The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-31
OFFICERS WERE ELECTED.
EXCHANGE ORGANIZED
AND CONSTITUTION ADOPTED.

the MISUNDERSTANDING VIII BE
Provided With Quarters, where
Its Members May Assemble and
Discuss Their Business Interests.
Bidders and building Rules
Adopted Likely TO Cause Disagree
ment-LabOr Troubles Touched on
Only Slightly.
The Savannah Builders Exchange per
fected the organization begun some days
ago at knights of Fythias' Hall last night
by the election of officers. and the adop-
ton Of a constitution and bylaws. Mr..
j. r. Eason was chosen president, and
Messrs. John Z. Freeman and William
Armitage vice president
In response to the published call for the
meeting about forty of the local contrac-
tors and builders assembled for the pur-
pose of considering the matters it had
been announced would be brought be-
fore it. The temporary chairman chosen
at the last meeting, Mr.. l.. A. Mccarthy,
presided and Mr.. II NJ. Ward continued
as secretary, and read the report Of the
committee.
The report recommended the adoption
of the same constitution and bylaws that
have been for some time in use in other
cities, where builders exchanges have
been in successful operation. a copy of
the constitution and bylaws of the ex-
change at Atlanta being read to the
meeting. 1t was gone over section by sec
ton and clause by clause, and in some
instances was materially amended before
a. Emo ba
proval of the members.
The constitution provides that the ex-
change shall be provided with quarters,
in which it's members shall hold regular
daily meetings, the hours between II
O'Clock and l being specifically set apart
for this purpose. At these meetings the
members present shall discuss the outlook
for The business OF their trades and make
such arrangements and contracts with
each other as viii facilitate the carrying
on of the work in which they are engag
ed. The constitution permits manufactu-
rers and jobbers in builders hardware and
supplies to become non corporate mem bers
of the exchange and it is expected that
these members will attend the daily meet
ings, for the purpose of disposing of their
wares to the contractors.
Any person, firm or corporation engaged
in the business of building as master
contractor and not as a journeyman is
eligible 10 membership in the exchange
no matter what branch of the business
he pursues, nor whether he Is accustomed
TO bid on entire contracts or only on def
mite parts of the general work of construc-
ton.
1t was determined that the bonds re-
quired of the secretary and treasurer by
the provisions of the constitution should
be made by a surety company, and that
the fees of the company making the
bonds should be betrayed from the treas
ury of the exchange.
The officers elected Will serve for two
years, with the exception of the bosrd of
directors, consisting OF six members three
of whom will serve one year and three two
years. In the future half of the board
with the exception Of the president and
two vice presidents who are members ex-
officio, will be elected every year at the
annually meeting in January.
The constitution and bylaws adopted.
the exchange turned to the matter of the
election of officers. The following were
chosen. Mr. Mccarthy expressly declining
to permit tho use Of his names as q candi-
date for president: President. j. r. Eason;
first vice president, John f. Freeman:
second vice president, william Armitage;
directors, L. A. Mccarthy, Peter Rabey,
Charles Schamlh Albert Furrer, r. x.
Bragdon and Harry Turner. The directors
l. \.
Ward secretary, aud Mr. L. A. Mccarthy
treasurer.
The exchange win at once begin its
efforts to establish itself in permanent
quarters and a search will be begun by
the Rooms Committee of the board of dit
rectors to find offices and "a meeting room
suitable for the purposes to which they
will be put. To defray the expenses Of
quarters the initiation fee was fixed at $40
and the annual dues at $12
The constitution provides for a board
of arbitration, and a board of appeal with
in the exchange. by which differences aris-
ing among its members are to be deter
mined. The question is to he submitted
first to the board of arbitration and the
dissatisfied party may then carry the de
cision to the board of appeal. The act on
of this latter tribunal is to be final and
enforced by the forfeiture of the bond Of
the losing party. Both parties will be re-
quired to give bonds with good security
conditioned TO abide the decisions of the
boards Of arbitration and appeal. before
the matter in dispute is taken up.
The exchange has adopted a set OF
"Rules for Bidding designed for the pro-
lection Of its members, and apparently
answering that purpose very admirably
Some of them though, are not as well
designed to satisfy the architects and
owners and are reasonably certain to be
the occasion of a large and very vigorous
KICK Nnen lnelr enforcement, DN the unit
ed demand and action of the builders, is
attempted.
one OF these rules is entitled, "Compen-
saton for the lowest bidder" In effect II
provides that when an owner or architect
invites bids for the construction Of a
building and all the bids offered are re-
fused, that the lowest bidder shall be en-
titled to demand Of the owner or.archi-
tect, a fee of s25 If the amount Of the bid
IS not over 5000 Of $50 II the amount Of
the bid is between 5000 and S5), 900, and Of
800 II the amount OF the bid is over So o.
600 Such a custom has never obtained in
Savannah, though it is said 10 be the
practice I'm other cities. and the owners
Of houses in contemplation will not be
\ hkely TO acquiesce in the payment Of
csc fees for bids that they do not con
per sufficiently reasonable TO warrant
Ne acceptance Of any one OF them
- Another OF the rules is headed Pre-
mum against penalty" lt debates that
when an owner or architect shall adver-