The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-10
BIDS INVITED
 FOR CAPITOL "A Prize Contest Between
 Architects. TO BE OPENED JULY 5 Building Commission Decides on Definite Scheme. VIII Expend s7o.OOO on south Wing and Leave Legislature to Provide for
 North Wing-Special
 Meeting.

| The Capitol Building Commission | held a meeting yesterday morning at | 11:30 o'clock in the private office of Governor Jelks and set July as the | final date on which competitive plans for a general enlargement and improve | ment of the capitol, including a wing on the south side, will be received. | The plan for the erection of the wing | to the south of the capitol will involve an expenditure not to exceed $70.000 In architectural parlance, this wing or ] annex will "articulate" with the main building. It would accommodate the Supreme Court and library. if the plans show to the satisfaction of the Com mission that unity of the present his- toric structure can be preserved. The meeting of the Commission was attended by all members except State Treasurer J. Craig Smith, who is un- avoidably absent from the city.
 Committee Submits Memoranda. A committee composed of Chief Justice Thomas N. Mcclellan, of the Supreme Court, and Dr. Thomas M. Owen. Secretary of the Commission, ap- pointed at the last meeting with in- structions, reported yesterday by giv- ing a memorandum of competition be- tween architects on general plans for extension and a detail plan for the south side wing.
 The report of this committee was the result of careful deliberation and represents a reconciliation between the members of the Commission and a large contingent of citizens in the State who were opposed unalterably to the erec- tlon of separate judiciary building, as at first decided upon.
 The report of the committee, which was finally adopted after much discus- sion contemplates future appropria- tions by the Legislature. Before July plans will have been submitted for general enlargement improvement and extension of the capitol These plans will be of a very comprehensive nature and are to be objects of deep study by the members of the Commission.
 Will Hush Opposition.
 It was believed yesterdays proceed ings of the Commission will hush all opposition heretofore existing to a sep- arate judiciary building. inasmuch as the working basis for competing ar chitects contemplates generally an an- mex or wing connecting with the Capi- tol on both the north and south abut- ments. Before the next meeting of the Legislature, it is evidently the purpose of the Commission to confine all exten- sion to the annex to the southside. This may be said to be substitute for the Judiciary building, which had been ridi- culed by it's opponents as "the out house." ~
 Three prizes will be offered to com- peting architects. the first being the award of the contract, the second a cash bonus of $500 and the third. $250.
 It will be understood that all three sets of plans are to be the property of the State.
 In all events and under all condi- tions, the plans for improvement and extension, both internal and external, will not admit of a serious impairment or change of the architectural beauty of the whole Capitol as 1t now exists.
 SI5,OOO to Improve old Building.
 It would seem that the Improvements this year consist of the south side ex- tension. costing about $70.000. This subtracted from the appropriation of $150,00O for the purpose by the last Legislature, would leave $l5.000 to be applied to interior renovations of the old building, since $65,00O a few months ago was paid for the south half of the Capitol Square, on which the first wing will be erected.
 The second wing can, in the minds of the Commission, be one or more years in building. The next Legisla- ture, for instance, would be expected to add another appropriation with tan gible out line of it's need before their very eyes. In the meanwhile, the Su- preme Court and library would be am ply accommodated, and the over-crowd- ed Executive Departments of the State would be assigned additional room. It is understood that the State Depart ment of Archives and History would occupy permanently the quarters now used by the Supreme Court library.
 These are the general agreements of the Commission which. 1t Is believed, will guide the home and foreign archi- tects to a spirited and successful com petition.
 The Commission adjourned early in the afternoon. subject to the call of Governor Jelks.