Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-21
ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Contractor Martin Strasburs Roasts the
Architect and Contractor.

Contractor Martin strasburg Roasts the
Architect and Contractor.
To the Editor of The Tribune:
DEAR SIR would like to trespass on
your space a little in making some re
marks on the reply of Mr.. VIM. White to
the structures of the Trades and Labor
council. II looks we'll for Mr.. White to
at last step before the public and ex-
plain these matters regarding the high
school, as his fine Italian hand has sue
cessfully carried his plans through two
school boards to a point where a man IN
the corner can understand them without
being highly versed in architecture.
When Mr.. Mckay says that the Trades
Council committee are discharged en-
ployes of his it speaks volumes for his
attitude toward his former friends in
the labor movement. To understand the
situation regarding the school house
property it Is only necessary to review
it's history. The former school board
advertised for competitive plans for the
high school. After much juggling they
adopted Mr.. Whites $4,000 plans to
build 4 100000 school house, paying him
therefor the sum of $1,000. with an
agreement on his part to refund this
money in case the building could not be
put up for the sum OF 100000. This
contract can be found spread on the
minutes if they have not been lost. In
August, 1893, the board advertised for
bids subject to contractors taking said
school bonds in payment" in case they
were not sold. Only two bids were re-
ceived. Mckenzie d. Leuchar's, S64,OOO,
and Mckay Bros, $4,000. Neither bid
was accompanied by a certified check as
the advertisement called for, and the
Mckay bid was only partial, leaving out
the plumbing and steam heating, amount
ing to about $4,000. This can hardly
be said to be a bid covering the
"entire cost of this building" as
the specifications calling for competitive
| plans states, within the limit of 100000.
| No action was ever commenced against
the architect for the recovery of the
81, 600 paid him under his guarantee.
Here the matter rested for nearly a
year, when the present board, for rea-
sons best known to themselves, let the
contract to the Mckay Bros. on the old
bid OF $4,000. after the plans had mys.
t~eriously disappeared and been found
again at the proper time and revised by
Messrs. White and Mckay, GockstetteI
and Holmes leaving the plans in a con
dition where it would require an expert
to recognize in them the old ones
When it comes to the actual commence
ment Of work it is found that "~extrss'
in the way of foundation to the amour
Of about $4,000 are positively required
Regarding the workmanship the
Trades and labor council have done
good @oHkin exposing its character, bu
have' not gone far enough. The beau
tiful sample Of cut stone submitted tt
the bidders is not used, but an %inferio
quality full of yellow streaks and unfi
for BUILDING purposes, thereby saving t
somebody 20 cents a cubic foot on abou
10000 cubic febt OF stone.
Ia view Of all these facts and man.
more, that space forbids mention OF, it
not strange that tho Trades and Labo
council aid the taxpayers should as