The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-03
DEVELOPMENTS ON
CAPITOL BUILDING
ARE EXPECTED soon.
Commission Expected to Get
Busy After Visit to st. Paul
Next Week
FACES TWO BIG PROBLEMS
Appointment Of Secretary and
Architect Are Forecast for
Near Future
FACES TWO BIG PROBLEMS

Developments leading toward ON
struction OF q new capitol building in
Bismarck are expected to follow
quickly upon the heels OF conferences
to be held early next week In st.
Paul, Mimi, with members Of a citi-
zen,s advisory committee which was
charged with constructing a joint
county court house and city hall
there.
The Minnesota project is expected
to cost about "a, 900 and many Of
the problems which have been en-
countered there are expected to be
similar in nature to those which the
North Dakota Capitol Commission
will face.
Following appointment Of the capt.
toll commission, members Of the st,
Paul committee offered to give the
North Dakota men the benefit Of
their recent experiences and the In
vitation to visit that city way accept
ed.
At present members of the commits
sion are known to feel that two ma
jor problems must be solved before
any further steps are taken.
The first Is the selection Of a secre-
tary, who will be the executive Off
Ger Of the commission and upon
whose experience and judgment the
commissioners will expect to rely on
many matters of administration.
The second Is the selection Of an
architect, but before this question
goes that far 1t will first .be necessary
to decide upon a method OF selecting
him.
Consider Two Methods
Two methods have been suggested
and both are being considered. One
is to ask q number Of competent men
with established regulations, adequate
facilities and a background Of achiev-
ment, to take part in a competition,
the winner to get the job. The other
Is to definitely select an architect or
an architectural firm, assign him to
the lob and work out the plans and
details in collaboration with him.
In view of the conditions to be met,
it is felt by members Of the commits
sion that the architectural treatment
Of the proposed capitol building will
largely determine both its usefulness
and its appearance. In general. the
commission members are agreed that
usefulness as well as appearance
be considered, although they
have no preconceived ideas as to how
this end is to be attained.
Although wholly in accord with the
provision in the capitol building law
which requires the use of North Da-
kota labor and materials wherever
practicable, the commission is aware
Of the problem which the limitation
regarding materials presents.
AS q practical matter, It recognizes
that the major building material pro-
in this state Is brick and that
these brick are among the best In the
world. At the same time, they forsee
difficulties In obtaining proper ap-
pearance II brick are used in so large
building unless its design and pro-
portions lend themselves particularly
to this material.
N0O6t StAtC C6p4VO1O 0IC OOAAt VI
marble OF granite and the
commission recognizes that II brick
is to be the principal material in the
North Dakota building q departure
from the established custom IS neces-
sary.
Will Bar Politics
In the selection Of q secretary. It
is known, members Of the commission
have pretty definitely determined
among themselves the conditions to
be met. He must be q man Of Suffi-
cient experience and business capac-
to handle the details Of the work
and one who can carry out the poll
cies and instructions Of the commits
sion.
The number Of applications for
this position has not been disclosed
but 1t Is known that q large number
Of persons have applied for 1t. Some
have sought to base their bid for
favor on political service, but the
Continued on page eleven)