Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1896 — Court House Contact [ARTICLE]

Court House Contact

AWARDED TO HEINZMAN BROTHERS FOR $89,180AND THE COURT HOUSE BONDS ARE ALSO SOLD. They Bring Nearly Seventeen Thousand Dollars Premium. * Last Thursday and Friday were two of the most important days in the history of Jasper County. The first day was the one set for opening the bids and letting the contract for the construction of the new county court house. The second day was the time appointed for the sale of the $82,500 of county bonds, from the proceeds of which the court house was to be paid for. They were days of excitement, uncertainty and anxiety. And the excitement and uncertainty was heightened by the belief upon the part of many that, at the last moment, either the awarding of the court house contract, or the sale of the bonds, would be stopped by injunction proceedings. And there were some very strong indications that such a result was likely. For on Wednesday O. P. Taber, of Rem. ington the principal opposer of the new court house, made his appearance in town, backed by Geo. Bessee, of Jordan Tp., and pretty soon Daniel Fraser, of Fowler, one of the ablest lawyers of this judicial circuit, also made his appearance. Then IF further became reported that some owners of Bedford quarries, who didn’t get selected to furnish the stone, were backing the movement for an injunction. The plan was to file the complaint with the clerk of the court here, Wednesday afternoon, and for Mr. Fraser, then to proceed to Fowler and present the matter to Judge Wiley early Thursday morning, and if he found the matter of enough importance to issue a temporary injunction, restraining the commissioners from letting the contract, his decision was to be telegraphed over in time to serve on them before 9 o’clock, the hour set for the opening of the bids. And a complaint of some kind was filed with our clerk, for Mr. Fraser late Wednesday afternoon, and immediately after receiving the file marks of the clerk, was taken away again, and that was the brave beginning and the obscure ending of the court house injunction proceedings.

Promptly at 9 o’clock Thursday morning the court house bell rang, and very soon thereafter, in the court room of the old court house, the work of opening and receiving the bids was begun, in the presence of a very large number of interested and watchful citizens. The bids were opened bv Auditor Murray, who noted the names of the bidders, and then passed the bids to Architect Grindle, who read them aloud to the commissioners, and then handed them back to the Auditor. There were ten bids on file, and in order in which they were opened and were read as follows: F. Nicholson A Son, Chicago, Ills., $102,000. lohn Suelzer, Ft Wayne, Ind, $97,533. J. M. Crocker <k Bro., Cold Water, Mich., $107,400. J. L. Fatout, Indianapolis, Ind., $105,900. C. M. Thayer, Chicago, $92,300. Heinzman Bro. Noblesville, Ind. $89,180. Schuyler Sigler, Chicago, $99,990. J. E. Gibson <fc Co. Loganspc rt, $99,900. C. Boseker and Son, Ft Wayne, $94,589.40. Charles Moses, Chicago, $95,600. Several of these bids had certain added conditions, making the sum higher or lower, for using certain materials, not in accordance with the architect’s specifications, and nearly all of them, by request of the commissioners stated what would be the extra cost for using plate glass in parts of the building not now required in the specifications. All the above sums however, are the bids for the building as called for by the specifications. After a moment’s consultation Commissioner Fans stated that their decision would be annouced at one oclock.

When that hour arrived the Commissioners announced that they had awarded, in a conditional way, the contract to one of the three lowest bidders, namely Hetnzman <fc Bro. C. M. Thayer and C. Boseker <fc Son; the preference being in the order named, and the condition being the amending or proper certifying of the heavy bond required of the various bidders. The parties were given until one P. M. the next day, Friday, to perfect their bonds. All this was against the protest of Boseker <fc Son of Ft Wayne, whose bond filed with the bid was certified to by the clerk of Allen Co., and unquestionably sufficient in solidity of the signers. On that ground they claimed that theirs was the only legal bid, and therefore demanded the contract. They employed legal assistance, as did also their competitors, Heinzman Bros., and both were given a hearing by the Friday forenoon. There was a difference of $3,400 between the Heinz - man and the Boseker bid, and as may be supposed, the feelings of the people, so far as they had any knowledge of how matters stood, were very much in favor of the former. But from a strictly legal and technical point of view, the Bowkers made out a pretty strong case, and it seemed for some time as though the commissioners were about to decide in their favor, or at least were divided in opinion on the matter. When the time arrived for rendering their decision, one P. M. Friday, the commissioners appeared not yet to have arrived at a decision, and there was considerable delay before they opened there session. The two commissioners, Messrs Faris and Martindale, then called their legal advisor, S. P. Thompson, and retired to the jury room for consultation. After quite a long delay, the commissioners came back, took their seats, and Mr. Faris,' president of the board announced that the contract for building the Jasper Co. court house was awarded to Heinzman Brothers, of Noblesville, for $89,180. The announcement was followed by a hearty round of applause, from the spectators. The people of Jasper County, as we believe are to be congratulated on this contract. They are getting what is, practically, a SIOO,OOO court house for nearly SII,OOO less than that sum. That it is a SIOO,000 building is proven by the fact that the average of all the bids was very nearly that sum, namely $98,539, also by the architect’s estimate; which was $106,000. This accepted bid is $9,259 less than the average of all the bids; and $18,220 less than the highest bid. The contractors, Heinzman Bros., are men of good reputation as builders. Among their recent works is a $35,000 Masonic temple, at Greenfield; and a fine city hall, at Kokomo. They are also now at work on a large school building, at Danville, this state. Their contract requires them to complete the building by Oct. 15, 1897, with a forfeit of $25 per day after that time. They expect to begin work next Monday in removing trees, and if it can be vacated by that time, in tearing down the old building. The stone to be used is what is known as gray buff, from Dark Hollow quarry, near Bedford, belonging to the Consolidated Stone Company. It is a very handsome, steel gray stone of fine texture and very superior quality. The order of the commissioners, requiring this stone to be used, is qualified by a reservation, giving the commissioners the right to rescind the order, in case the stone company would not furnish this stone at as cheap a price as stone of a similar quality could be bought for at other quarries. TUB KONO SALE. The sale of the bonds took place immediately after the awarding of the contract. The bonds are $82,500 in amount. They will draw 6 per cent, interest and be dated July 1, 1896. They are divided into two lots. One lot, of $50,000 are due July 1, 1926, and are payable after July 1, 1916, at I the option of the county. The other lot, of $32,500 are due July 1, 1991, and optional after July 1, 1911. The bonds were sold at Auction,

