With but few exceptions, our local citizens and taxpayers are lamenting now that the City Council was induced by A. Bedford Cook and associates to recommend the quickly blackening Bedford stone, which cracks and disintegrates readily through the action of frost.

The majority of the people who have looked at the building--the gound floor is finished now--expressed the wish that the structure might be dismantled, so that a new beginning might be made.

The appearance of cracks in the large blocks at the portal focussed anew the attention, not only on the material itself, but also on the structural method. The building is made of brick with a thin rock facing, and thus the question arises, whether this did not also have a delitericus effect, as far as the 2permeability to frost (and subsequent fissures) is concerned.

As a matter of fact, many experts objected to the adoption of hollow pillars, and predicted that the stone shell of the heavy corner pillars could not be held rigid enough by the thin covering of brick.

Now, it is claimed, indications tend to show that certain doubts were justified; the hollow pillars will not be able to withstand the vertical and lateral pressure exerted by two or three floors. It is therefore gratifying to hear that most of the aldermanic candidates, regardless of party affiliation, are opposed to continuing the city hall construction in the present manner. At this time, eleven of the remaining aldermen object definitely to Bedford stone, another three have no objections to cancelling the contract involving the stone, and discontinuing building, provided the costs entailed thereby are not excessive. Almost all aldermanic candidates share the prevailing public opinion which unequivocally condemns the structure in its present phase. There are prospects that the new City Council will vote 25 to 11 to halt 3construction so that changes can be made in the contracts, if it does not entail too large an amount. A city official who is somewhat interested in the matter gave the following list which shows the probable standing of the various members of the next City Council in regard to the Bedford stone question:.....[Translator's note: Only those aldermen with German names are listed in the translation.]

Opposed to Bedford stone: In Favor of Bedford stone: Doubtful:

This compilation, which appears fairly accurate to persons conversant with the sentiment prevailing in the various wards, augurs well that the city will be saved the ignominy of owning a botched city hall.