Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-03
Especially Part Relating to Engi-
neering Hail.
FACTS HAVE BEEN MISAPPREHENDED
Criticism of Board in Regard to Spend
ing Money for Feeding People at
Banquets Is Declared to Be Unbound.
ed-The Reasons.


Beardshear for the trustees of the Ag-
ricultural college at Ames has filed
formal statement with the board OF
control asking that the entire state
ment made by the board of control in
its biennial report regarding the con-
struction of the engineering hall be
expunged The criticisms of the board
with reference to lobbying and ban
quets are declared unjust and mis-
leading. The board of control has not
as yet acted on the matter, but will
take it up in the near future. Gov
ernor Shaw has given permission to
have the board of controls report
Withdrawn for any charges it may see
fit to make.
Copies of letters from State Archi-
tect Liebbe are attached to the report
to prove that the estimate of $4,000
on this building was merely for the
enclosing of it. The trustees assign
the following reasons why the board
of controls statement regarding the
engineering hall should be eXpunged:
'First-It is based upon a misun-
derstanding of facts. The college au-
thorities never made any other repre-
sentation than for a building to cost
$150,000, as shown by copies of let
tiers of the state architect. herewith
attached, and the $4,000 by the esti-
mate of the state architect was mere
ly to enclose the building.
"Second-We never had working
plans and specifications from the state
architect, but only a sketch, and that
sketch was on the basis of a total
cost of S150,000
"Third-The method of letting the
contract was most business-like and
economical in every particular, by
competitive bids, securing the plans
and specifications for the building at
a cost of S2,575. which, at the usual
per cent rate of architects for plans
and supervision of construction, would
have cost $500.
''Fourth-The most of the changes
made in the building were provided
fer by options in the original contract
the principal exception being change
from pressed brick to Bedford stone
1T an additional cost of $4,000 This
change was recommended by Govern
Or Shaw, unanimously endorsed by the
board of trustees and is evidently a
standing honor to all who had any
Thing to do with it.
"Fifth-The contract as finally let
is essentially the same in outline and
dimension as the original plan submit
ted to the legislature.
"SiXth-The statement pertaining tC
a change Of law regarding the state
architect for educational institutions
properly belongs to all educational in
situations, and does not grow out OF
any ignoring by the State College OF
the plans and specifications of the
state architect. 1t is unjust to have
a statement of that character as an
Inference over the supposed action OF
the board of trustees of the State Col
lege.
SeveDth-Finally, because the
transaction regarding the engineering
hall, both in regard to the manner O.
letting the contract and the character
of it's structure as fire-proof, and the
fact that such building let today
would cost in the neighborhood oil
100000, is one of the most commend
atory actions of the board of trustees
Turing the biennial period and q
standing monument of the good bust
Tess integrity and sound judgment OF
all authorizing it.
.The statement of the salary list
should be changed because.
Il. The board OF control estimates
it from the year 1900 to 1901 instead
nj from 1899 to 1901, SO that the in
crease is for two years instead of fol
one year.
So There are eleven new positions
created and several partially new, in
stead of two new position as in the
report The increase in attendance o.
students during the biennial period o.
about 40 per cent necessitated these
new positions.
g. Therefore the actual increase
in the salary list is s4525, instead o
s12,04167 for the biennial period, be
Ing an increase percentage of 81 TO
one year and the biennial period in
crease of 71a per cent. and for the EN-
ployment of additional instructors TO
the biennial period, $3.50, an increase
for one year of about 6& per cent, ant
for the biennial period of 1872 pc
cent.
"The criticism of the state college il