Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-04-20
HOTEL CONTRACT is LET
TO A. ZWACK OF OSSIAN FOR S39, ,265
The Prominent Winnesheik Comfy Con.
tractor Will Build the Magnificent
New Hotel In DecOrah This Sum.
mer. Large Number of
Bids for the Job
Were Filed.

The most important topic of local
interest the past week has been the
opening of the bids for the construc-
tion of the new Winnesheik hotel and
the letting of the contract. The time
! for filing the bids closed last Thurs
day noon, and on Wednesday after
noon and Thursday morning large
number of contractors arrived in the
city. some to bid on the entire job,
and many more on different depart
ments of the work.
When the directors met on Thursday
afternoon they found that ten general
bids were filed, as follows:
Northern Construction Co.,
Milwaukee, Wis. ... $67 800
J. w. Peters, Janesville, Wis. 81 900
Hanson & Lambkin, New
Hampton, Iowa a....... 57,977
| Samkovitz Bros. Chicago, Ill 80, 900
| O. III. Olson, Saltwater, Mimi "a $50
H. A. Paine. Albert Lea. Mimi "a, 800
Bowling & Rutherford, Chi
cago, Ill "a. 800
A. Zwack, Ossian, Iowa 40, $50
F. NJ. Garthwait, Chicago. III 40, 800
G. F. Scales, Waterloo. Iowa 4S,647
After mature deliberation and con-
sideration of the bids, the directors
decided to allow the three lowest bid
ders TO change their bids in accordance
with some minor changes in the speci-
fications and the others were notified
that their bids were too high and
would not be considered further The
board labored diligently during the
day Thursday and until late at night
and also all day Friday, finally allow
ing Mr.. Garthwait and Mr.. Zwack to
submit final bids. the bids to include
the possession by the contractor and
wrecking o. the old building. The
final bids we're as follows:
F. NJ. Garthwait, Chicago :. $39, 767
Anton Zwack, Ossian. 80, 255
Mr.. Zwack being the lowest bidder,
the contract was that evening made
with him, and is in his hands. The
contest between these two was close
Oue, anu uoeh PioNCu ohohooiNoS
gentlemen in every sense of the word.
Had the contract been let to either of
them, we believe that the job would
have been in competent and trust
worthy hands. AS it is, we are much
pleased that the bid of Mr. Zwack was
the lowest, for the reason that he is a
Winnesheik county man, and local
statesmen. mechanics and laborers
will be given all the work possible.
Mr.. Zwack has been large contractor
for several years, and in the numerous
buildings he has erected he has had
the reputation of fulfilling his con-
tracts to the letter and with complete
satisfaction to all concerned.
He will be given possession of the
property July 1st. and will be eX-
pected to have the structure complete
within five months after starting. 1t
will be built practically according to
original plans and specifications, the
few changes made being in the redue-
tion of a part of the expensive exca-
Waiting and concrete work in the base
ment, the leaving 'off of the fourth
story. etc. The interior arrangement
and finish will be as originally
planned, and when completed it will
be without question the finest hotel IN
northeastern Iowa, the pride of the
people of the city, a structure COM
mensurate with the needs of Decorah.