Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1878 [PAGE 91]

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ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY, CHAMPAIGN, March 11th, 1878.

To the Building Committee of the Hon Board of Trustees of Hie Illinois Industrial University: GENTLEMEN:—I am pleased to be able to report to you that the laboratory is now, as you have doubtless seen by examination, nearly completed as to the building- itself, and I hope that you will find its appearance and construction satisfactory. Some chang-es have been made in the building during- Its erection, causing* some cost additional to the contract price. To prevent any misunderstanding-, I desire to say that I have never recommended or directed any changes, so far as I can recollect, without first consulting- your resident member, Mr. Gardner, through Mr. Brown, and obtaining his consent thereto. I believe that you will find them all to be proper, either improving the appearance of the building, its convenience, or its adaptation to its destined purpose, and at a very reasonable cost. Since your last meeting the following changes have been made: Newel posts at angles of opening in hall floors; mansard story to match those of stairs, instead of continuous rail, cost not agreed upon, should not exceed $10; stairs widened one foot in first floor, to give better access to qualitative laboratory, cost about $10; 44 square yards of iron lathing in milling room. Prof. Weber desires to provide for a furnace there if necessary, cost about $27 00; 1500 lineal feet extra member in base, cost about $35 00; concreting basement floors, in smelting, milling and boiler rooms, cost, .$60 00, paid; difference between plain and ground glass in skylight for photographic room, Mr. Terrill claims about $51 00, but I believe it is too much. Extra skylight over mansard story, $40 00, paid; extra cost of figured slating should not exceed $10; extra cost of window in tank room should not exceed $5. I would recommend also that a base in addition to wainscoting be put in halls, at a cost of $20; also that the stone walls in basement be plastered one coat inside with cement before whitewashing, this will cost $75 00. The last two amounts are Mr. Terrill's offers for the work. Some of the other items he has refused to set any price upon, saying that he preferred to leave it to me, as I had accepted his offers several times and he had lost every time. In the St. Louis and Chicago iron work's circulars, I could find no satisfactory designs for iron railings for the north and south steps, and therefore concluded to use wood balusters and rail instead, as they harmonize much better with the building, and if kept well painted are very durable. They will not cost any more, and I believe ought not to quite as much. The tin pipes required in south end of building were put in, also the necessary thimbles where hot air pipes pass through the floors, so as to finish up to them. I request instructions as to your preferences in regard to the remaining hot air pipes, whether bids be obtained for them, or they be let to some responsible party, or the matter be referred entirely to Mr. Gardner's decision. It is not necessary to put them in at present, and will probably not be before the other heating apparatus be put in. The registers have been ordered from Crane Bros. Manufacturing Co., Chicago. They offer 50 per cent, discount from list prices. In regard to the heating and ventilating apparatus, I complied with your instructions and sent tracings of plans and other necessary information to Crane, Breed & Co., Cincinnati. Mr. Abbot, their engineer, came here during the Christmas vacation and examined the building. He stated his opinions: 1st. That more air would be required than I calculated for, viz. : 250,000 cubic feet per hour. This is based on the greatest number that would be ever gathered in each room at the same time, each room to have its maximum number of occupants at the same time, and allowing for each person 300 cubic feet per hour. Not half of the building will be simultaneously used or fully occupied, this allowance will be from 600 to 1200 feet each per man, several times the probable amount allowed in the main building, and certainly as much as it will be found economical to pay for. By putting in a L *ger fan, however, the volume of air can be increased as much as desired. Mr. Abb it stated also that natural ventilation—that is, with coil boxes at the bases of ducts —put in as in main buildingand without any fans at all, nothing but natural draught, would suppiy the required amount of air. I certainly do not think this probable, judging frcm the results of the system in the main building. Messrs. Crane, Breed & Co. mailed me, under date of January 28th, a signed bid or agreement, proposing for $3,150 to finish and put in boilers, pipes, etc., to heat the two large rooms in basement, the first story, the second story, except gas analysis room, also photographic room only, in mansard story. This included 13,760 feet of inch steam heating pipe, two boilers and fixtures, registers and hot air pipes, but not fan, engine, pump, nor carpenter's work and material for coil boxes, for which an extra price of $476 was asked. On receipt I made reply that I did not think this bid would be acceptable to the trustees, as I believed they desired to heat the entire mansard story, and requested them to estimate the additional cost required for that purpose, also that they would make a proposition embodying any mode of heating and ventilating they would prefer, to that already suggested for the building. Under date of February 28th, they forwarded a reply, stating that on account of a clerical error, they desired to withdraw their previous bid and substitute two others. The first, for $4,370, furnishing boilers and attachments, heating pipes, etc., complete, and fixing, but not including hot air pipes, registers, fan, engine, or purnp3, or cirpentery work of coil casings, and to heat milling rooms and manufacturing laboratory, and all rooms above basement, except gas analysis room. The second, using natural draught only, not requiring fan or engine, for $4,196, furnishing boilers, etc., as before, placing pipe and coil boxes, for which ah additional charge of $280 is made, if put in by them. I submit the three propositions and accompanying letter for your examination, with this report. Prof. Robinson has prepared a detailed estimate, and also drawings, to fully exhibit the method prepared by him for heating the building, which I also present with this, and to which I beg to refer you for full details of the proposed method. I believe it will be found fully satisfactory and the most economical. Prof. Robinson's estimate, as you will see, includes the cost of all the apparatus and fixtures complete, except hot air