Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1904 — Library Building Contract. [ARTICLE]

Library Building Contract.

it is Awarded To Rash & Warren, of Rensselaer. The contract for the new public library building in Rensselaer, towards which Andrew Carnegie gives SIO,OOO was let by the library board, late Thursday afternoon* The luoky bidder is the well known Rensselaer firm of Rush & Warren. Bids were submitted by five firms, and eaoh of which submitted from one to seven bids; based on difference of material to be used The various bidders were as follows: J. B. Goodall, Peru, Ind., bid j $15,375. Material common brick, I with stone trimmings R. N. Grove, of Lafayette, and contractor for library now building at Attica, for common brick and stone trimmingß, and no heating arrangements, $9,900. Bame material with heating, $11,532. W. fl. Rooney, of Chicago, seven bids. Ranging from $16,000 for Bedford stone veneer; tor SII,OOO for common brick, with stone trimmings, and low preesure steam heat. J. Wesley Reed, of Hammond, four bids From $13,953 for stone veneer or pressed brick; to $11,680 for common brick with stone trimmings. Day of Rensselaer and Williams, of Kokomo, four bids. From $12,714 for Bedford stone veneer, to $9,880 for common brick with stone trimmings. For Hob Art brick, as per samples shown with stone their bid was $10,610 AWarren & Rush, of Rensselaer, six bids. From $13,435 05, for ell stone veneer, to $9,54155 for practically all brick building, and no stone trimmings except door and window sills and water table. The two firms Day & Williams and Rush & Warren being the only ones bidding within the practicable limit of cost, were each asked to submit an additional bid, for a building of Hobart brick, like a certain sample, with stone trimmings. The result was a bid •f $10,450, by Day & Williams and of $10,241 56 by Warren & Rush. The letter bid was accepted. All of the bids asked from S3OO to S4OO or more for p'ate glass windows. None of them cover the •ost of the wiring, chandeliers etc. for the electric lights, nor the finishing hardware, both of which will be extra. And so also will be all the furniture and the shelving for the books. The foundations are to be of sand-stone from the Yeoman quarry, southeast of town. The roof is to be of slate. The building is to be completed on or before Sept. Ist next. A hot water heating plant is part of the contract.

The building has been previously described. It will be large enough for all library purposes, for many years to come. It will be 50 by 60 feet in size with an 8 by 20 foot vestibule. The basement story will be 13 feet to the ceiling and the main story 14 feet. Andrew Carnegie gives SLO.OOO towards the building. The people here themselves hustled for the $l,lOO the site cost, and will have to hustle considerable more for what the building, lighting and furnishing will cost, above the $10,000._