The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-02-02
THE new CITY HALL
ARCHITECT +. {. WETHERELL
WILL suPERlNTEND ITS
CONSTRUCTION.

HHHN -
Architect Frank e. wetherell will
draw the plans and specifications for
the new city nall in Oskaloosa. Mr.,
Wetherell last night, after much pro
test, agreed to accept the PROPOSE
ton made him by the city council and
viii at once sign up the contracts for
the plans Of the building. He enter
ed upon the work today and was in
consultation with the building com
mittee of the city council this morn
ing.
The contract made with Mr.. Weth-
erell for his services was by far less
than the original proposition submit
ted to the council by the architect
and was accepted under protest. The
contract price for the architest is
for 81, 0 LOO, irrespective Of the cost
of the building. This includes super
vision Of the work and is a fee much
less than the amount usual in such
cases.
1t was not what Mr. ethereus ser
vices were worth but what the city Of
OskAloosa could afford to pay under
the circumstances that prompted the
council to cut the original offer o.
the architect. The first price pro
posed by Mr.. Wetherell was A pei
cent Of the cost Of the building, a cu1
Of one per cent on the usual fee charg
ed by architects for such work. This
brought the cost of the plans, speci
f~cations and supervision for the $40,
10000 building to $1,000.
After a general discussion the
council adjourned to the clerks room
and returned Offering a resolution
which brought the cost to about 81,
10000.
This was refused by Mr.. Wetherel
and the amount finally accepted was
then offered by the council. Under
protest MI. Wetherell took the con
tract.
The plans and specifications are tc
be for a $4,000 building and the ar
chitect under the terms is to submit
such plans as will be absolutely &C
ceptable, changing and revising the
drawings and instructions until abso
lutely in harmony with the idea OF
the building committee. When the
bids for contract are submitted should
the contracts be above the $4,000
limit, he must revise the plans to
bring the cost of construction within
that amount.
In the beginning Mr.. Wetherell is
to work in connection with the build
ing committee, who will make sug-
gestions as to the plan Of the build
ing the city desires. In its tour of in
spection the committee has seen
much to be avoided in the Oskaloosa
building and somH things which will
be incorporated in the plans. Indeed
nseomfnftfee fep6Ets- that the "Trip
to Albert Lea was Of more value In
showing what ought not to be than
in suggestions for things to add to
the local building.
When completed the Oskaloosa
city hall will be the finest Of any in
the state Of Iowa, excepting that at
Davenport, which cost over 800, 900,
and perhaps the n to be built this
summer by Cedar Rapids. All ar.
rangements have been studied with
greatest care by the committee and
the architect is one whose success in
public buildings, although not per
haps Of this type, has been such as
to be a. guarantee of his thorough
ness.
The investigating committee have
not yet and will not, make a report
OF their visits to other city buildings
until prepared to do SO in full. II
Is probable that the committee will
leave tomorrow tor Quincy, where
they will study the building Of that
city.