Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-03
SUCH is RENOWN.
Davenport Recently Advertised for City
Hall Plans in its Own Peculiar Way and
the Result Has Come

|
Hall Plans in its Own Peeuiiar Way and
the Result Has Come
Not long ago the city council of
Davenport adopted resolution call
ing for competitive plans for new
city hall. The notice of the grounds
and building committee to the world
called for plans and specifications for
a $4,000 building, offering first
| prize OF 5000, second prize of $3.50,
and third prize of 800, for the best
| three plans submitted. The plans
and specifications are to be so
complete than any man without
knowledge or experience as a
builder, will be able to read
and interpret them. The architect
whose plans are accepted will be re-
quired to guarantee by certified check
to the amount $1,000 that when adj
vertised for bids there will be an
offer from competent contractors
within that limit within 90 DAYS
thereafter. In making their choice
the committee will give no explana-
tions, nor shall they be bound to ac-
cept any plans for constructing the
building nor to pay for any plans
not accepted.
Got There just the same
The grounds and building commit
tee Of the council did not place this
notice to architects in the engineer
ing and building journals of the day,
but the notice has got there just the
same. The Engineering Record.
Building Record and Sanitary Enpi-
neer is trade Journal of the first
class. 1t is published in New York
and London, and circulates all around
the globe. And the leader, in the
middle of the front page of the issue
OF February IS. next to the publish
ers announcement. is an editorial de-
voted to the notice to architects pub
lished by our sister city. This edi-
torial reads as follows:
The members of the grounds and
building committee of the city of
Davenport. Iowa, have singalized
themselves by extending a most re-
markable invitation to architects
to submit plans and specifications for
city hall. We print the invitation
in full in another column. commend
ing it to the careful consideration of
all parties who desire to secure a
good deal for nothing and have the
results guaranteed.
The successful (?) architect is re-
quired to furnish plans and speciti-
cations complete enough to enable
the committee to understand them.
including The arrangements for
heating, plumbing, gas-fitting, cleo
trio wires, and furniture for the diff
ferent members for about one-fifth
to one-eighth of the actual cost, and
then put up $4,000 in cash to insure
the honorable committee against mar
ket values, collision of irresp onsible
contractors, any inadequacy OF the
period which they themselves specify
for the reception of tenders. and as a
warrant for the character of the con-
tractor.
Professionally Grotesque.
If anything could be more gro
tesquely repellant to solicited pro-
fessional services of architects and
engineers, we venture to say that it
has not yet appeared in print. 1t has
not even stated that the architect
whose plans are accepted, and who is
permitted to furnish the above guar
antees, will be invited to superintend
the execution of the work, although
one might infer that this extraord-
mary committee would allow him to
do so under a sufficient additional
cash guarantee.
1t is amazing that corporation Off
Gals so far abuse public trust in
them as to effectually drive away the
very professional men they are put
in Office to solicit, and thus com
pletely defeat the purposes of their
appointment. No architect or engi
neer can, consistently with his self
respect, respond to any such adver-
tisement. 1t affronts his sense of de-
cency and violates every principle of
justice. In this instance it should be
at once recalled and replaced by an
invitation which will not be fatty re-
pugnant to the objects for which the
committee was created, and which |
will be consistent with sound bust |
ness methods and creditable to the !
city of Daypppnrt