Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1936 [PAGE 513]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

5"

Chicago, for $5,500 was authorized, and the appropriation from the General Reserve Fund was made, by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Barr, Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Freeman, Mr. Karraker, Mr. Mayer, Dr. Meyer, Mr. Wieland, Mr. Williams; no, none; absent, Mr. Horner, Mrs. Plumb, Mr. Pogue. On motion of Mr. Barr, an appropriation of $6,500 to complete the purchase of property in Urbana authorized December 18, 1935, was made from the General Reserve Fund by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Barr, Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Freeman, Mr. Karraker, Mr. Mayer, Dr. Meyer, Mr. Wieland, Mr. Williams; no, none; absent, Mr. Horner, Mrs. Plumb, Mr. Pogue. On motion of Mr. Barrett, the purchase of the property in Urbana designated as Lot B of the plat submitted with the schedule at a price of $7,300 was authorized, and an appropriation of $1,000 for the initial payment was made from the General Reserve Fund, by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Barr, Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Freeman, Mr. Karraker, Mr. Mayer, Dr. Meyer, Mr. Wieland, Mr. Williams; no, none; absent, Mr. Horner, Mrs. Plumb, Mr. Pogue. At this point, Dr. Meyer and Mr. Barr withdrew.

REPLACEMENT OF UNIVERSITY TELEPHONE SYSTEM

(g) A report from the Director of the Physical Plant Department with recommendations on the replacement of the University telephone system. Mr. Barrett presented a report from the Committee on Buildings and Grounds: Something over a year ago the Physical Plant Department commenced to make a study with reference to a new telephone system, which was absolutely necessary to carry on the telephone service of the University. Bids were taken by them from the following: American Automatic Electric Sales Company, North Electric Company, Bell Telephone Company, Kellogg S & S Company, and Stromberg-Carlson Mfg. Company. After taking and analyzing the various bids, the Physical Plant Department felt that they would like to have an expert canvass the bids and analyze the University conditions to enable this department to come to a definite recommendation. The Committee on Buildings and Grounds recommended the employment of an expert on telephone service, who should be entirely independent of influence from any telephone supply company. It was difficult to find such an expert, but after making an exhaustive inquiry, we found that J. G. Wray & Company, of Chicago, fulfilled this specification as nearly as any company in the United States; the Executive Committee on August 17, 1935, authorized their employment to analyze the quotations and make a recommendation as to what they considered the best type of service for the University. Their final report was submitted in November, but was returned for some further investigations, and it was not until the January meeting of the Board of Trustees that the Physical Plant Department was prepared to make its recommendation. The Committee on Buildings and Grounds met on the evening of Thursday, January 23, canvassed the bids, and went over the final recommendations of the Physical Plant Department based on the report of J. G. Wray & Company. The final recommendation of the Buildings and Grounds Committee is that we rehabilitate the present telephone system, by which the University will have access to 236 unrestricted Bell 'phones, and that a new inter-communicating system, similar to the present system, be installed with 800 'phones. To accomplish this it is recommended that the base bid of the American Automatic Electric Sales Company of $26,000 for a new automatic switchboard, less an allowance of $5,800 for the old switchboard, be accepted, with the privilege of selecting the number and types of 'phones to be purchased later, the cost of