Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-12
BUILDERS EXCHANGE
DIRECTORS AGAIN URGE
OPEN BIDS ON LIBRARY

Continued From rtrs, pagoD
! cast" make reply 10 the interview
gwen ~ Wyndham Meredith AS p,l1-
/ lShed III a Richmond newspaper IuIv
Mr. Meredith onliehtons as win
IN: statement that ther. are two
/ i,'''a - contract its proposal and
NH acceptance. Let us discuss IN.
proposal. which. Incidentally. Mr.. WI
son states he was invited to make.
ana senator NILS states Mr. N.u.o,,
requested that he be allowed To make
we nave heretofore pointed out TO
ia" commission and the library booIJ
"hat We, as practical, bUii.icrs. con
| sdtf the weak features Of t,!s pro-
p"siI and how II utterly fails Ia s:If..
guard the interests of tin. taNpuvcrs
OF - state but granting that th.s.
objections have teen covered IN thu.
contract drawn by Nj. Meredith. We
! submit That this contract. first. sbruli
not 10" entered into prior to the COM
p'"tI"n OF plans and specifications.
ana. second, only after other contrac-
tors capabl" of erecting such a butld-
ih.' hHd Nh Meredith admits th.r,
are others, are given the opportuuitv
| "i competing, whether the contract i4
'ct i"r Il lump sum price. ON a cost
Plus basis with Il Guaranteed iunNi
nsiin, or otherwise. II a form of con.
tract hSsurin. 30 the stat. ans say
ing due 10 falling prices after con-
/ tract is let is decided uruu. fun cn,n
petition can lie secured as readily ns
| upon " lump sum basis. and I'm vi.,y
OF this We respectfully submit that
| 'htr" can b" no possible advantage
IN letting contract at this time, or
iatcr except ON It competitive Iasis
Architects Enter Competitions
Now IN regard to III" architect
w" freely admit that the .\m,ric!,r
institute Of Architects has several
methods OF selecting architects This
Is necessary TO II different conditions
tut In this instance 1t must be an
parent. even to- Mr. Meredith. whom
We are sure VIII not be contcn, with
anything but the best, that tn. star.
Is rare more likely to secure a design
~ kccping with The purpose aud
character of the building IL tie lest
architectural talent in the country is
pIt'cd one against the other in open
| competition. as was done i'm Kansas
cry ana Is being done in Baltimore
at the present time. Despite thr
declarations of Mr.. Meredith ana SEN
at"r Mills 10 the contrary. the hest
architectural brains in the country
ore readily "htainnb!c III such COM
petitions This statement is sui
siantiatcd by the competition which
IS now In progress FOR the selection
OF AN architect for The war memorial
building 10 be erected in Baltimore.
Md. al a cost not To exceed S3Hu. UUu.
Besides inviting ,Hcnty-four archi-
t"ciS from the city Of Baltimore to
enter this competition, tho Following
architects OF national reputation were
invited; John Russell Pope. Henry
Hastings, Of New York City. and Day
~ Klamdcr. OF Philadelphia An OF
the hvc architects named accepted III.
Invitation. hut John Russell Pope
later withdrew from the competition
due 10 the fact that he did not think
he would have Time enough in which
10 do himself justice. II such archi-
tccts as these will go into compc;E-
ton with local Baltimore architects
on Il S?10.00O building. is il concciv-
able that they, ana others OF like
reputation. would refuse To enter a
competition with Virginia architects
On S2.O0COOO building? Therefore,
ii they have refused. might ii not bc
due to the fact that they would pre-
Yer TO waive their opportunity of sc-
curing this attractive commission
rather than be placed in the unusual
ana awkward position of feeling in
dcbted 10 the general contractor on
the jolt for the opportunity OF com
petins? This should dispose OF tn.
argumcn; Of Mcssrs Meredith. VII
son and Mills that architects ~ ma
tional reputation viii not enter a
competition.
MIR Meredith pays high tribute 10
the American Legion ana acknowl-
edges his Willingness TO he influenced
iLy their deliberately expressed
wishes Can anything lie clearer ar
| more deliberate than the resolutions
adopted ~ the Richmond i'oS; OF
The American Legion last month. and
published IN the daily press, pro
testing against the very method
which Mr. Meredith advocates in his
| interview" Possibly, however. MIR.
Meredith is not familiar <ith these
| resolutions, as neither they nor othor
| resolutions passed by various bodi, $.
| viz. Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
Builders Exchange of Richmond, Viz
Sinia Chapter American Institute of
Architects, Central Trades ana Labor
Council and others. were read AT The
last joint meeting OF the commission
and the library board. although they
were forwarded To the secretary with
the request that they hc presented To
the meeting. We venture To express
the hope that these resolutions will
I've read at the meeting Friday night
as we believe the gentlemen compoS-
ing these bodies desire to know the
sentiment OF The taxpayers in this
matter.
MIR. Meredith may be. ana we he
l'cve is. Il good lawyer. ana we Low
t. his superior judgment in matters
OF law. Will he not he magnauimouS
enough TO give consideration To the
4 Judgment OF experienced architects
and builders in matters of conStruc-
ton without assigning their motives
to selfish iutcrcst?"
=---- -----=-
LIGHTNING. NOT BLIGHT.