The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-11
PLANS ACCEPTED
BY CITY COUNCIL
LEONARD THE CONTRACTOR.
FULL REPORT OF BUILDING COM
MITTEE WAS ADOPTED.

Special Committee Gave Reasons for
Delay in Selecting a Bid-Building
viii Cost More Than Was Figured
on, Although Some of the COntem-
plated Extras" Were Cut Out-In
Special Note Mayor Myers Makes
1t known That He Wants Rigid
Economy Practiced by Aldermen
and Heads of Departments.
The report of the Building Commit
tee of City Council recommending that
S. s. Leonard be awarded the con-
tract for the erection of the new City
Hall was unanimously adopted by
Council yesterday at a special meeting.
The report was presented TO the
Committee of the Whole, and was fully
discussed. 1t was adopted without
amendment when presented in open
session.
The report went into the details of the
work done by the committee since it
was vested with the authority to Jet the
contract for the construction Of the new
building. The report was as follows:
Your committee charged with the
adoption of plans and specifications
for a new City Hall, and the obtain
ing of bids for the construction there
OF, beg to report that under the au-
thority conferred in the resolution
adopted by Council on May 27, 1903
IL engaged the services of Mr.. H. w.
Witcover, architect. of this city, by
whom plans and specifications were
prepared, which met with the approval
of the committee and were adopted
by Council.
Rejection of Bids.
Advertisements calling for bids
were inserted in the local papers and
a number of engineering and contract
ing papers. Eight bids were received,
which were opened on Jan. IA. These
bids ranged in amount from 1929, 500
TO 1854 500 In addition to these bids
a proposition was received from an
other builder to erect a. City Hall for
something over $4,000, but not in ac-
cordance with the plans and specifica-
tons which had been adopted by your
committee. This proposition, not being
a bid based on the plans and speciti-
cations, could not be entertained.
1.-The lowest bid being considerably
in excess of the expenditures cOntem-
plated by the city, your committee de-
cided to reject all of them and call
for new bids. In order to reduce the
cost of the proposed building in a
measure, certain luXuries in the speci-
fications which We're regarded as not
absolutely necessary, and which form
ed no integral part of the design of
the building, were omitted from the
new specifications. Our advertisements
this time brought seven bids, which
were opened on Feb. 8. These new
bids ranged from 5000, 795 TO s241, 800.
After careful consideration your COM
mittee decided in favor of the bid of
S. S. Leonard. The plan adopted by
the committee calls for Winnsboro
blue granite up to the top of the first
floor above Bull street, and limestone
above that.
VIII Cost More Money.
while the outlay required for the
new building will be considerably in
excess of the amount originally con-
templated, it appears 10 be the opinion
of our citizens generally that in the
erection Of a municipal building. ex-
pected to serve the purposes Of the
city government for a century to come,
the cost should not be scaled down to
q point where either the beauty or use
fulness of the building would be i'm
paired. II is our desire and intention
TO give the city a building that in
size, accommodations and attractive
ness will conform TO the present stand
ard of excellence in architecture, will
satisfy the most exacting taxpayer and
will be a full return for every dollar
expended upon it."
This was signed by Mayor Myers and
the other four members of the COM
mittee. The following was signed by
Mayor Myers only:
Rigid Economy Expected.
Tn my personal capacity as Mayor,
though. / desire in this connection to
impress upon the aldermen the neces-
Eity on their part Of rigid economy in
the conduct Of their departments dur
ing the current year.
'Retrenchments are in order, if the
proposed building is to be paid for en-
tirely from the funds at our command
in 1904.
Unless the aldermen are willing to
zealously cooperate in this way, and
use their utmost endeavors to curtail
expenses wherever possible. without Sc
Tious damage to the public service,
should be 10th to assume the RESPONSE
hility of signing the contract for the
new building.
II cannot but feel. though. that all the
members OF this board will appreciate
the necessity for this and that there
viii be a continued harmonious effort
20 carry over a balance from the regu-
lar budget for the City Hall account"