Smyrna times., 1931-11-11
NEW LEGISLATIVE HALL, TO
/ Be BUILT WITHIN S275,OOO
STATE COMMISSION RECEIVES
BIDS ON FIRST BUILDING
Philadelphia Contractors Lowest
Bidders on Legislative Hall-To
Cost At Least S271, ,961

Three Philadelphia contractors
were the lowest bidders on the face
of their estimates for the general
contract, the plumbing, heating
and ventilating and for the electric
work when bids were opened by
the State House Commission for
the proposed new State House or
Assembly Hall by the Commission
shortly before noon Monday. The
contracts have not been awarded.
These three bids were as follows:
General contract, Ralph S. Herzog,
of Philadelphia, who specified in
his bid that he would employ 100
per cent Delaware labor on the
work; plumbing, heating and ven
tilating, John Borden and Brothers
Philadelphia, S45. .942; electric work
Arrow Electric Company, Philadel-
phia, S18,354. The aggregate
amount of these three lowest bids
is S270,961. 1t is understood that
the bids are considerably lower
than even the commission had an
ticipated The bill providing for
this building and under which the
commission was appointed appro-
priated $750,000 for the securing
Of the necessary land and erection
and furnishing of the building.
Governor Buck Attended Meeting
Governor Buck was present with
the members of the commission
when the bids were opened in the
State library. The members of the
State House Commission are, H.
Rodney Sharp, Wilmington, chair
man, Judge W. w. Harrington and
Mrs. Mabel L. Ridgely, of Dover,
and Harry L. Cannon, Of Bridge
vile. The proposed building is to
be the first of a group Of state
buildings carrying out q compre-
hensive plan which has been work
ed out but the erection of all these
buildings will be spread over many
years before the plan is completed.
While this first building is gener-
ally referred to as the new State
House it is to be in fact the As
sembly Hall. 1t is to house prac-s
tically only the General Assembly
and such offices including one for
the Governor that would be actual
" required in the building while
the legislature is in session. The
local architect is E. William Mar
tin, Of Wilmington.
Boulevard to be Run Around Dover
The location for the new As
sembly Hall is considerably in the
rear or east Of the present State
House and near st. Jones River. It
is planned to have boulevard cut
through from the main line boule-
ward to run close to the new build
ing. The commission has already
bought some land including the
Dover baseball park secured
through condemnation proceedings
but other land remains to be Sc
cured when a price can be agreed
on. The total cost of the land
needed has not been announced but
it will likely be considerably less
than S75,000 If the total cost of
the building, plumbing, heating and
ventilating and electric work is
but S271 ,961 as indicated by the
bids opened yesterday this would
leave S478,OOO for the securing of
land and furnishing the building
out of the S75O,OOO appropriated.
While no doubt the furnishing cost
will be large, from present indica-
tions if the present plans are car
ried out there will no doubt be
large amount left from the origin
al appropriation for this one build
ing.