The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-25
To BUILD AT ONCE
NEW CITY HALL WILL BE READY
NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS THE PLAN NOW.
THE BUILDING WILL COST ABOUT
$150,OOO.

Special Committee of Council Has
Determined to Have Work OF
Tearing Down City Exchange Be-
gin as Soon as Possible and 1T is
Not Expected That There Will be
a Brick Left by September In
July of Next Year it is Thought
That the New City Hall Will be
Ready for Occupancy City Can
Pay $4,000 n Year and Tnx-Pay-
ers Will Not Suffer.
A modern city hall to cost about
$150,000, hardly any more, will be
standing at the foot of Bull street and
ready for occupancy by July l, 1904.
This is the plan of the special COM
mittee of City Council, practically
agreed upon at a meeting held in the
Mayors office yesterday afternoon.
The meeting was attended by
Mayor Myers, chairman, and Alder
men Dixon, Watson and Thomas, and
it was decided to lose no time in pre-
pairing the plans for the building that
it has already been settled upon will
be built. The committee did not go in
to details but decided to wait until
the ground owned by the city, on the
site upon which the exchange is now
located, is measured by the city en-
gineer. This work will be done imme-
diately, probably to-day. After the
dimensions have been secured by the
city engineer they will be turned over
to the special committee, and the mat
ter will be gone into further.
Will Begin Work at Once.
The members Of the committee were
unanimous in the opinion that there
should be no delay in the work, and
that the building should be finished in
time to have the present administra
ton occupy 1t. Members of the COM
mittee stated after the meeting that by
Sept. l. unless all signs fail, there will
be nothing left of the present city hall
Then the work of building will be
pushed rapidly to completion, and the
city hall must be ready not later" than
July of next year. The members of
the committee are agreed that the
building will be four stories from Bay
street, which will make it in reality a
six story building.
Mayor Myers said that in his opin-
ion a very handsome structure can be
put up for $150,000, and not more than
that amount will be spent for the i'm
provement that Savannah has waited
for for such a long time. The Mayor
says that with such an amount a
building that will do credit to the city
can be erected and that the money
can be paid out of the treasury with
out the taxpayers being embarrassed.
Mr.. Myers thinks that at least $50 900
year can be paid on the building,
which would mean that it would be
paid for in three years.
Will be Larger Than Present Build
ing.
IT has been agreed that the new
building will be built as far south as
the sidewalk. and that the eastern and
western wings will extend over the
steps that go under the bluff. By util-
izing this vacant ground a very large
and attractive structure can be erect
ed. No attention has yet been given
to plans for the interior 1t will how
ever, be handsomely finished and nice
ly furnished. The private offices will
be inviting and the committee rooms
will all be attractive. There will be no
auditorium in the city hall, however
There is not enough room for this
The members of the committee
agree that Georgia material should be
used In the construction of the build
ing and that the new clock should
have illuminated dials. These details
win be looked after at the proper time
The committee will hold another meet
ing before calling for plans.