The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-27
WILL LEAVE THE OLD LINES.
MODERN BUILDING WILL REPLACE
THE BURNED ACADEMY.

cation and Academy Trustees De-
cided Yesterday Afternoon Ia Give
Over the Project of Rebuilding on
the Original Lines-EStimate of
Reliable Contractor as to the Cost
of Building on Mrs NitcOVer's Plan
was Responsible Tor the Change
of Base-Money Must lie Borrowed
to BuiId-PIans VIII BE for the
Competition of Architects.
The Board of Trustees of Chatham
Aeadt my win res ore the burned build
ing upon new lines. That was decided at
The Joint meeting Of the trustees and the
Board Of Education at the office of super
intendent OTIS Ashmore of the public
schools yesterday afternoon at 4 O'Clock.
The ruined portion of the building viii
be replaced with a modern structure.Care
will be taken to have the rooms Of a
standard size and wen adapted to edu-
caiional needs TIE latest improvements
in school buildings will be introduced. The
plans will be agre ed upon by the trustees
and the Board of Education.
More money than the trustees have in
cash will be necessary to restore the
there been a decision reached to rebuild
upon the old lines. II was estimated that
the cost Of The bu dng as proposed by
Mr.. Henry Urban largely upon the origi-
nal lines would be $4,000 The trustees
have but $4,000 in cash. They have $685.,
600 in securities. but they are determined
to keep those unbroken. Therefore, money
will have TO be raised to supplement the
$4,000 in hand in order that the building
may be restored
The trustees will have to borrow the
money. 1t will be repaid by the Board of
Education in annual rentals that will be
agreed upon later. 1t is understood that
after the money has been repaid the
Board of Education will continue to hold
the academy at. the nominal rental of 81
year. For twenty years the rental will
run, that the amount borrowed, with
accumulated interest will probably be re-
raid with twenty equal amounts which
will operate as the rental.
No definite decision was reached as re-
CARDS plans for the building. The designs
of Mr.. Whitcover were not selected, and
ii is probable that competition viii be
open for any architect who may care 10
try after some further preliminary work
in financing the undertaking has been
accomplished
AT The meeting were Cot George A. Mer-
GER Capt. Henry Blum, Col. J. II. Estil,
Capt ]. r. F. Tattnal, Mr.. Lee Roy
Myers, Capt M. A. O'ByTne, Mr.. b. A.
Denmark and Mr. f. G. duBignon, for the
Board of Education. and Col. Mercer
Capt. TattnaI Capt. Fl. c. Cunningham,
Mr.. George C. Freeman. Mr.. George j.
Baldwin and Dr. William Duncan, for the
trustees. Goa. George A. Mercer presided
The meeting was held to receive and
discuss the report of the Joint Committee
appointed al a meeting last week. This
committee was to consider the merits of
the plans submitted by the three archi-
teets and report upon that which it might
believe should be chosen. Col Mercer,
as chairman submitted a verbal report for
the committee, saying that il had met
and considered the plans At the time of
the committees meeting ii was thought
Mr., Urbans plan was the only one that
could be settled upon as commensurate
with the means at the command of the
trustees. The chairman said he was OPP
posed 10 Mr. Urban's plan, which con-
templated the restoration largely upon the
lines of the old building, and that some of
the committee regretted that there seemed
no other conclusion to be reached than the
acceptance of the architects work.
Since the meeting of the committee,
however Col. Mercer continued, an esu-
mate has been obtained from a reliable
contractor on the Witcover plan. who de-
Mr.. Witcover could be built fer about S25,-
900, and that he would gladly undertake
the work for $4,000. Col Mercer, there
fore, thought it his duty to still oppose
the Urban plan and to support that of AIr.
Witcover.
Capt. Henry Cunningham, chairman of
the committee that had secured Mr. Ur
bans services, declared that he felt bound
10 no particular plan, but that he regarded
the trustees as limited by their means TO
some such suggestion as that furnished
by Mr.. Urban. If any other plan could
be suggested by which the building might
be put up on new lines and which would
supply the funds necessary, he said he
would gladly favor 1t.
1t was then suggested that the trustees
might negotiate a loan which would sup
plement their available fund for building
and that the Board of Education could
gradually repay this amount through an
nual rentals. In this connection the fol-
lowing resolution was offered by Col. Es-
till and voted upon and adopted by the
Board of Educa ton
Resolved, That the trustees of Chat
ham Academy be requested to replace the
destroyed part of the academy building
with a modern structure with school
rooms of standard sizes and the latest i'm
provements in school buildings, upon such
architectural plans as they. in conjunction
with the Board of Education. may ap
prove.
Resolved, further That, in view Of the
fact that the trustees will have to use tho
fund, the interest on which is now, or
has been. used TO keep the properly in
repair ana pay other expenses. the Board
OF Education shall lease the academy
building for twenty years at IA rental to
be rsutualy agreed upon"
Capt. O'Byrne offered motion to have
Col. Esiil, Mr.. Denmark and Capt Blum
appointed q committee to confer with the
Roard of Trustees as to the best plan for
financing the resolution. This motion was
carried. Col. Mercer has not yet assign
ed a time for this meeting, but it is i'm
probable that it will be delayed. This
trustees end the school board appreciate
che need of getting the work under way
as soon as may he consistent with the
best results, for the children of four
schools are now Inconvenience by the
lack of the facilities that were afforded
by the academy. They Will continue to
sl..gNt Yta