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$354,000.00, from John H. Parker Company. The bid of 
this firm having been referred by the Park Board to the Cor- 
poration Council for his opinion as to its formality was pro- 
nounced by him informal and invalid, and on November 15th 
the Park Commissioners ordered the matter readvertised. On 
November 29th proposals were received from seven contrac- 
tors. That of the John H. Parker Company for $347,019.00 
being again the lowest, the contract for the erection of the 
buildings designed by Mr. Gibson was, on December 6th, 
awarded to the John H. Parker Company for the amount of 
their bid. 
On December 28th the Secretary of the Committee was in- 
formed by Mr. McMillan, President of the Park Board, that 
the contract had been duly signed. 
On December 31, 1897, President McMillan of the Depart- 
ment of Parks, in the presence of representatives of the en- 
terprise and of the architects, the contractors and others, 
formally broke ground for the Museum Building with the 
following remarks: 
‘¢ As President of the Department of Public Parks, I now pro- 
pose to break ground for the Botanical Museum that will soon 
adorn this beautiful spot. A great and progressive metropolis like 
ours has need of this noble structure; it has need of its example and 
of the splendid educational influences that will radiate from these 
walls. 
‘¢T pray that success may attend this enterprise and that the last 
day of the year 1897 may become forever memorable by reason of 
the work which has called us together.” 
The specifications for the range of horticultural houses 
(first horticultural house) were sent by the Park Commission- 
ers to the Public Printer on December 3d, and proof of them 
was received on December 15th, corrected by the architects, 
and transmitted to the Corporation Council on December 16th. 
These specifications were returned by the Corporation Coun- 
cil tothe Park Board on December 24th, approved as to form, 
and were transmitted to the Public Printer for final printing. 
On December 27th a set of these plans was filed by the Lord 
