Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-20

At a meeting Of the special COM
mittee on the proposed new Cony
High school building, with the Board
of Education, held Monday evening
at the office of the superintendent,
Fred W. Burrill at City Hall, the
award for the new construction was
made to the Horace Purinton Com
pany Of WaterviIle, whose bid was
the lowest of the three submitted
after revision Of the plans and
specifications had been made by the
architects, Bunker and Savage of
this city.
The bid OF the Waterville con-
tracing firm for the erection of the
extensive addition and interior COM
pletion of the first floor was S107300
1t is understood that work will be
commenced Immediately, as soon as
the matter of the contractors bond
has been adjusted, and it is hoped
that the work will be completed next
February.
The plans and specifications on
which the award of the contract was
made call for the erection of a three
story building which will incorporate
and replace the old high school
structure, and will include a splen-
did gymnasium equipment. The
building will be constructed exactly
as proposed at the annual school
meeting in April and as endorsed by
the citizens at that time Only the
first floor will be finished off under
the present contract, this being found
necessary to do the work within the
appropriation of $4,000 authorized
at the school meeting.
It is anticipated that next year, or
probably not later than 1928 the
completion of the interior of the
structure will be voted by the citi-
zens, and Augusta will then have a
high school establishment which 1t
is anticipated will be adequate for
many years to come.
The bid of the C. E. HoXie Co. of
this city was but $4,000 over that OF
the successful contractors on the
same proposition. while the third bid
received after the cuts were made
was from the Henry Plante and Son
firm Of Saco, whose figure was S1l3,
112. All three of these contractors
also submitted bids on the complete
project which were as follows:
Henry Plante and Son, si5l,1l2;
Horace Purintan Company. $161,3oO;
Charles Z. Hoxie Co, Sl50,Sl2
1t will be noted that the Augusta
mans figure was the lowest for the
complete project, but as the commit
tee was authorized to only eXpend a
toatl of $4,000 certain curtailments
we're necessitated and it was deemed
hest to erect the shell of the building
and to finish off the first floor this
year, leaving the other two floors to
be completed at future time.
Arthur Savage represented the
architects at the meeting of the spe-
cial committee and the members OF
the Board of Education last evening
and Mr.. Savage pointed out that the
real competition on the bids came
on the partial construction PROPOSE
ton on which the award was made
and that similar competition and re-
sulting advantage might be expected
when the interior finishing was sub
nitted for bids.
The architects estimate for the
necessary heating of the new build
ing is $500; for plumbing, Sl,00O;
wiring, $500, and thus it was de-
termined that including the contrac-
tors bond and the architects fee, the
project could be carried through I'M
der the appropriation.
1t will be pleasing to all students
parents and friends of the school to
know that the completed gymnasium
with galleries is included in that part
of the project which will be con-
structed this year.
Principal Perkins of the Cony High
school was present when the award
of the contract was made, and it was
learned that the work of evacuatins
the old building. ready for the con-
tractors to commence Wrecking has
been completed under his direction,
so that there will be no hold-up on
that score. The assembly hall of the
present new wing has been fitted with
seats and desks and for the coming
school year will be the home room
of the senior class. The two ante
rooms off the assembly hall have
been fitted for recitation rooms, black
boards, seats, desks, books and all
school equipment have already been
removed from that part of the old
building which will be remodeled and
incorporated in the new high school.