Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-26
ARCHITECT AND
CONTRACTOR HAVE
NO CONNECTIONS
Municipal League Looks Into
Manner of Giving Out
School Work

The Municipal League gave out a
statement to-day in which 1t is pointed
out that some persons have inferred
that with the selection of an expert
school architect not resident in Har-
risburg, all the labor required for the
new school building would have to be
obtained outside of Harrisburg.
There is no precedent whatever for
such point of view, says the League.
The filtration plant, the two great in
tercepting sewers and the protecting
steps along the river front were all
built under the control of an engineer
not resident in Harrisburg. The work
was done. however, through contracts
placed in Harrisburg. by Harrisburg
men, and with Harrisburg firms when
they were the lowest and best bid
ders.
Other Experiences
The first specifications for paving un-
der expert advice were obtained from
an outside engineer. Through the COM
petition following the obtaining of
these specifications, the cost of paving
dropped from figure in excess of $3.50
per square yard to a figure below $1.50
per square yard in some cases, and has
remained constant at approximately 81
per square yard ever since. The con-
tracing for the paving. however, was
done, by Harrisburg officials elected by
Harrisburg people, and was to-the low
est and best bidders, which latterly
have been entirely Harrisburg people.
In order to avoid the possibility of
any misunderstanding upon this mat
ter, inquiry was made at the office of
the Harrisburg School District, of Mr..
Hammelbaugh, the secretary. When
the question was asked Mr.. Hammel-
baugh as to what the procedure was
when an architect had been elected by
the Board, he said:
THE architect then prepares plans
for the building he is engaged upon,
which plans, when they have been
passed upon as satisfactory by the
School Board, are the basis on which
the architect prepares specifications.
These specifications are then fur
nished to bidders who respond after
due and legal advertising. 1t has been
Board to award the contract almost in
variably to the lowest bidder, whether
he was local or foreign"
Architect and Contractors
When asked as to whether it had
ever been the practice for the architect
to award contracts, Mr.. Hammelbaugh
laughed and replied:
Certainly not. The architect has
nothing whatever to do with the con-
| tracts, and every contract in my. long
experience has been placed by the
Board"
To remove the possibility of a doubt
Mr.. Hammelbaugh was questioned
further as to whether or not the archi-
| tect could, or had, or was likely to
recommend any particular contractor
| Again the reply was accompanied by
! a smile:
Certainly not" he repeated 1.-THE
| architect has nothing to do with the
| placing of the contracts. 1t is his
! business to see that the contractor who
gets the work under contract award
ed only by the Board, does the work
according to specifications"
| Vt is thus apparent that there is abb
solutely no basis in the claim above
referred to. Employing an expert tc
design school buildings has no rela-
tion to or influence upon the labor sit
uation or the contracts for the build.
ings. The School Board makes the con-
! tract, not the architect.
BOY SCOUTS TO DRILL