The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-05
Special SIessing OF she City Couneil.
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COLUMBIA, Februsry Q. 1S7I

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Co1UMB1A. February Q; 1874.
Present-His Honor the Mayor; Al.
dermen Thompson. Mitchell, Carroll,
Young. Taylor, Williams. Griffin and
Cooper. Absent-Aldermen Carpenter.
Lowndes. Hogo and Carr.
The Mayor stated that he had called
this meeting by q resolution OF Coun-
oil, for the purpose Of opening the bids
for the engine house OF the Enterprise
Fire Company.
Bids were received from S. Shiyers,
81. Minis. P. s. Boatwright. G. Reilly,
Fl. j. Pierce and WIS. Winthrop.
On motion by Alderman Taylor, the
contract wss awarded to II. Minis, at
200, he being the lowest bidder
On motion by Alderman Taylor, the
contractor was required to give bond
of 5000 for the faithful performance of
the work.
The Mayor stated that he had received
O communication from G. T. Berg, ar
chitect Of the new City Hall, relative to
the putting up of the now bell, re.
Gently cast. in the tower. and desired
to lay it before the Council Tor their
consideration.
The following is the communication
COLUMBIA, s. O., January 81, 1874.
Hon. John Alexander, Mayor Of The
City Of Coluns5id-SIR: I notice in the
proceedings Of your honorable body a
resolution to place the new boil in the
tower of the new City Hall.
So far as strength is concerned, the
bell of 1900 pounds may do the build.
ing no harm, although, had I known
that suoh heavy bell would be placed
thero. l would have proposed different
structure In the tower. II clock is to
be put up, it certainly should have q
bell, and l supposed that one Of about
l.0OO pounds weight would have an.
swered tho purpose, with less pressure
upon the walls. Furthermore, pleuse
! 70 consider the difficulty of hoisting the
bell from tho outside-in case of frsc
tnre of the bell-after the removal oi
all scafoldings. Allow me, however, tc
present to you objections against piuoiul
in thnt tower an alarm bell; objection.
which may have escaped your attention,
but which could not escape mo as an ar
chitect, whose province it is to consider
all points in matters relating to build
ings
|
as do, the great annoyance produced
by the striking Of the hours by the bel
on the market tower. during concerts il
the former AtheDmum Hall. although 6
street, LOO feet wide, was between thes,
buildings, and not. as it were, under the
same roof. The performance was inva.
rlably Interrupted during the striking o.
the hours of nine and ten. and the time
OF strikisg appeared to every one inter
minable. You know that the bell wa,
not as heavy and deep-toned as the pre-
sent. Now, let this bell sound forth its
loud voice, almost under the same roof
and the nuisance N INST be apparent. Blu
Imagine fire alarm during the perform
ance in the Opera House, and the deaf
ening noise produced thereby. Thi
objection must be patent to you ant
every citizen.
This lends me to consider also you
recent contemplated change in til.
Opera House, if l .am correctly in
formed-that of taking into the Oper,
House the passage separating the Oper,
House and Office rooms. In case of al
alarm, when panic ensues, you viii
have to pour out mass of frightened
people, and tumble them down stair
case. without even platform.
There ought to be bell tower, pro
vidcd with trap.doors on every floor, 8.
that the bell can be easily moved up O
down. The expense of such tower,
am sure, the citizens would much ratho
incur. than suffer the continual annoy
Rnce set forth
Please to give these matters your du
consideration, and let US escape the JUS
censurc OF our citizens, when asterward
they discover that We have erred in on
judgment. Very respectfully, your ODE
dent servant,
G.. T. BERG. Architect.
On motion by Alderman Carroll, tn
sume was referred to the Special Com
mittee on New City Hall.
On motion by Alderman Taylor
Council adjourned.
CHARLES BARNUM. City Clerk.
ScoTcu IMMIGRANTS. "A nong the i'm
migrants who recently arrived in New
berry arc Scotch family for the Rev
J: q. Boyd. MIR. Boyd is very mucl