Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Construction and Reconstruction Provided
For in Appropriation Bill
Increase In Expense-Bids for LovejOy
school Twice Exceed the
Money Available.

Inquiry has been made from time TO time
! as to why the three public school buildings
| provided for in the District appropriation
| bill of June 80, 1898, have not been con-
| structed. The appropriation act in ques-
| ton gave the Commissioners the sum of
| $3.50 for an eight-room building in the
northeast section 10000 for rebuilding the
| Lovejoy school. at the corner of 18th and
d streets northeast, and $4,000 for an
! eight-room school in the southeast section
of the city. The plans for the reconstruc-
ton of the Lovejoy building have been COM
peted. and some time ago proposals were
received for erecting it. But as the bids
far exceeded the amount available they
We're rejected and new bids requested.
These were opened today. and were fol-
lows: Gleason & Humphrey. s3o,15S and
David f. Graves, s305So. Todays bids also
far exceed the available amount 1t was
expected, it is said, that they would not
exceed $4,000 for which sum, it is stated.
the school could have been constructed, the
architect said, and enough left to meet the
expense of the heating system, which last
named feature is not included of course, in
the BIDS submitted.
Expresses disappointment.
Capt. Beach, the Engineer Commissioner
who has immediate charge of such work
expressed himself being much disap-
pointed that a greater number of bids were
not received today, and that they were not
much lower. He admitted that building
ma terials have increased about "a per cent
during the last few months. This fact is
believed to be responsible for the increase
in the amount of the bids and which prom
ises to deepen the difficulties of the Com
nlissioners, not only in the case Of the
Lovejoy building, but also in connection
with the construction of the other two pro-
vided for in the current appropriation bill.
The plans for these aforementioned build
ings have not yet been completed altl0i gh
it is stated that the architects employed
on them have been doing their utmost to
hasten them along.
Out of the 1880 provided for the school
in the northeast section $S924.95 was paid
for the site, leaving balance of S2S $500
out of which about $1,000 must ne taken to
meet the architects fees and other inciden-
tai expenses, reducing the amount for the
construction of the building, including the
heating apparatus, to about $2G,aH0. For
the site of the school in the southeast see
ton s12,195 was paid. leaving balance of
S3.315 to meet the architects fees, inciden-
tai expenses, construction and heating sys-
TEN. The District appropria ton bill for the
coming fiscal year gives the Commissioners
larger amounts for the construction of the
buildings authorized by it. and ample
enough. it is believed, to cover desirable
structures.
Again Rejected.
Capt. Beach stated that the bids received
today for the LOvejoy school will have to
be rejected, in view of the circumstances
the plans altered to meet the requirements
of the situation. and new bids invited He
regretted the difficulties which the Com
misSioners are forced to meet, and said that
the people Of the District may rest assured
that the Commissioners viii move as ex-
peditiouSiy in the matter as possible. and
that satisfactory buildings will be erected.
He expressed the opinion that no such diff
hculties will be met in connection with the
school buildings authorized to be con-
structed during the coming fiscal year.