The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-23
B. H. s. CONTRACT
 IS AWARDED; PRICE FIXED AT $3I2,OOO
Contractors Do Not Expect to Leave Much of Their Cash
 With Bridgeporters.
Secret Session of Board Lasts Three Hours Before
 Agreement Is Reached.

At a secret session which lasted nearly three hours last night, the board of education arranged to award the contract for the building of the new high school. C1oseted with the board were Superintendent of Schools Charles w. Deane, James G. Rogers, the architect who drew the plans for the school, his assistant, c. P. s. Card wood and, during a part of the time, Miss Alice M. Durkin of the firm of Durkin 6 Lass, the successful bidders for the contract.
 The school will cost s312,0Oo com plete without the wings. This is a reduction of about $3,500 from the original bid of this firm, but the firm takes a chance of getting bonds voted to build the wings, and proposed to build these for $58, 300. As the origi- nal bid of the concern for the bui1d- ing without the wings was. $55, ,000, it simply gets back the money allowed on the main building if the wings are built.
 This price is for terra cotta columns. The firm agrees to take the Kelly house which is on the property near school will be located, and if the wings are built to substitute lime stone columns at $8,0O0 less than the total price originally bid.
 Commissioners Webster and Havens were in consultation with Miss Dur kin and her building superintendent. Paul Grille, at the Stratfe1d hotel for an hour before the board met. When they reached the board meeting MT. Webster immediately moved that the board go into executive session and that the newspaper men be excluded.
 After the executive session members of the board said that the three hours they were in session had been taken up in an effort to have Miss Durkin agree to build the school for a lower figure.
 Little of the money which is paid for the school will remain in Bridge port. The contractors are New York people. Almost all the material used in the building will be bought outside of Bridgeport The excavation for the school will be dug with a steam shovel. Most of the labor used on the building will be imported as the Durkin 6 Lass people do not think they can get suitable labor in Bridgeport It is said that even the carts and men who will carry away what is dug by the steam shovel will be brought here from New York.
 The architect will receive more than S18,000 for his fee for the building without the wings and more than $21,- 900 if the wings are added later. MT. Rogers has offices in New York.
 Last night number of agents in terested in selling workmen's com pensation insurance to employers were about the ante-room of the school board offices waiting to see the award of the contract. These agents said if the board required contractors to re- figure on the school the price would be higher instead of lower, as the first figures did not include premiums for work1nen's compensation.
 The motion by which the contract was awarded was made by. CoInm1s- sioner Bishop and was as follows:
 'tVoted that the contract for the erection of the main building of the high school, without wings but with heating, ventilation, plumbing and electric work, be written with the low est bidders at a. sum total for said work not to exceed the sum of $312,- 900; provided that dates and pay ments satisfactory to the board are agreed upon, and further provided that it is agreed that the board. shall have the right to demand the build ing of the wings and the substitution of limestone columns at a, total price not to exceed $8,0oo less than the price originally bid, with wings and limestone columns. The board is to transfer to the general contractor the Kelly house to be removed when df- rected by the board provided author ity so to do is given by the common counci1.''
 To pave the way for. the council acting in the matter of the Kelly house the following resolution was drawn and on the motion of Comnis- sioner Boardman, seconded by Com missioner Colonel Havers it was also carried unanimously:
 That the board of education petf- ton the common council for author ity to sell or make other disposition of the Kelly house and for a re-appro- priation of the avails thereof to it's use for use in the erection of a high schol, and recommended to the com mon council the adoption of tine fol- lowing resolution:
 Resolved, that the board of educa- ton be and they are hereby authorized to make such disposition as to them may seem best of the Kelly house, situation on Golden Hill street on a portion of the property to be used as the site of the high school or to sell and convey title to the same, and,
 Further resolved, that the benefits thereof or the avai1s thereof, be ap- propriated to the board of education for use or disposition by them in the erection of a new high school.