Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1906 [PAGE 150]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

124

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[June 27

Electrical Engineering Laboratory.—The rooms in the second story of Electrical Engineering Laboratory are rather small and poorly lighted. Professor Brooks would like to have some changes in partitions made and a skylight put on the roof, so as to make these rooms available as class rooms. In order to get some additional rooms, he suggests changing the stairway. Estimated cost, $1,200.00. Mechanical Engineering Laboratory.—The Engineering Faculty recommends the addition of another section to the new Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, at a cost not to exceed $12,000.00. * Armory.—I have received two bids for the extension of the Armory, in accordance with plans already approved by your commitee; one from English Brothers at $1,899.00; one from A. W. Stoolman at $1,795.00. I recommend the acceptance of the latter proposition. Tool Room.—I enclose drawing of the tool room which is to be added to the Metal Shops. I received bids on this on the basis of a one-story structure extending about 30 feet to the north, but afterwards changed it to a structure with the finished basement and extending only two-thirds of that distance to the north, which will certainly make a better appearance. Mr. Stoolman's bid on the first plans was low, and I asked him to refigure it on the basis of the present drawing, and he submits a figure of $1,198.00. I believe that we are authorized to close this contract without further action of the Board, and if it meets with your approval I will close this up at once. Insectary.—I also prepared plans for Dean Forbes' insectary, which the Board located south of the Agriculture greenhouses, and I wish to submit the plans to you for your approval, and also wish you to settle on an exact location. I recommend that the building be faced south on axis with the Observatory and just north of the north line of Nevada street. This will make a presentable termination for the group of greenhouses and will also curtail the Agricultural people from further extensions to the south. Chemical Laboratory.—There will probably be about $5,000.00 out of the special appropriation for furniture and equipment for the Chemical Laboratory which will have to be put into special furniture, and I have already gotten the drawings under way for this work. I have placed it in the hands of Mr. Bevis, subject to your approval. There is a good deal of special detail work about it, and I think the most economical way to proceed is to prepare the drawings quite fully and then to contract for all of the mill-work possible, but to do the erecting and finishing by the day and to contract as much of the plumbing as possible. If I have the drawings prepared by one man, then he will have' to give very close supervision to the carpenters who are erecting it, which makes altogether too much expense for the superintendence. Mr. Bevis attended the Architectural Department of the University for three years and then went into contracting. He and his brother were the contractors on the President's House, and this one afterwards ran a planing mill. For the last three years he has been doing superintending, and for two years worked for Patton & Miller at a salary of $130.00 a month; since then he has been on government work in South Dakota. He is very anxious to be located here, because he wishes to be with his children, who are cared for by his sisters, as his wife died about a year ago. He is therefore willing to work here for $90.00 a. month and is perfectly willing to do carpentering along with his superintending. It therefore seemed to me that a man of this sort would be an economical one to place in charge of that work, as we would not have anybody standing around watching somebody else work. I do not feej^like trusting him solely with the financial responsibility, but under such supervision as I could give him I believe he would be an excellent man, and t suggest that he be employed at $90.00 a month as long as we find need for him, his work to be specifically in connection with the Chemical Laboratory, but he can be used on other work if at any time he is short of work there. As you will see from the above list, there is going to be a great deal of work to be looked after, and I desire to be relieved from the immediate daily supervision of the work, though I am perfectly willing to carry the general