The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-31
Fight IS LAUNCHED
ON $4,000 TO PUT.
j. BUILDING IN shape
Liberal Arts Structure Was IN.
dertaken Beyond Appropri-
alton Made in 1927
BOARD HoTLY DENOUNCED
Senator PIoyhar Suggests Such
Actions Should Be Made
Felony by State

The board Of administration was
before the senate appropriations COM
mittee, Wednesday evening, in the
persons Of F. E. Diehl and w. ].
Church, to obtain action on senate
bill u. app-opriating $16l 900 for the
completion Of the liberal arts building
at the university.
Instead, action was deferred on the
bill, so that members can learn what
is behind the unfinished condition OF
the building. and the board drew q
denuuciation for undertaking to erect
it In the manner 1t did on what
proves to have been an insufficient
appropriation Of the session Of 1927.
They went ahead on $225, 900 on a
structure that will cost at least
1886. 900. according to one calculation
made at the committee meeting. Mr..
Church explained 1t will require at
the least $77.500 to get the building
into the most ordinary condition for
use by classes.
Pass Buck to Architect
The feeling Of the committee grew
so bitter over what was considered q
defiance Of legislative authority that
Senator Ployhar said he was In favor
Of state law making such acts
felony. Had any administrative Of
fical or architect presumed to do like
wise in the construction Of federal
building, said he, there would have
been somebody going to Leavenworth.
The board members passed the
'buck" to Architect DeRemer. They
said they understood that the build
ing could be made usable for the
money they had and they allowed
matters to take their course. As IT
turned out, the walls are up, the roof
on and wooden sashes instead Of
steel fill the windows. The class
rooms are there, but doorless. The
third floor H. ilnusuahle, because Of
incomplete ventilation provision in q
dropped ceiling for air space, which
is unequipped. Some of the plumbing
and heating fixtures are In and four
laboratories are partly ready.
Owing to the condition Of the
building, Senator Whitman, sponsor
for the proposed $161 900 appropria-
ton. offered an emergency clause,
whereby it was proposed to get the
structure in shape for classes next
fall. The contractors have notified
the commission that they will have
to know by March what Is desired.
Watt Makes It Object Lesson
After the emergency clause had
been adopted, Senator Watt started
the attack on the board. working up
from the comment that the condition
Of the building might serve q useful
purpose in the education Of the stu
dents. as its bare walls would remind
them Of the sacrifices the public has
to make to provide them with an
education.
Anyhow. he said, 1t was time to let
some people know that they don't
own the state. He said he was
against the appropriation and he was
going to fight 1t in the senate. then
in the house and up to the very mo-
ment the governor signs It, II he does.
II this appropriation Is granted, he
said, 1t would simply be equable to
let some other buildings 60 through
also for other state institutions, and
that would entail building program
running from 100000 to 100000.
KetschmAr Wants Truth.
The two board members took turns
at explaining some Of the phases Of
the building Of the new structure.
They twice got bids. The first time
they. were asked $4,000 tor the
building alone. or 444O,O00 with fix
lures. In separate contract. Archi-
tect DeRemer told them, they said.
he could cut 100000 off the cost and
still further reduce It by alternate
bids on substitute materials. They
thought he would bring the building
within the means at the disposal Of
tn. board, they said. and they left
the matter In the hands Of the archi-
tect, with instructions to confer with
Architect Lewis. Of the faculty. How
ever, they said. he conferred mostly
with Dean 6quires.
This led Senator Watt to comment
that he has observed several instances
in. which heads Of institutions should
be changed.
Ployhar added that he would have
1t understood that such heads obey
the board Of administration, while the
board obey tho Legislature.
Senator Kretschmar finally brought
the matter to head BY moving &C.
ton Be deferred until al can gei
moro information. He felt that there
was some prevarjcAtion somewhere
The motion was adopted.
$1,000 Damage Cost
Of Flames In Fargo
Fargo, Jan. 31-(AP)-Damagl
estimated ct approximately $4,000
was caused BY fire IN the club cafl
and Olson Employment Agency