The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-22
$4,000 THE LIMIT
WHAT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL
BUILDING WILL COST.
Board Held Meeting Last Evening
and Decided to Accept the Plans
of the Racine Architects, Chandler
& Park; Two Votes for George Pass;
Discussed the Addition to Franklin;
the Bond Issue.


decided upon plans for the new high
school building by adopting those of
Chandler 4 Park of Racine. Wis, the
architects who designed the new $780,
600 high school building to be erected
at Albert Lea this year and the new
high school building to be put up at
Mortified. This firm is said TO make
speciality of school buildings, and
have prepared the plans for great
many that have been built in various
parts of the coultry.
As soon as the board convened last
evening, Mr.. Scherer. in order to bring
the matter to Il head, moved that the
report of the special committee on
plans be adopted and that the con
tract for preparing plans be awarded
to Chandler & Park of Racine. This
was seconded.
Mr.. Bishmah moved as an amend
ment to give the committee more time
to present a report, but this received
% second.
NJ Hughes offered substitute mo-
tion that George Pass plans be adopt
ed. and this was seconded.
Mr.. Schcrer moved that the vote be
V ballot. and this was carried
DIR. Beach moved that no matter
what plans are adopted. a provision
be put into the contract that if the
bids received turn out to be away
above the estimate of the architect
the board proceed to get new plans.
He did not think that the building
should cost over $4,000 to $4,000. all
told.
Mr.. Scherer said that this was a
fair proposition.
Mr.. Blissenbach did not think that
this would be doing justice to either
architect All of the architects had
admitted that the bids might vary
$1,000 to $4,000.
DR.. Beach: IF an architect gives
us the plan of building that will
cost $4,000 to $4,000. of course he
can give us better plan than an
architect can who furnishes plans for
a $4,000 building
MIR. Bishman: the plans do not
provide for equipping the building, and
the total cost may run to $l30,O00 to
Sl40,O00 in ALL
"A vote was taken on Mr.. Hughes
substitute and resulted three for the
motion, four against it and one blank
The substitute was declared lost
Mr.. Scherer then withdrew his or
ginal motion, at the suggestion of DR..
Beach, who moved that the board pro-
coed to take ballot OH the adoption
of plans. This was carried, and when
the ballot was taken it resulted in
Chandler & Park receiving five votes,
George Pass two and Kenney & Jogerst
one. Chandler K Park were declared
elected architects.
Cost Limited to $4,000.
DIR. Beach moved that there be en-
bodied in the contract provision that
if the lowest bid on the building be
over $4,000 the board reserves tine
right to reject the plans and require
new plans to be prepared.
Mr.. Davies thought that the archi-
tects ought to be allowed to modify
their plans rather than prepare new
ones, which would not be fair re-
guirement.
Mr.. Blissenbach was not in favor
of holding the architects down too
much, as it might result in scaling
off some desirable features in the eff
fort to cheaper the cost of the build
ing.
Mr.. Scherer said that the board had
limited the architects to $4,000
building. and that the motion allowed
them $1,000 leeway or over twelve
per cent and stay within the limit,
which was ample.
Mr.. Pass retired at this point, re-
marking with some heat: "If any
architect cannot figure within $1,000
on such Il building he ought to be
fired
The motion was then put to a vote
and carried.
Addition to Franklin.
Mr.. Davies moved that the board
authorize II. c. Gerlach to prepare
plans for an addition to the Franklin
school.
DIR. Beach said that the board ought
to be convinced of the absolute neces-
sity for the addition to the Franklin
before proceeding to build an addition.
The boundaries could be moved and the
Franklin school thus relieved of the
surplus. The board was putting enough
on the taxpayers now, without going
into debt $4,000 or $4,000. for il
would take the entire 100000 voted to
build and equip the high school.
Mr. Scherer said that he did not see
how the board could evade or avoid the
issue. The bond election was held
on the basis that $4,000 addition
be constructed to the Franklin build
Ing.
Mr.. Blissenbach called attention to
the crowded condition of the franklin
school.
President Hobrook thought that a