Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-16
OVER SCHOOL WORK
Concrete Architect Hired After Regu
lars Are Employed.
DIscoRD IN BOARD OF EDUCATION
McCRgue Opposes Concrete as Un-
tried Substance and Lindsay
Wants TO stand BY OriRi-
nal Architects.

"By the entering into a contract with
Albert c, Arend to draw plans and speci.
fications for concrete construction Of floors
and ceilings In the Omaha View and Forest
school buildings, the Board of Education
not only adds unnecessary expense. but
goes on record as being In favor of a
method of construction which has not
been tried sufficiently to warrant alb
solute safety" says John L. McCague,
member of the board, who waged a losing
fight in the board against awarding the
contract.
Fisher & Lawrie, architects, have the
contract for furnishing plans for the
Omaha View school building and F. w.
Clarke, architect, has the contract for
drawing the plans for the new Forest
structure.
THE board can elect what method Of
plans are wanted and the architects must
then furnish the kind of plans called for"
says Mr.. McCague. 'If the board wishes
plans for concrete construction the archi-
tects having the contracts for the work
should furnish them" J. C. Lindsay and
other members of the board, say the same
thing. Mr.. McCague adds:
Money should not be frittered away TO
pay DINER dFCuIteCls lot UldHs anu bIt'l-
fi~cations for the older method of con-
struction.'
IF Fisher & Lawrie or F. ". Clarke can
not furnish plans for concrete construc-
ton and the board wishes plans Of this
sort, then these architects should go out
side for them and pay for them themselves,
not the Board OF Education" is the way
Mr.. Lindsay puts 1t.
Arend TO Get $1,000.
According to the contract with Mr.. Arend
the. board Is to pay him $500 for his plans
for concrete construction providing, how
ever, that If bids are received on this
methods of work It is found that a saving
of at least that amount has been made.
II the saving in constructing is smaller
then no payment will be made for the
plans. In the event bids are not invited
on concrete construction and 1t therefore
can not be noted what saving could be
made, then Mr.. Arend is to be paid $3.50.
ut is not so. much the money / care
about, but It is the fact that the lives of
children are placed in Jeopardy" says Mr..
McCague. II realize that many large build
ings are being erected along the lines OF
reinforced concrete construction, but lev
ertheless IT is practically an untried sub
bldllC6 pilN 10 Alhli9 u
brick is artificial, but vitrified brick has
been proven to be harder than stone and
in case of fire the denser the heat the
more solid becomes the brick.
Concrete. Untried by Fire.
Concrete has never yet been tried in
fire and water and that is why ! nm some-
what 's~queamish' about adopting it for our
schoo buildings. What is concrete? 1t is
made out Of lime and cement and lime is
made from limestone, the softest stone
in existence. Subject limestone or lime
to heat and then throw water on it and
II Immediately Stacks. Where, then, would
a concrete building be in case Of fire
when streams of water are poured into
the burning building to quench the
flames?"
Il grant that concrete construction is
cheaper than stone or brick, but should
we seek to save a few dollars when the
safety of our children hangs in the bal
ANGER"
Paul ". Kuhns and George d. Rice are
the leading advocates in the board for
concrete construction, but say that. the
decision to ask for plans for that method
of construction does not bind the board to
its use and that future buildings can be
erected Of brick or stone as IN the past.