The copper era and Morenci leader., 1918-02-01
CONTROVERSY OVER
 LYMAN CONTRACT

PHOENIX, Jan. 2S.-The commis- sion on state institutions together with Governor Hunt, returned to Phoe nix from Tucson without having ef- fected an agreement with the univer- sity board of regents over the Lyman contract.
 The conference has resulted, how ever, in narrowing the controversy down to one cardinal point, all the other differences hinging upon this one. That is, the employment of Mr.. Lyman in the dual capacity. of super vising architect and purchasing agent in the construction of the new mines. building.
 The commission submitted a general proposal to the board to be accepted as a compromise of the disagreement. and after a lengthy discussion of the terms of the proposal the commission retired from the meeting and the mat, ter was put to vote. Although the commission has received no officiaE notice of the result of the vote, it is given out that the counting of the. ballots disclosed a tie vote. At re cent meeting of the board, the re gents decided by one vote to retain the contract with Lyman It is said that at last nights meeting one mem Der of the board was not present, that one being MT. McClosky. The matter hangs in the air now and unless some agreement is made before next week; the commission will go down to Tucson again on Monday to talk the proposition over further
 The discussion held between the two bodies at Tucson brings out a surprising condition of affairs attend ant upon the contract MT. Lyman has with the board of regents in the con- struction of the new mines building The possession of one set of plans and specifications, signed by both MT. Lyman and the commission, is one of the cardinal demands made blythe commission before further matters are discussed.
 | Woods, chairman of the commission said '"The board of regents at their meeting admitted that they had seen only two or three drawings of the new building, one of them being something like the plan of the ground f1oor.They admitted further that they had not asked Lyman to submit specifications for the construction of the building nor had they ever seen specifications of materials to be used in the con struction of the building.
 Such a condition of affairs is de- plorable. There is no means by which the state can pin the architect down to definite standard in the materials used, or even in the layout of the building. The building is supposed to cost s15O.O00. Why, MT. Struckmeyer asked Lyman point blank whether or not he would accept $60,00O to go ahead and finish the building Lyman refused to answer tn equestion point blank.
 Under the present conditions, Ly= man can buy the materials for the building and then he is the only one who need inspect them to pass on their worth.
 We have nothing by which we can hold Lyman to any specifications be- cause the board of regents has let the contract without demanding written specifications. Lyman could build the structure up to the top floor and if he. found that he didn't have money left to plaster the building he could put paper on it, and then what could we do?'
 The commission proposed to the re- gents that the commission be allowed to put in an inspector and a purchas- ing agent for the construction of the new building, and that the commission be given one SC tof the plans and specifications. When this proposal was submitted to Lyman, he declared that he would accept it unless advised to do otherwise by his attorneys. 
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