The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-26
TWO i LOWEST
 BIDDERS WILL JET CONTRACT
Manasco Award Rescinded. HarriSon's Stand Vindicated by Vote of Board at
 Morning Meeting.
 To Recheck

construction of the auditorium will be awarded to the Virginia Bridge and Iron company for steel frame and to Charles Hall for brick, stone and other work at the regular meet ing of the city commission Tuesday, it appeared certain at the city hall Thursday, following resembling of the contract with D. E. Manasco, when four commissioners practical ly announced that they would sup port such resolution.
 Announcement came after a lengthy executive conference, att tended by commissioners, H. D.. Breeding, architect, and E. A. Van Keuren, engineer, when it was de- clared to have been proved unques- tionably that combination bids of the Virginia Bridge and Iron com pany and Charles Hall were nearly $10,000 lower than that of Manas- co, and that that of the Atlanta Atlanta Construction company was approximately $6,000 lower, sub stantiating exclusive disclosures made by The Age-Heraid in its Thursday editions.
 President D. E. McLendon and Commissioner W. B. Cloe, who sup ported Commissioner w. l.. Harri- son in his motion made at the morn- ing session to retabulate the bids already submitted instead of ad- vertising for new roAes, declared that they would vote with Harrison to award the contract to the Vir- ginia Bridge and Iron company. Commissioner w. E. Dickson, who made tabled motion to advertise for new bids, said he would vote likewise if the majority of the com mission did so.
 Mrs. EchO1s Stands Pat
 Mrs. Mary Echols. who sprang a sensational and dramatic surprise in the morning session, when she moved to rescind Manascos contract just as the commission was about to adjourn after having considered revocation of hotel and rooming house licenses. stood alone Thursu~y evening in con tending for reopening of the whole matter, rejecting all bids and ad- vertising for new ones. She voted with Commission Die son aganist Commissioner Harrison's motion to retabulat5 the bids already sub mtted
 Conference will be hcla Friday morning at 10 o'clock in President McLendon's office bet,v sea commis- sioners and the thr, lowest bidders, D. F. Manasco, the Atlanta Construc- tion company, represented by Solon Jacobs, and the Virginia Bridge and Iron company and Charles Hall as one unit. l. is thought by those in authority that the conference will be mere formality, when contractors will be asked to confirm their bids, and when the tangled situation will be more Automatically smoothed out.
 Following the conference it is un- derstood the commission will deliber- az with the expected result that resolution awarding the contract to the Virginia Bridge and Iron com pany and Charles Hall will be framed for presentation Tuesday, Majority of the comm ssioners, including Pres ident McLendon an6 Commissioner Dickson, have said they are not op- posed to admitting the press to the Friday conference.
 No Chamber Recheck
 II Thursday, when it was indicated there woulo be no rechecking of architects plans by the Chamber of Commerce. President D. F. McLen- don announced that the city itself would employ an expert engineer not only to check the architects plans, but to supervise construction of the building through every step. It was said unofficially that the expert to be employed would be MT. Van Keu- ren, who has already checked the steel work and found defects in it, and who is said by Chamber of Com merce officials and others to be one of the most competent structural en- gineers in the south.
 Belief at the city hall was that the Chamber of Commerce would be sat isfied with the action of the city, in dS HluCn It's lWO ODJeCllOnS appear to have been met. The first objec- tion of the chamber, it was pointed out was solely the awarding of the contract to Manasco. who it was said was a building promoter and not reputable contractor. Subsequent complaints made to the chamber. it was pointed out. were directed against the steel design and other engineering and architectural fea- lures of the proposed edisi .e. With the resembling of Ma asco's con tract and award to two reputable Bir-' mingham contractors, and with the protection to be afforded in the em- ploying of MT. Van Keuren. it was believed the chambe would be en- tirely satisfied
 Joint Conference Again
 Officially. it was announc, that a letter would be addressed to the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce. requesting Q conference with the special committee appointed to negotiate with the city commission. At this conference. which may be held Friday afternoon, it is .derstood the commission will outline its position
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