The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-12

CITY GOVERNMENT


Official Proceedings of Council.
Savannah, Ga, Feb. 10, 1904. Council
met this day at 4:30 p. M, in pursuant
to the call of the Mayor. Present, the
Hon. Herman Myers, Mayor, presiding;
Alderman James M. Dixon. chairman
of Council: Alderman R. j. Davant,
vice chairman of Council and Alder
men Garfunkel McKenna, Oliver,
Grayson, Schroeder. Wright, Hartman,
Glatigny, Canty and Thomas.
REPORTS
Report of the Building Committee,
New City Hall.
To the Board of Aldermen
Gentlemen: Your committee charged
with the adoption of plans and sp flea
tions for a new City Hall, and the OBJ
| tanning of bids for the construction
thereof. beg to report that under the
| authority conferred in the resolution
adopted by Council on May q, 1908, it
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.
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 $229.S0
| to $2546 500. In addition to these bids
| a proposition was received from anoth-
| er builder to erect City Hall for some
| thing over $4,000. but not in accord
ance with the plans and specifications
which had been adopted by your COM
mittee. This proposition. not being
bid based on the plans and specifica-
tions, could not be entertained.
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 measure
certain luXuries in the specifications
which were regarded as not absolutely
necessary and which formed no in
tegral part of the design of the build
ing, were omitted from the new spec
ifications. Our advertisements this
time brought seven bids. which were
opened on Feb. 6. These new bids
ranged from s209, 795 to $241.90O. After
careful consideration your committee
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.
"While the outlay required for the
of the amount originally contemplated,
it appears to be the opinion of our cit
liens generally that in the erection OF
municipal building, expected to serve
the purposes of the city government
for century to come. the cost should
not be scaled down to a point where
either the beauty or usefulness of the
building would be impaired. 1t is our
desire and intention to give the city
building that in size, accommodations
and attra ctiveness will conform to the
present standard of excellence in archi-
lecture, will satisfy the most exact
ing taxpayer and will be full return
for every dollar expended upon it.
Herman Myers (Chairman),
D. r. Thomas,
James M. Dixon.
w. j. Watson,
r. !. Davant,
Committee.
Received as information.
BY the Mayor
"In my personal capacity as Mayor,
though / desire in this connection to
impress upon the aldermen the neces-
sity 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
rious damage to the public service,
should be 10th to assume the RESPONSE
bility of signing the contract for the
new building.
II cannot but feel, though, that all
the members of this board will appre-
ciate the necessity for this and that
there will be a continued harmonious
effort to carry over a balance from the
regular budget for the City Hall ac-
count"
Respectfully
Herman Myers,
Mayor.
! Received as information.
RESOLUTIONS.
Resolution by Committee of the
Whole
Resolved, by the Mayor and Aldermen
of the city of Savannah in Council as
sembled:
First. That the report of the commit
tee charged with preparing plans and
| specifications and obtaining bids for the
new City Hall now submitted. is hereby
approved and adopted, and the bid of
Mr.. S. S. Leonard in the sum of $685.
1876 is hereby accepted. provided he shall
give such bond and execute, such build
ing contract as may be required of him;
Second. Said committee. upon COM
| pliance by said Leonard with all re-
quirements as TO contract and bond.
shall stand discharged.
Adopted.
Resolution by COMMITTEES OF Whole
Whereas, The building OF the Pan
| anna canal at as early a date az poa.
siblei " OF supreme importance 70 the