The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-25

The Washington Public Library Commits
sion, consisting of the three District Com
| missioners, Col Theodore A. Bingham, and
| Theodore W. Noyes, met yesterday at he
| District building to hear the results from
| the advertisement for proposals for the
construction of the building, for which
Andrew Carnegie donated the sum of
| $3.50 600.
| letter from Bernard Green, the Super
| intendent of Construction, was read, in
| which he gave the items Of the several
bids and all the information at his dis
posal. He writes as follows:
In accordance with the advertisement,
| specifications and drawings issued for the
| proposals on April 25, 1900, pursuant to
| my letter of the 18th and your approval
of the 18th of April, bids for the con-
struction of the library building were re-
ceived and opened on the 18th instant.
But two bids for the entire building
were received, namely, that of Charles
McCaul, of Philadelphia, whose minimum
price was s3S2,379, and that of Norcross
Brothers. OF Worcester, Mass. of $i09, 7S4.
The lowest of these is some $4,000 or
100000 more than can be afforded from
the funds available and leave sufficient
balance to meet the expenses of furniture,
book stacks, elevators, fees, and inciden-
tails.
This rather large excess is undoubtedly
more apparent than real, due to the fact
developed in the bidding that bidders were
aware that the funds available for the
work called for were less than 5000, 900,
and finding that no bid was likely to come
within that limit number of them re-
Trained from bidding, while Mr.. McCaul
and the Norcross Brothers made their fig
ures high enough to avoid showing their
hands, and thus being at some disadyan-
tage should a new competition he invited.
This result, as intimated in my letter
of April 10, last, was somewhat antici-
pated, for notwithstanding specific direc-
tions given to the architects in March, to
reduce the cost Of the stone work of the
exterior as well as that of many of the
items and details of the interior, they had
not, after several weeks time, accom-
plished so much of this as they should,
and as to the stone work practically TO
change was made. They were persistent
in their hope that the full beauty OF the
original design could be retained. This
was partially supported in their minds,
and TO some extent in my own, by esti-
mates indicating a possibility that the
stone work would cost materially less
than the previous estimates.
Another cause for high bids Is doubt
less due to the rather rich appearance OF
the drawings. Notwithstanding the modii-
cation shown in the specifications. 1t has
been very unfortunate that the original
drawings indicated very expensive build
ing, and that as a consequence the archi-
tects have worked rather with an effort
to make the money go as far as possible
than to keep safely within its limit.
have avoided, perhaps more than should,
positive interference and direction in the
Il - t.sr ,lpv,r tx~ a1V nNat hA
cause they were young men, and this Is
their first important building, over which
they have worked anxiously and indus |
triously from the first to produce thor
oughly beautiful result. II was partly to |
prove to them what they were unwilling |
to believe before, that / proceeded to |
throw the work into the market for COM |
petitive proposals. The advertisement |
was made In the usual way the proposals |
were printed in complete and clear form,
some sixty copies were sent out to bid |
ders, of which ten or fifteen were general |
contractors. the drawings were made easi- |
ly accessible. and every facility was given |
to the bidders for making estimates.
In anticipation Of the possibility OF the |
present situation / provided In the form |
of the proposal for Glass A. to cover only |
the excavation, foundations. and basement 4!
walls in the ground as separate propo-
BAL Will tlt UDJtCt Vi DtlIS tHuS dDit 10 |
award a contract by which operations on
the ground could be Immediately COM
menced. 1t was expected that the local |
contractors would generally bid upon this
class, which involved only the simplest
kind of work and would amount to some
100000. However, no bids were received.
although number of the local contractors
had the specifications.
Should the Commission approve my
suggestion to work the problem out with
the contractor Mr. McCaul. and the archi-
tects, / will proceed at once and rapidly
to that end"
The Commission In the main approved |
Mr.. Green's suggestions and decided that
he should proceed at once to Issue propo-
sails for the work of excavating for the
building. Meanwhile the Superintendent
of Construction is to secure a modification
of the plans of the architects as soon as
practicable with a view to advertising for
new proposals before the work OF excavat-
ing shall have been completed. 1t is the
desire Of the Commission that the work
shall now be pushed rapidly forward