New-York tribune., 1874-07-02
CENTENNIAL PROSPBCTS

corrp ,crs AWARDED FOR THE ERECTION OF THE
MAIN EXHIBITION BUILDING AND MEMORIAL
HAIJ-THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK MORE PAYORA'
BILE THAN HERETOFORE.
PHILADELPHIA, July 1.-The Centennial
Board Of Finance has accepted the bids OF henard
Dobbns OF Philadelphia for the erection OF tho main
Exhibition building and the permanent memorial nan
The cost of these structures will be about nc
enlargement b made OF tho plans upon which proposals
were asked for There little doubt however that the
permanent building will be enlarged, and tho contrac'
for its onstruetion will be made with this view Inc
money voted by the State this edce Is fully s'oo
in excess of the accepted bidders offer. and IL VIII
therefore, the duty Of the Board 10 ehaRe 'no pau
80 as to produce good result as possio'o win "'
States appropriation. For the main puiuinf
tbs oombiued pavilion and gallery plan OF MT
pa,,,, has heen adopted The structure will
"a acres and VIII consist Of arched psvons
I'm the center with galleries 100 feet WIDE py o
long on either side If more space Is required tnese gar
leres can be extended This building Is to be competeu
By the lst of January 1876. andithe Memorial nan py
the LIST OF March OF that year inc ena M hn m
tion Of the PROPOSE TO sac board Iappears
that the work be done by builder OF wei,khown
enerry experience and responsibility for much IoWtf
prios than was generally supposed, and the financial
outlook of the Exhibition has brightehed oonS'uoa"' "
consequence OF this knowledge
COMMENTS BY 1.-THE INQUIRER UPON THE BIDS
suGGEsTIoNs TO THE BOARD OF FINANCE.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer July !:
Yesterday the Centennial Board OF Finance
met at rooms Walnutst 10 receive the prop0saIs
OF bidders the erection OF the Exhibition building
The bidders and bids we're as rono"s' A, ,ooooo
f Clarke. Reeves Co. and Keystone Iron -
Company .......-........''.'''.'.' i'sso" i'oss'o"
r. j. DobOns. .....- i,V'oVyo 49, 40
srabe that Board OF Finance shall consider not so
much who Is the lowest hut who Is the best bdderthe
best in every Ii such examination SHOULD eai
the Board to the conclusion that Mr.. Dobbns Is, all
things considered the best bidder then let the contract
be awarded to that gentleman. Between his DID and
that OF the next higher one VIZ Clarke Reeves Co.,
there is dffernco of over $520OOO. Thls IL
large sum, almost too large, for IT suggests either
ex0rbitant profits on one side, or very PAD ana
cheap workmanship on the otner. The building mus
be fre-proof of course, chiefly Of lrOn MI Doo
bins has no facilities whatever for working In IRON lie
not only has no mills but lie Is worker IN wOOu ana
stone principally. Again, the question OF time
IL an ALI mpOrtant one. There not tN0 years 10 go
by before tine building must he finished and occupied
Mr. D0bbDs Is to be judged Dy MS WORK Ihoh there 10
no assurance he Will execute The contract should IL
be awarded him, IN duo session. he Oullt OF raner -
bulding that monstrous arch failure the House
Correction, which is POSSIBLY tue ugest Dulung IN
America but he was and behindhand with MS con-
tract and worse than that, the Grand Jury has re-
ported serious defects the structure We do not know
whether Mr. DObDins his architect Is resDOnslOle IOr
the defects mentioned, but we do KNOW that Mr. DOD-
bins was unable to finish the Dululng IN the time
agreed upon by him; that he was permitted
several extensions as TO ume ana that tue
House Of Correction Is still unfinished Ihere
Centennial buildings Will be ready for occupancy when
they are wanted Delay will be fatal TO tue enterprise
as IL was fatal its predecessor at Vienna. We admit
the skill OF Mr. DObbins builder. We see that Ills
bid is the lowest but cannot that Is the best
In fact we do think the best, Lor are we sure
that M the end II would be fOnad the cheapest TOT gen
orally the worst bargains when are made are those
which are at Thought cheap ones. Saving is not
always economy.