Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-10-16
Report Of the Building Committee.
ROCKVILLE, Md, October 6, 1901.

report of our actions aud expenditures as
the Building Committee named by that law
TO have new Court House erected in Rock.
vile.
We first met on March 4th, 1890, aud Or.
ganized by the selection of DIR. Charles j,
Maddox as chairman, and Allan Farquhar
as secretary-later on as treasurer also.
Mr.. Frank Il. Davis, of Baltimore, was
chosen as the architect. His drawings in
accordance with the plan submitted by him
and adopted by the committee, were ready
on May 1st, and Immediately thereafter pro.
posals for the building were advertised for
in the Baltimore Sun, Washington Eceasng
Star and the three county papers.
On May 27th the bids were publicly
opened at the hour named in the old Court
Room. The nine bids in regular form ranged
from $59, 900 to about $72, 700 for the build.
ing alone. Although the law In no place
limited the amount Of money we might en-
ter into contract for still its intent was per.
fectly clear that we were not to exceed
| $4,000 as the entire cost of the Court House
ready for use. All the bids were therefore
rejected.
To erect and complete a building such as
the law contemplated-a fire-proof Court
House Of the size and character suited TO the
future as well as the present needs of Mont
| gomery county-was shown to be impossi
Bile. We were unwilling to cut down the
size or number of rooms materially. To go
to the expense of constructing u building
where the county officials would be cramped
for room or some be compelled to have their
quarters elsewhere would be most short
sighted and mistaken economy. Nor could
we sacrifice the character of the work. 1t
was either to abandon the whole undertak-
ing or to have the building not technically
4 Gr, Af lad .t,to orxis
chose the latter alternative. OF course the
record rooms must be absolutely fire. proof,
but the heavy expense Of iron girders, joists,
rafters, &C., throughout the rest of the build
ing, we thought 1t safe to do away with.
The architect proceeded TO modify the
plans in order TO bring the cost within the
appropriation. His second drawings were
necessarily somewhat inferior to the first
both in beauty and size, but the same gen
eral character was preserved 1t was with
sincere regret that we could not coinslde
with the advice and request of all three Of
the judges who preside over our court and
have the court room on the ground floor,
but after weighing carefully all the advan-
tages Of both plans it seemed TO us best 10
! have it upstairs. We trust the future will
Justify our action in this respect
There were eight bids at the second open
ing on June 18th. The lowest one accom-
panied by certified check, as required by the
advertisement, was by Thomas p. Johns, Of
Baltimore, being $45,327.
Bids for heating, ventilation and dry Clos
cts were also opened, but as they, with the
necessary furniture, would carry the cost
far above the proceeds from the sale of the
bonds, they were not considered. The bid
OF Mr.. Johns was accepted and the contract
signed. Ha
1t was evident that We would be able per
haps to provide suitable heating and sani-
tary arrangements, or perhaps to furnish the
court house, with the amount in hand, but
that we could not do both. The furnishing
might be put off, but the other must be pro
vided for before the building was under
way. AS Rockville Is without sewerage,
the only way TO insure decency and health
was to adopt a system of dry-closets Of
all those we were able to study into the
Smead system seemed best to meet the re
quirements Mr. II. p. Gregory of Wash
ington, ID. c., reduced his bid TO $4,000 for
the introduction OF this system, guarantee
ing the work for years. AS it would be
much more economical TO have the furnaces
in place and other arrangements made be
fore the building had progressed too far, we
closed a contract with Mr.. Gregory for the
figure named, with the condition inserted
sponsible for su h money as we might hold
after settling all other claims, and that he
would look either to your Board or to the
State Legislature for the balance. AS this
balance is only few hundred dollars, or to
speak accurately $500 80, we would respect
fully recommend that you make provision
with Mr.. Gregory for its settlement,
There was an effort made to have public
cornerstone laying, but il was not pressed
to a successful issue.
AS the building approached completion
in the summer of 1891 the question oi pro-
viding proper furniture was TO be considered
Mr.. III. N. Booz, of Philadelphia, agent for
the Fenton Metallic Manufacturing Co. OF
jamestown, N Y, exhibited samples OF
roller shelving, metallic cases. drawers, ETC.,
and as the work was first class in every re-
spect, being just what we thought would be
best suited for the record rooms he was ask
ed to make an estimate of the cost of sup
plying the furniture necessary for them.
He did so, agreeing to furnishing the shelv'
ing, cases, drawers, tables, etc, Of the best
| quality and amount us per drawings Tor
$2,l24 As we had appropriated our last
| dollar we were helpless without an appeal
to you, and on June Both we came before
you with ar address giving the reasons why
we thought it of vital Importance to make
arrangements at once for furnishing the new
court house. After hearing Mr.. Booz you
authorized US to close the contract for the
record rooms with him at the above figures
payable in January, 1892 stating that you
would see to the necessary furniture for the
rest of the building The contract was then
drawn up and signed by Mr., Booz and the
Committee. We are aware that our action
was not strictly in accordance with the law,
which directed us to advertise for proposals
for the furniture the same as for the build
ing, but as no other firm could supply the
particular articles that we considered the
best, we thought il useless expense and
a worse than useless delay to attempt to
carry out the strict letter OF the law, partic
ularly as only the furniture for part OF the
court house was involved. II we made Il
mistake we acknowledge it, trusting, how
ever, that our course will prove to have
been the wisest possible under the crcum-
stances.
An insurance policy of $50 900 was taken
on the court house by jacob A. Gloyd, agent
of the Royal Fire Insurance Company OF
Liverpool, the cost being paid by the con-
tractor Mr.. Gloyd offered favorable terms
for a five year policy. We did not feel
authorized To bind your action, but would
recommend that you continue the insurance
/ for the remainder of the five years.
Our chairman met with serious accident
about the last oil May by fall in the base
ment of the court house. This has confined
him To his house almost ever since, but ii is
the earnest wish Of his associates that he
may be granted a speedy and complete re
covery, and that he may be spared for years
to enjoy the handsome building that he did
SO much to have placed there.
On October 1st, 1891, as required by the
law and his contract, Mr. johns completed
; his work and has turned the keys over TO us
We now ask to be relieved from this respon-
siblity and that the building be placed in
: the hands OF the proper owners. On several
accounts it is very desirable that you take
: charge of it at once 1t should be in the
, care of a trusty janitor, who will see that nc
damage is done. There is of course q great
deal Of cleaning up. securing, &c, TO do. II
would be well to start fire in the furnaces
without delay and keep it constantly going
/, in order to take the dampness out of the
walls A nd especially is il i'm portant that the