The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-06
CITY HALL TOTAL
COST To Be HIGH
AT LEAST 100000 EXTRA
FIGURES GIVEN BY MAYOR AS
PROBABLE APPROPRIATION.

Estimate of Architect WitcOver Is
Much Higher Than That, hut
Mayor Says He Thinks 1t Can Be
Cut DOwn-Under Present Contract
$IGO,OcO or $4,000 More win
Have to BE Spent and This Pro-
vides for Nothing but Building.
Mr.. H. w. Witcover architect for
the new City Hall, has prepared and
submitted to Mayor Myers an estimate
of the cost for the completion and
furnishing of the building, which
shows that at the very least 100000
will have to be appropriated for this
purpose. Mr.. Witcover's estimate is
a great deal higher than this figure.
Mayor Myers for the present is with
holding the estimate of the architect,
but he authorized the statement that
the appropriation for the City Hall
next year would be as much as $780,,
900. He said it would be little if any
over that amount, however, though
many of those who have figured on
the matter say the cost will come
llCdICI P1OOiOOO Llldli EOoSVVVs
Declined to Discuss Estimate.
Both Mr.. Witcover and Mayor
Myers refused to discuss the estimate
in detail. Mayor Myers says he
wants to go over the estimate very
carefully before giving it out He is
inclined to think it can be cut down
considerably.
AS this appropriation will be the
most important item in next years
budget great interest has been ex-
pressed in regard to it. The amount
to be devoted to the City Hall will be
determined before the other appropria-
lions are made, and it will, in a
measure, determine whether increases
are to be made in certain depart
ments. 1t is known that only in very
few departments increases can be made
and these few may not be able to get
them, if the City Hall item is especial
ly large.
Contracted for 100000.
For the completion of the building
under the contract let to the Savannah
Construction Company, about $4,000
or $4,000 will be required. This is for
the building without either decorations
or furnishings. Even the city clock will
have to be provided for outside the
present contract. From this it will
readily be seen that the total cost of
the building, not Including the $4,000
already spent, will amount to or ex-
coed 5000 900.
In the estimate prepared by Mr.. Wit
cover he has provided for the furnish
ing of the entire building. AS some of
the rooms are not to be used for sew
eral years, they will not be furnished
at once, and this will take something
off the cost. The decorations and in
terror furnishings may be made less
expensive than planned, but it is not
believed the sum can be reduced much.
and at the same time finish the interior
in keeping with the exterior.
All Want Increase.
Only the waterworl1s department, the
police department and the City Market
furnished the Mayor yesterday with
their estimates of expenses for next
year, as was requested, but all three
of these departments ask for increased
appropriations. Most of the other de-
partments will furnish their estimates
to-day or tomorrow, and almost all
of them will ask for more money than
they have been getting.
Mayor Myers states there will be
very few increases in any of the de-
partnenlS. lie proposes 10 Try anu
pay for the City Hall without having
to borrow money To do so all the
appropriations will have to be held
down very closely.
The city's income next year will be
over $1.000,000, as it was this year, but
the large City Hall appropriation will
leave only about the same amount for
the regular departments that was ap-
propriated this year, a little over $780,
900. The budget, including the City Hall
appropriation, will go over $1,000, 900.