The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-01-06
BUILDERS Make
PROTEST ABOUT /.
CONTRACTS LET
Alleges Firms
Erecting Buildings Ignore
Local Architects in Getting
Plans Prepared.

Paul A. Bendfeldt. secretary of the
Master Builders Association has sub
United tho following:
Public spirited men!
Some time ago the general public
was pleased to learn through these
columns that n local bank contemplate
ed erecting new building. Archt-
tects, material men and general con-
tractors were delighted because they
saw an opportunity for business ad-
vancsment. They expected a splendid
opportunity because 1t was stated that
this specific institution desired that
the work on their building remain in
the city. Architects and contractors
have pride enough about them to be
DESTROYS OF erecting such a building
as they had reasons to believe would
be built, and here 10 where our fellow
citizens, men who from the very ma.
ture OF their business draw upon our
general public for their support. fell
down.
Architects that were able to draw
to a successful completion such build
tngs as the Joseph Moore school, the
at. John church, the Richmond high
school. the Garfield school, business
institutions along both sides Of our
main street, the most beautiful and
expensive homes and apartment
houses Of our city. were utterly ignor-
ed In the considerations for plans.
Not one Of the architects of our city
would have been the least offended
had their plans been rejected in fair
competition with any architests that
our public spirited friends may have
cared to invite into the competition,
but they were entirely ignored.
zone member Of the banking insti-
tuition Informed one of our contractors
that they were very DESTROYS Of leav
ing the work to local men, but that
It would be impossible to do SO. owing
to the ignorance Of these local con-
tractors. Contractors who have been
high school, an institution that cost
about five times what the new institu-
ton will cost Contractors who were
invited to figure the Second National
bank building, building that for
style and dignity, in the opinion Of
the writer will make the new institu-
ton look like soap box. Contract
ors who have built institutions such
as the St Mary's church, st. Johns
church, Joseph Moore school and have
to their credit some OF the finest
churches and schools built in our sur
rounding cities.
Other Projects.
contractors that have been invited
by architects all over our great
country to submit competitive bids
on some Of the greatest building en-.
terprises In this and other states and
vet these same contractors are not
able to erect a building to cover a
space about 1Sx130 feet. A building
absolutely plain in every detail, reach
ing It's high cost not through work
manship particularly but through the
expensive nature of the materials re-
Quired.
But this is the joke Of the whole
proceeding, After having selected
their architects and after having
awarded their contract to an elaborate
concern that makes, as our friends in
form us, speciality Of banking insti'
tutions, this same elaborate concern
comes to our city and after inviting
all the competition that they could
summon, good, bad, and indifferent
they award this work to men that our
banking friends did not think were
capable Of handling the proposition
and for their pleasure our public
spirited friends give to our imported
association Of architects and contract
ors a nice little sum Of money OF
which should there be any profit, and
from personal observation there will
be. this profit will find its way back
to New York.
Local workmen can congratulate
themselves on getting a living wage
These same business men we are tolc
are our public spirited men.
MASTER BUILDERS ASSN,
Paul A. Bendfeldt, Sec"