Deputy Treasurer J. A. Burnham acting as auctioneer, and Deputy Auditor E. L. Clark, as secretary. Would-be buyers of the bonds were present in large numbers, representing bankers and investors from Boston, New York, Cleveland, Toledo, Indianapolis, Chicago 1 and other places. Only 1 written bid was received, and the other bids being given orally and in open competition. Most of the bidders seemed to have been limted to a premium of about SIO,OOO and when the sum was reached all but two bidders dropped out. One of these two was B. M. Seitz, of Chicago, a broker who was present and doing his own bidding; and the other was a representative of W. J. Hays <fc Son, of Cleveland, Ohio. Both of these bidders were determined to have the bonds, but after the premiun offered reached the $15,000 mark, the increases were small in amount and progress corespondingly slow. It was evident, however, that Seitz had the most nerve with him, as while the Hays man bid up $5 at a time, Seitz always sprung his at least SSO a clip. Finally the Hays man bid $16,855. Seitz promptly raised him to $16,900. Hays said he was done, and the bonds were declared sold to Mr. Seitz. This is a very satisfactory premium and reduces the actual rate of interest the county will have to pay for the money it realizes on the bonds to less than per cent. The exact rate being, as near as it can be conveniently figured, 4f per cent. The County Officers Will Go To Jail. The various cbunty officers will vacate the old court house, next week, preparatory to its demolition to make room for the new building. The Auditor will occupy the two west rooms up stairs in the sheriff ’s residence part of the county jail. The two east rooms on the same floor will be used by the commissioners. The Treasurer, and Recorder will use the down stairs. The Sheriff will have his residence in his own house, just completed, on Division street, but he will still have an office room in the jail building. AU of these officers will be better fixed than where they are now. The Clerk’s present office, in a detached frame building in the rear of the present court house, will probably be moved across Cullen street, on the lot belonging to the county; but whether it wiU be occupied by the clerk, or surveyor, is yet a little uncertain, but probably by the latter. The Circuit court, wiU be accommodated in the large room in the third story of the Odd .Fellows’ building, now used as a reception room and dining hall, by the Odd Fellows. Three rooms on the second floor of the same building have also been secured, into which the county clerk, will probably move. Rev. Maximlian Walz, of St Joseph’s College, left yesterday, for College Point, N. Y., on a sudden call to take charge of a Catholic congregation there, during the summer. Father Walz was on the bills as the principal orator, for the Fourth of July celebration on the coUege grounds, and on that account was quite loath to be called away so suddenly. The fire company was called out, Tuesday noon, by a little blaze in the roof of a kitchen, on Front St. It was in a house belonging to S. Healy, and occupied by C. E. Watson. The fire company arrived in time to put the fire out before much damage was done. The fire started, it is supposed by a spark from the chimney, falling on the roof. The most notable feature of the fire was thj swarms of bicyclers that flocked in from every direction. Every street was alive with them. To rent. Five residence rooms, near buisness center; on ground floor. Apply at this office. Three Pigs, Two red and white one black and white spotted, weight about 35 or 40 lbs each. Strayed from L. R. Florence’s place, in Barklev Tp Finder will please address him at Rensselaer. Every farmer needs an Aermottt. Judson H. Perkins sells the Osborne Binders. None better. i fita his sample opposite Hemphill’s Blacksmith Shop. ■ Call on Judson H. Perkins for bmta l.tae.