The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-04
All Go to Outside Firms at High
Bids.
ODD KIND OF ECONOMY.
Round Corners Dispensed With
Because They Cost 81, 500.
Contracts Then Awarded to the
Highest Bidders.
Petition of Residents of Fourth
Ward Ignored.

The school board last night decided to
have no round corners on the new Sum
ner school building. and also let con-
tracts for heating plants to the extent
Of $11,260 heat regulating systems to
cost $1,4S5, and sanitary plumbing for
$2,475, to firms outside the city at higher
prices than other bids
The contract price for the heating
plant for Sumner school is $3.50.
which is 81, 1852 more than the bid of
Con6lin & Gustafson, the lowest bidders.
The contract price for the heating in
Grant and Garfield schools is $500 for
both The lowest bit.that of Pack & VIII
Hanson was 81, 1854 less.
This makes a total of So, ,126 more for
heating plants than it would have been
necessary to pay if the contracts had
been awarded to the lowest bidders.
The board tried to throw out the idea
that economy is considered in every step
taken by that body, and some red hot
anti-expense speeches were made
against the round corners. Then after
all that the board had the representa-
tives of heating firms from out of town
tell them which system they could put
the most money in, and the city fathers
straightway spent all that was possible
Tor fans and engines and blowers and
conduits and ducts and some patent
tangled So-called heating system. Fred
Rodgers brought the matter Of the round
corners for Sumner school before the
board. That worthy body has ways that
are strange and they do things in a Won
derful manner. First the board received
plans in q competitive contest from sew
eral architects The plans made by II.
NJ. Hadley were the ones selected from
those submitted The board awarded
him the first prize, decided that the
building should be let according to his
T1-.r1
ing the said building Then all Of a
sudden the board resolves itself into a
body OF architects and decides to elimi-
nate the round corners of the plans al
ready adopted. That was done at last
months meeting. When the people
heard that the board had decided to
knock off the round corners and have
square corners, the people who take an
in the schools of the city and
those people are not a few, began to
express their sentiments. A petition
signed by a long list Of school patrons in
the Fourth ward was submitted to the
board, but at the meeting last night it
was not even read or considered. Peo-
PIE have taken a lively interest in the
question of round corners and have
gone to the architect and to the mem
bers Of the school board to express their
wish for the building to be beautned by
having round corners according to the
plans. So last night the ques-
ton to reconsider the action of the
board in dispensing with the round cor
ners came up.
I'm not in favor of round corners"
said Mr.. Bonebrake- There are build |
ings all over the country that have
square corners The round corners will |
cost about $500 more than the square
corners. and we can not afford them.
Mr. Bonebrake probably does not |
know that the school buildings in Okla |
hOma City and other Oklahoma towns /
are far better in every respect than the |
Topeka school buildings. and that in |
eight rooms each have been built one |
with round corners and one with octag- |
ona1 corners, at a cost of $4,000 apiece. |
Topeka ought to keep up with Okla |
homa-
Mr. Rodgers brought 1t to the atten-
ton Of the board that there was a. petit |
tion on file from residents of the Fourth |
ward asking that the round corners De /
used as on the original plans.
IT haven't a word against the signers |
Of this petition" said Mr. Wilder, but /
I have had experience with petitions and |
know that they only represent few /
active people who get signers back Of |
their idea The 81, 500 spent there could |
be spent elsewhere to better advantage |
made the motion to leave off the round |
corners. 1 don't want the board to |
I claim it is a matter of |
taste and that round corners are catchy |
but not necessarily a feature OF beauty. /
Pretty soon we may have the fad and all /
the school buildings may have round |
corners"
1T is not only the people Of the Fourth 1
ward who are paying for these corners
put the city" said Mr.. BOnebralze. The |
city pays for them
You can hear nothing but praise for
The plans" said Mr. Rodgers All citi- !
zens cOngra tulate US on the beauty Of I
the building. By cutting off the round
corners we adopt new plans I've heard j
IF no person in favor of US changing to
square corners but have heard from
The people who want round corners =
Mr.. Priddy thought he ought TO keep |
n line and explain why he is against the
1ettering and beautifying of the public 4
schools, so he said: II stand and main
tain that we can not afford to beautify
buildings by that much work I think
the people do not want the extra ex-
Dense. We are not justified in deciding
Tor round corners"
II think more people have come to me
to talk for round corners than on any
)ther question" said Or. Embree. They Il
want round corners on Sumner school,
While we are in the work Of education
Why not erect a school building that may
10 something toward educa ting the peO-
pie in the ways Of buildings. I am in
lavor of round corners
If you are going to spend 81. 500 to
educate the people" said Mr.. Wilder,
spend it for good, honest workman
ship
You don't mean to imply that the
BOARD gets anything but the best work ?"
iueried Mr.. Rodgers.
I know that bidding means nasty
work. said Mr. Wilder
The question was voted on and Wilder.
8onebrake. PriGdy, Mallory and Wilson
Toted mo- on the question to reconsider
he previous action which eliminated the
'ound corners. Matthews Buck Rod