The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-09
BIDS ARE TOO HIGH
CONTRACT FOR BUILDING BUTTE
PosToFFICE IS NOT LET.
THE PLANS MAY BE MODIFIED
Probable That a Resubmission For
Offers to Do Construction Work
Will Be Made the Coming
Winter.

Citizens of Butte who are anxious to
see the new federal building going up
and who have not kept close track OF the
movements that have been made with
reference to the structure may be little
surprised to know that another Set Of
bids will have to be submitted before any
work can be DONE
Residents of this city have been Won
deriEg for some time when they would
see the postoffice being put up at the
corner of Main and Copper streets. and
consequently it is likely to be of interes.
to them to learn just what the govern
mert is doing to furnish Them with the
iuilGing 1t develops that the bids sub
nIitted this year. like those of last year.
were all too high for the appropriation
and We're rejected. The appropriation
under which the last bids We're made
was $225O0O. The lowest bid was put in
by Mr.. James Welsh of this city. his
offer being to do the work for $2l9,o0o.
This amount came within the appropria-
ton, but the bids did not include the in
stalling of the heating plant and wiring
the building. This being true, the Off
Gals estimated that the bid of Mr.. Welsh
was too high that is, that in order to
complete the building after his work was
done more than the amount appropriated
would have to be expended. On this ac-
count the bid was rejected. The Con-
gress Construction company of Chicago
was the next lowest bidder after Mr..
Welsh, and it was So 900 higher than that
of the Butte man.
Last year when bids were called for
FOR a part of the work on the federal
building here the appropriation was $780,
600 and the bids were proportionately
too high, that Is, they would run the
cost of the building above the appropri-
alton, If other work on 1t was done at
the same rate. They were accordingly
rejected. It will be seen by this that The
Butte federal building has had bids for
work on it rejected twice, the appropri-
alton having been increased $4,000 he
tween the dates that the sets of bids
were submitted. Postmaster Irwin says
that it is likely that the specifications
will be modified this winter and bids
again advertised for. 1t is possible, too,
it is said, that the appropriation will be
again raised, In speaking about the bids
for the federal building, Mr.. Irwin said:
This is no extraordinary thing to have
the bids too high for the appropriation.
1t often happens where government
buildings are to be constructed, and oc-
casOnS no particular comment among
those who are acquainted with the way
| government work runs. The same thing
! happened in Helena, and, as I have said
| it is not an uncommon occurrence. The
| original appropria ton was 5000, 900. and
under it the bids for the work that was
to be done according to the advertise
| ments were too high and had to be re-
| jected. Then there was readvertise-
ment for bids for the work exclusive of
heating and wiring, and the bids were
too high again. If the plans are modi-
fled this winter and bids are promptly
advertised for again. I don't think there
will be any considerable delay in the
time when the building will be complet-
ed. The provisions are that the building
shall be completed in % months from the
time the contract is let"