The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-03
READY IN A YEAR
NEW CITY HALL WILL BE FINISHED
BY DEC. I, 1904.
BIDS ADVERTISED
BUILDING COMMITTEE WILL
AWARD CONTRACT JAN. II.

COMPLETED Plans and Specifications
ms Gone over by New York Ex-
perts Were Examined by Building
Committee Yesterday-New Struc-
Iure VIII Cost About S2OO,OOO.
All Bids Submitted Must BE Ac =
companied by , Per Cent. of the
AmOunt-City Offices VIII BE
Moved by Feb. 1.
On Dec l. 1904, Savannah's new
City Hall will be ready for occupancy.
When the contract is awarded next
month this will be specified and the
present administration is certain to
occupy the new building. The Build
ing Committee of City Council held
a lengthy meeting yesterday afternoon
at the City Exchange, and the plans
and specifications were examined care
fully.
Besides Mayor Myers there were pres
ent at the meeting Aldermen Dixon,
Thomas and Davant, Director of Pub
lie Works Gadsden, Mr.. ]. H. H. Os-
borne, chairman of the Board of Tax
Assessors, and Architect H. W. Wit
cover. The plans drawn by Mr.. Wit
cover. and checked by New York ex-
perts, were gone over thoroughly and
it was ordered that bids be advertised
for at once. These bids will be opened
on Jan. IA.
Plans and specifications will be fur
nished by. the supervising architect
upon the payment of $25 by each con-
tractor to be refunded when the plans
are returned. Each bid must be ac-
companied by d certified check for 3
per cent. of the amount of the bid.
1t is specified that the successful con-
tractor must remove the old building.
The new structure when completed will
cost about 5000, 900.
Advertised for Bids.
1t is figured that it will take in
the neghborhood of ten days to award
the contract, and that the work of
tearing down the present building
should be under way about Feb. l.
Bids are being advertised for in Chi
cagO, New York, Baltimore, Chattanooga
and Savannah and it is expected that
there will be quite a number of bid
ders. The Building Committee does not
anticipate any delay in getting started
and the city officers will probably be
located at police headquarters after
Feb. l.
detailed description of the proposed
building was given in the Morning
News when the plans were finally de-
clded on. The front view of the new
CITY Hall shows an imposing struc-
ture, four-stories being above the level
of Bay and Bull streets, and two
floors being below the streets, 'front.'
ing on the river. The rear view shows
six stories. The new building is to
nave extreme dimensions of ninety feet
front, eighty-two depth and the height.
from the level of Bay street to the
Top OF the dome, will be 100 feet.
First Floor of Marble.
The style of architecture is of the
1tallan Renaissance, with perhaps a
little more than suggestion of the
French type introduced. The first floor.
above the street is to be of Georgia
marble, and the remaining three floors
will be in repressed cream brick, trim
med with terra Gotta. The dome.
which Will rise some seventy feet above
the main roof of the building will be
covered with copper. The front will
show portico, with Georgia marble
columns thirty feet high, surmounted
by balcony. Entrance will be through
three wide arched ways, in the center.
from Bay street, and will be after a
rise of five marble steps.
The floors are to be of MOSAIC pat-
tern and the ceiling of plaster over
terra Gotta. Hard wood, probably ma
hogany, will be used in finishing and
the grand stairway, which will be di-
rectly at the rear facing the entrances.
will be of marble and brass. The
stairs will wind around the elevator
SHAFT, which will run from the lowest
hoor in the sub basement, to the |
fourth floor where stairwayS will lead
further, to the top of the dome.