The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-04
GOES TO OTHER CITY
w. I. GRAY & co. WILL INSTALL
MECHANICAL. EQUIPMENT OF
NEW CAPITOL
THREE DAYS SESSION ENDED
Butler-Ryan Firm Secures Roofing
Contract at Reduction of
Over $40, 900 on Orig
inaI Bid.

w. I. Gray & Co., of Minneapolis, will
put in the mechanical equipment and
install the power plant in the new state
capitol. This decision was reached by the
capitol commission shortly after
o'clock yesterday afternoon, after consid-
ering the matter for three days behind
closed doors.
The original bid was for s372, 0Oe, but the
commissioners, by the aid of mechanical
and engineering experts have figured and
planned so that they are of the opinion
that certain deductions could be made
from that amount without seriously inn
pairing the efficiency of the work.
They decided upon certain reductions
and changes in the temporary heating
apparatus, the deep well and its attend
ant machinery. and in the elevators. The
result of their figuring and planning
brought down the total cost of INSTALL
ing the equipment to 1922, S64, a reduction
of $49,15 from the original bid, which
was agreed to by the representatives of
the w. l. Gray concern.
The award of the contract in COM
posite form was something of a sur
prise to many of the representatives and
agents who thronged the corridors. 1t
was pretty well agreed among them
that the contract had been subdivided
and that the Gray people had consented
to accept a portion of the contract,
while other firms were to receive other
portions of the contract.
Allan Black & Co., st. Paul, were some
$1,000 under the Gray people in the orig
inal bid, and the idea that the contract
would be divided between these two firms
seemed to have taken hold of those who
We're watching the matter closely.
All of this talk proved to be mere spec
ulation, as the award of the commission
shows, but nevertheless many of these
agents firmly believed that course would
be pursued by the commission. It is safe
to say that several other bidders were
in hopes of getting small pieces of the
huge contract that would be dropped
in the subdivision.
The matter of subdivision was not. it
seems, ever given much thought by the
commission, for one of them stated short
ly after the adjournment that he did
not think division of the contract would
prove satisfactory, as there would be
more or less arbitration among the diff
ferent contractors as to when and where
and what work should be performed by
them.
In the matter of roofing and skylights,
st. Paul Jared a little better. After
agreeing to certain reductions and
changes made by the commission, the
representatives of the Butler-Ryan COM
pany, of this city, decided to accept the
contract at $4,000, their original bid, B,
being $4,000.
These changes are in location and ma
terial, and are not of such nature as
to impair the value of the work, and
were made by the commission solely
with an economical purpose in view.
The adjournment last night brought TO
close a tedious session both for the COM
mission and for the bidders, and both
sides were glad to see the end. AS was
true on the two previous days, the cor
ridors in front of the commissioners
room were crowded with agents and rep
resentatives.