Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-07
For Starting the New Mu-
nicipal Building.
MANY FIGURES FILED
COMPETITION STRONG AMONG
CONTRACTORS
Attention to Be Devoted Now to Pre-
iminary Plans for New Offices for
District Officials.

rids for the construction of the founda-
lions of the new municipal building the
old mower house site will be opened at the
District building at noon tomorrow. Al
ready about thirty-hve firms have sigmhed
their intention of submitting proposals for
the work.
With the letting of the contract for the
construction of the foundations out of the
way the District building commission will
be enabled to devote greater attention to
the preliminaries relating to plans and con-
tracts for the construction of the super
structure. The specifications governing the
construction of the foundations stipulate
that that feature of the District building
project shall be completed by December 81
next. Capt Chester Harding supervisor OF
construction. says Il is the intention OF the
commission to award the contract for the
erection of the superstructure prior to the
completion of the foundations, in order that
the work on the building proper may pro-
coed without any delay whatever.
The architects of the municipal building,
Messrs. Cope x Stewardson of Phiiadel-
phia are now preparing the plans for the
superstructure, and it is expected that the
drawings will be completed in time to call
for bids for the work about the last OF NO
yember, or earlier. If possible.
The District building commission con-
ssting of the three District Commissioners
and Secretary Shaw of the treasury. has
the new municipal building. 1t is stated
that the selection will probably not be
made until the contract for the construction
of the building is awarded. Many samples
of granite. marble and limestone have been
submitted to the Commissioners by owners
of quarries in various parts of the country,
and there will be a large variety or stone
from which to choose.
1t has been understood that the Commits
sioners were rather inclined to favor the
use of Bethel white granite In the municipal
thn To no cod In
the new union station building and 1t is
regarded as beautiful building stone by
both architects and builders. 1t was feared.
however. that the quarry from which the
Bethel granite is to be taken would not be
able to take out in proper time sufficient
stone to build the union station and also
the municipal building.
Several days ago representative of the
Hardwick white granite quarry. located at
Hardwick. Vt, submitted to the Commits
sioners a sample of white granite almost
identical in color and composition to the
Bethel granite. Upon investigation 1t was
ascertained that the Hardwick quarry is
located on the opposite eide of the noun
tain from the Bethel Quarry, and 1t is pre-
sumed that the vein in the two quarries Is
the
The Bethel quarry it is stated Is a new
one. while the Hardwick quarry has been
in operation for the past thirty years, the
product of the quarry being used principally
for tombs stones and mausoieums, and for
buildings in the vicinity of the works. The
the event their stone should be selected for
the new municipal building they would have
adequate facilities and equipment for TAX
ing out in due time an unlimited amount of
the stone.
Kind of Stone to Be Used.
1t has been suggested that since the Dis
trict building is to be used by the local
government that the District authorities
should designate the specific kind of stone
to be used in the structure, rather than
merely approving the stone selected and
offered by the contractor in his bid for the
construction of the building.
The cost of the stone for the building. it
is stated, will constitute an item amounting
to more than half the cost of the entire
superstructure. The fund available al pres
ent for the construction of the building, in
Guiding the foundations. is about 81 400 90.
1t is expected that for the foundations and
Incidental expenses 100000 will be required
leaving 81 100000 for the superstructure.
OF this amount 1t is estimated about 5000,
600 or more. we'll be required to purchase
the stone for the structure.
BY selecting the stone for the building
prior to the award of the contract for the
construction of the superstructure. it is sug-
geSted, the Commissioners would be able
TO guard against considerable possible de-
lay In the completion of the building. 1t
has been suggested that the District build
ing commissin obtain from the architects
as soon as possible, the stone plans of the
building. After the stone plans have been
prepared IL Is suggested that the commits
sion then call for separate bids for stone
Tor the new municipal building 1t is
thought that this call could be issued
about the first or the middle of September.
BY this plan, IL is pointed out, the bids for
the stone could be opened about the last of
October, and this would enable the quarry
obtaining the contract to proceed immedi-
ately with getting out the stone and cutting
II into proper sizes.
1t is argued In favor of this proposition
that considerable time must be consumed
In getting out the first orders of stone
from the quarries. BY notifying the quarry
of It's contract in October or November a
sufficient quantity could be taken out to
permit of the builders commencing early in
January upon the actual construction of the
building. and thus prevent any delay be-
tween the time of completing the founda-
lions and the beginning of work on the
superstructure.
Price on Material
BY getting proposals on the stone by
means of the competitive bid system, it Is
Thought that the commission could obtain
a reasonable price the material and
besides the Commissioners would have an
opportunity to select the stone to be used
In the building. Each contractor bidding
for the construction of the building would
also know in advance just what kind of
stone TO hgure on In making up his pro-
posal
II is suggested that by selecting the spe-
cific stone In advance that trouble might
De avoided In deciding on the contractor
and the stone, for each contractor bidding
Tor the work would probably submit pro-
posals TO furnish different kind of ma
terial and complications might be encoun-
tered In separating the cost of stone and
the cost of construction.
In the event the architects should be de-
layed In the preparation of their plans for
the superstructure. 1t is pointed out. the
contract for building might not be
awarded about the time of the completion
or the foundations. If the specifications
should leave the selection of stone to the
contractor. the kind of stone to be used
would therefore not be known until after
the award of the contract for the whole
building. and. II is pointed out, several
months delay would likely be experienced
in getting sufficient stone from the auarries
with which to begin work
1t Is known that the Commissioners are
In favor OF white granite or marble for
the new municipal building. In the event
they do not select the stone for the new
building In advance of awarding the con-
tract for the superstructure II is likely that
they will stipulate in the specifications that
bids be submitted for the construction of