The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-26
A ssKICK,' AND A COUNTER KICK.
Normal School Bidder and Architect
Differ ma m Facts.


Differ as TO Facts.
Port Townsend. Oct. Especial -Locsl
contractors aver that they are subjected 70
unjust Determinations in the office Of Mr.
Sxill;ngs, the architect whose plans for the
erection OF the state normal school al
Whatcorn were accepted. The plans are
indefinite in some essential particulars.
For example. the exact location in the
block is not specified. which prevents con-
tractors from figuring intelligently on the
amount OF excavation TO be made. IN sew
eral other instances. Il is also alleged, the
plans are very indefinite as to minute de-
tails. Such are the grievances set forth oy
one leading contractor. He further says
that he was shabbily treated in the archi-
tect's office and was refused a copy or the
plans and specification when monetary
consideration was offered. The contract
ors OF Port Townsend appealed TO state
Representative Halteman for assistance,
and II was necessary for him TO visit the
architect before any degree Of accomoda-
ton was exhibited toward the contractors.
Halteman said that while not desiring TO
cast any reflections on the honesty or In
tegrity OF the comm ss,oners, yet he had
reason to believe that they had been i'm
posed upon and that certain undue prefer
ences were shown toward certain con-
tractors. He proposes TO make thorough
investigation and report his findings TO the
proper authority.
This dispatch was shown to Warren P.
Skillings, the architect for the normal
school, and he made the following reply:
The alleged complaints from Port
Townsend contractors emanate wholly
from enc Starratt, OF that place, who has
unfortunately seduced Representative
Halteman into championing a cause that
Is unworthy. As regards the charges that
the plans are indefinite. etc, We would
simply say that the board had the benefit
Of the best expert advice in the state as to
what constituted a proper set of plans for
them to accept and that Mr.. Morgan j.
Carkeek approved of them. If Mr.. Starratt
does not.
While the complaint alleges that sew
eral things are lacking or indefinite. IL is
specific in only one particular. and in this
II is so unfortunate as TO appear absurd
Lack Of knowledge Of the exact location
or the building in the block does not pre-
vent contractors from figuring intell.gently
on the amount OF excavation to be made.
The specifications distinctly state that the
amount OF excavation Is to be estimated
according to the lines and levels shown on
the sections and plans. If the contour OF
the ground where the building will be 10
Gated should necessltate any extra exca-
walton beyond that clearly shown on the
plans, such extra excavation will be meas
ured by the engineer employed by the
board and the contractor will be paid for
II at such price per yard as is mentioned
In his bid This provision guards every
contractor from mistakes in estimating
and makes it absolutely certain that any
difference between contractors estimates
IN this particular will be one OF price and
not Of quantity.
although Mr. Starratt stated that he
had already spent $40 in investigating the
plans, he had not got sufficiently far into
the specifications to comprehend this fact.
hilt pnn16 mt 00frlta II when eXnIa;na6 IN
him verbally
1.-The board Of trustees. after giving the
matter due consideration, decided that it
would be sufficient for them to open the
plans for inspection and estimates at the
offices of the architects in Seattle and tho
clerk of the board in Whatcom. They
thought that any contractor intending to
put in an estimate would be willing to
come to one place or the other, and that
they were IN no way obliged TO place what
had cost them a large sum of money at
the service of every one, either for nothing
or for a nominal money consideration.
LAS for Mr. Starratt being shabbily
treated in the architects office, we can
only say that he came looking for trouble
and he found II. Mr.. Starratt is young
and in time he will learn that 1t is not be-
coming for him to assume that he can en-
ter an architects Office and teach him his
business or cast iu1putations upon his
honesty or that of his principals
up TO this time there have been the fol-
lowing contractors figuring on the state
normal school building: Messrs. Davey,
of Fairhaven: Hopkins, of Fairhaven;
Nichols & Crouthers. Of Tacoma; Goss, OF
Tacoma, and from Seattle Cawsey & Car
ney. c. ]. Erickson, Shannon Ryan. c.
Carlson and James Parke. No complaints
have been heard except from this man
Starratt, and we venture TO say that all
the others will take pleasure in testifying
that they have been courteously treated"