The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-19
CITY HALL TALK.
Council at Variance But Finally
Agrees.
J. C. Holland Employed as Ar
.chitect of the Building.
WILL TAKE SIX WEEKS
Says Plans Can Not Be Don
Before That Time.
Talk of Decorating Site by
"Reducing 1t to Grade"

a sort of comedy Of errors without any
final denouement.'' The cOuncilmen
misunderstood the committee on build
ings, and the committee on buildings
misunderstood the councilman; the
counciImen misunderstood Architect
Holland, and he misunderstood the
councilmen, while they misunderstood
one another. There seemed TO be sew
eral MISUNDERSTANDING doing business
in three separate and distinct rings at
the same time" but the outcome OF it
was that Mr.. Holland was employed to
assist the city engineer in supervising
the construction of the new city build
The trouble began soon after the ses-
sion opened, when the committee on
buildings made its report The com
mittee had been instructed to 90 over
the different plants submitted by the
architects for the city building and see
if there could be any changes made TO
improve Mr.. Hollands plan. The re
port of the committee was as follows;
Your committee on public buildings
recommends that we employ J. c Hol-
. land. architect, to make plans, specih-
cations, and details for city hall, fire
department and auditorium, subject to
such changes and alterations as the
/ engineer. mayor and council may direct,
and to assist the engineer IN the sup
ervisiOu OF said building; above ser
vices to be rendered to said city on the
basis of 215 per cent of the contract
price Of said building
j. B. BETS, Chairman
AS soon as the report was read, Mr.
Blossom said: AS a member of this
committee I can't approve Of this re
port. I believe 21a per cent IS too much
for this work, and think We ought TO
have more time to investigate it before
We take this kind of a step"
Mayor Drew called attention to the
fact that there was no motion before
the council, and Councilman Willard
moved that the report be adopted.
Mr.. Morgan said: This is something
new to me thought this matter was
referred to that committee for an ad-
justment of the plans, and now they
come in here and advise US to employ
an architect. We have an architect
and draughtsman of our own as good
as these is in the United States The
statute says that Engineer Barnes shall
do this work. If you had to go down
in your jeans for $500 or $1,000 to hire
another architect, You wouldn't do It
If Mr. Barnes can not tell a good stone
from a bad one. I am very much de-
ceived in our engineer. We don't want
to spend the peoples money in this
way
Councilman Belts: 7 wasn't here the
other night when this matter was re-
ferred. but as I understand it this was
the kind of a report we were expected
to make. We do not intend to take this
out of Mr.. Barnes hands. He should
be superintendent, but an architect is
needed besides"
Councilman Clancy: LAS a member
of that committee, I understood this
like Mr. Belts. Mr.. Morgan says we
wouldn't go down in our jeans for
81 900 for an architect If We were doing
this for ourselves, but say if I was
putting $4,000 into a building I would
employ the very best architect I could
get. Other architects are receiving 4
per cent right here in this city now"
Mr.. Willard favored the report of the
committee. and then Councilman
Roundtree spoke on the other side.
We bought three mems ideas of that
building he said, and it was my sup
position that we were to incorporate
the best of each one in one plan. and
I thought the matter was turned over
to the committee for this purpose"
Councilman Burgess; I don't believe
this committee has any right to make
that report. The law leaves this matter
all in the hands Of the city engineer
It was my idea that the committee was
to report some plan for the building
either a single or combined plan-and
then authorize the city engineer to hire
an assistant to draw the plans and sup
erintend the work. 1 think the report
should be sent back to the committee
with that recommendation"
Mr.. Belts. Il think our report was the
proper way to get this very matter before
Councilman Warner: This committee
has made no mistake Ihere IS an ordl-
nance which authorizes us to employ an
architect The committee has examined
these plans carefully. and il is impossible
TO take a room out Of one set and put It
Councilman Elliott: Down at the new
Catholic church the architect has moth
ing TO do with the work at all There is a
superintendent entirely separate from
the architect. and the architect does not
60 near The building. I think We ought
then place them in the hands of the city
Mr.. Willard then withdrew his motion
to adopt the report of the committee and
to take a half hours recess to confer with
ernbodying his recommendations After
taking their full time for it the commit !
tee made the following report;
To the Mayor and Councils
sires TO submit the following supplemental
The committee met and. with the con-
sent and advice OF the city engineer. rec
ommend that J. C. Holland be employed /
for city hall fire department and auditor }
Jun. including his services as advising /
the contract price of said buildings The +
first prize Of 500 to be deducted from said /
J. B. BELTS. Chairman.
This report was like the other in all its I
main features, but as il was made upon !
the advice of City Engineer Barnes il J
was adopted Mr.. Elliott voting in the !
Later Councilman Warner produced a I
contract which he said had been handed /
him by Mr. Holland and asked if would /
not De We'll TO close the contract at once +
Mr. Holland had drawn the contract for +
the city 70 pay him 3 per cent instead Of /
~ but TINS was scaled down by the COM I
should draw the plans, make the con /
tracts with the builders, inspect the ma
terial. lay out the work make estimates (
and superintend the work generally.
Strengthened UP and set his foot down on 4
it, 70 use a well known figure.
mere Is no use IN bringing that mat /
contract tonight I will say further that /
6reSI rms catlneI 5iif TI as IL, II Is at
contracts and not let them out to some
LII Holland. who was present, made /