iron, glazed with approved lights; to be laid in sections, with allowance for expansion and contraction; joints are to be calked with spun oakum, and pitched; all to be perfectly water tight and guaranteed. The vault light work

must be made of sufficient strength to sustain a uniformly distributed safe load of 400 pounds to the square foot.

"Ventilators are to be provided as shown on plan No. , made as directed, with top and sides and register faces with movable slate louvers, all as directed, and to be made perfectly weather tight, to be operated by worm gear and pole. Two poles are to be supplied.

"The trap-doors at the sidewalk elevator are to be made as may be directed, of heavy angle and bar frames and No. 10 sheet iron, galvanized, hung on extra heavy brass butts, with proper fastenings, to have necessary hasps, staples, brass padlocks, rings, stays, guard bars, and holdfasts.

"Railings of galvanized iron pipe 2 inches diameter with malleable ball and flange fittings, are to be supplied and set for the opening of the sidewalk elevator, to be securely fastened and to have extra heavy chain on front.

"Flagpole.

Provide and set two first-qual ity spruce flagpoles, 50 feet long, 12 inches diameter at the butt and 5 inches diameter at the top; to be dressed and painted four good coats best white lead; to be stepped into proper cast-iron foot-blocks, placed on the roof beams properly bolted, and to be braced to the roof beams; to have 14 inches diameter gilt copper ball, lignum vitae truck, and two pulleys, and to have two best cotton halyards and galvanized iron cleats. On completion of the contract, an additional coat of paint is to be applied.

"Miscellaneou.

Polished cast brass saddles are to be provided for the entrance and hall store doors and all entrance doors, and for the vesti bule doors; to be fastened with counter-sunk brass screws and expansion bolts.

"All necessary cutting, drilling, and tapping of iron and steel work that may be required by other contractors, is to be done by the Con tractor, as the Architect may direct." This may cause the contractor no little extra work. Some better specification than this should be made of it. If the architect in his design could not foresee the necessary cutting when comparing the plans for all con tractors, the steel contractor certainly would not be able to foresee how much he would be called upon to do, especially if he were working on the structural plans alone. This is another way of making the contractor re sponsible for errors and omissions, and is to him unfair.

"Guarantees—The following guarantees are to be delivered to the Architect: "1. Guarantee for all the skylight work for two years after the completion of the building.

"2. Guarantee for all the vault light work for two years after the completion of the building.

"3. Guarantee that the slate treads will not come loose for one year after completion." All of these guarantees are superfluous as given here.