Bismarck daily tribune., 1912-05-16
1lSMARck'S AUDITORIUM

municipal auditorium may not be COM
menced for several weeks This delay
is significant. Those who have been
cndeavoring to influence individual
commissioners to kill the auditorium
proposition are probably ohuckling over
their fancied success Those who have
been anxious to see work started at the
earliest possible moment and rushed
through to rapid completion, are be-
wailing the loss of still more time and
undoubtedly suspicion that the commits
sion's delay is Intentional These be-
1iefs are entirely wrong.
The auditorium proposition was nev-
er on a frmer footing than it is to-
day The city commissioners, in de-
ierring further action until the complete
plans and specifications arrive, were
actuated solely by business acumen and
common sense. When the motion to
postpone further consideration of the
matter was put. President Williams
cast dissenting vote. He explained
to the commission that it had pre-
viously approved the foundation plans,
watched him sign them, and instructed
the auditor to advertise for bids. After
having done so much President Will
lams believed he was in duty bound
to vote against further delay. His bal
lot was not cast in any spirit of discord.
The board of city commissioners ex-
pect to receive from Architects Rec
and Stem complete plans and speci6ca-
tons for the auditorium within three
weeks. They will advertise for bids for
the entire building The architects COM
pute that $4,000 will be required to
erect building of concrete construc-
ton, and fire proof throughout When
bids are opened and are found to ap-
proximate this amount, the commits
sioners will be obliged to submit to the
people the question of whether or not
they will bond the city for $4,000 ad-
ditional over the original $4,000 voted
for auditorium purposes. If this bond
issue carries the commissioners will
then be able to accept the plans, con-
slider the bids and award the contract.
Otherwise the plans will have to be re-
turned to Reed and Stem, and plans for
cheaper building drawn up
But do the citizens want a cheap
building? The Tribune opposed the
original auditorium bond proposition
on the grounds that the city was fnan-
cially unable to support it. The peo-
pie thought otherwise The Tribune
believes, however, that the city would
make grave mistake in building a
cheap, t1imsy structure If we are to
have an auditorium. let us have build
ing that will be credit to the capital
of the state, and in line with its prog
ress, advancement and big building en-
terprises.
For $45,OOO we can have an audi
torium that will hold about a thousand
people. 1t would have brick walls, but
the interior would be of wooden con-
struction. 1t would be the old and
obsolete style of country town theater
and would be fire trap. A modern
6re-proof structure of steel and rein.
forced construction cannot possibly be
erected for less than $65,OOO. The
commissioners delayed action until the,
may learn the sentiment of the people
Do we want modern building, on.
that will be in line with the new state
capitol and the new court house which
we must have some day soon? Or dc
we want a wooden interior tfeater
standing as a menace to public safety
with a repetition of the Iroquois thea
ter horror constantly floating across ou,
vision and keeping up in mortal terror
Do we want a safe building or a fir,
trap? The city commission deferret