The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-23

ana west walls being down on the aecon(
rock and that Of the north and east wall
on part Of the same rock that was Sold
Consequently the foundation Ia % firm q
the hills.
The attempt was made to erect thI
south and west walls on the rubbage o.
filling Of the excavation made by the re-
moyal Of the rock. Clay was dug from
the hill and put on that portion Of thI
rock visible and not removed, and oripi
nally intended for the foundation, with d
view oi hiding the same. This caused the
lower story to be damp and It was lined OF
WAinscotted on the inside. The carpen.
ter claimed and got $500 extra in con,
sideration Of lumber said to have been
stolen while the Trustees were quarrel,
ing about selling the foundation, and on
account Of the fact that lumber was higher
the year the house was erected than Il
was the year In which It was contracted
for.
Propositions were received for school
deaks. Two Of the bids were by the
piece, one agreeing 70 make the number
required for $183. This bid was read i'm.
properly Snd construed 10 mean $l.83-a
piece. The contract, BY this mistake,
was given 10 the highest bidder at O loss
Of $54-to the Taxpayers. Mr.. Alex.
Pannell got the contract, while Mr.. LIKE
was entitled TO %, owing to the fact that
the citizens Of the Second Ward would
elect School Trustee who could NOT read
properly. The whole amount wasted was
5000 70 the carpenter, $94 10 the mason,
and $54 for the desks. The amount paid
for wainscoting Ia not now recollected,
but probably the whole amount Of un-
necessary expense was about 800. This
amount was shameful and needless
waste, even II It deserves TO he called by
80 charitable name. II was, however,
in the dark ages Of our school days,
almost 0 quarter oi Q century before the
present First Ward School House was
erected. This latter job is q product Of
modern times, specimen Of the Wastage,
laundering and Credit Mobilierism OF
this ripe age. In this enterprise
81 900 was sunk in the foundation by ex-
cavatlng seven teet below the grade Of
the street. THIS excavation had TO be
filled up and the walls made seven feet
higher at the Aforesaid cost Of $1,000.
The mistake caused delay In the build
Ing sufficiently long to allow It to sustain
damages by storm TO the extent Of say
$400. The Board oi Education paid the
contractor $900-mAking $1900-exclu-
sive Of the amount paid 70 the surveyor,
and the $3.50 offered the Architect as o
compromise. See the report oil the Board
Tor February Goth, 1874. The Supt. OF
the Wheeling district in his report, as
may be seen In the fifth annual report Of
the General Supt, folio 40, uses the fpl-
lowing language: "But owing TO delays
occaSioned by o misunderstanding be.
tween the architect and the builder the
work has been suspended It was general.
" known that God In his wrath had
knocked down portion OF that part Of
the building nearest the heavens, but Il
was not generally known that the con-
fusion Of tongues was so great as to cause
the work 70 be suspended.
Part Of the same page in the report on
which this sentence occurs is an adver.
tisement OF the accomplished architect.
His qualifications are made part Of the
report at the expense Of the tax payers.
One Of the members Of the Board Of
Education has attempted to Justify his
voting Tor the 5000 as follows: III the
Board had not paid the carpenter the
$4OO, he (the carpenter) would have felt
the loss, but the $500 falls upon the tax
payers, and is q mere pittance to each
one" 10 tempora o moresp n John
Randolph once spoke Of 0 certain class oI
men who had neither the integrity, intellect
nor education 10 act in an official capacity,
and yet were never satisfied except when
In some petty Office and could not prosper
except when they neglected their own
business 10 attend to that Of other people
without any visible fee or reward. II the
men Randolph had in his eye are dead,
others have since arisen TO follow In their
footsteps. 1t Is dlscoursglng, Mesars. Ed.
itors, to those who not only have no axes
10 grind, but who have actually deprived
themselves oI many needed comforts
In order TO comply with the laws Of the
commonwealth and furnish their portion
Of the levy In the hope Of staying vice
and immortality in our midst by means Of
general education, to see 90 little fruitage
resulting from the vast outlay that has
taken place from the first TO the last
Much is said about enemies Of schools
My opinion Is that the real enemies Of the
schools, like the enemies Of the Christian
religion, are In It's own household. The
majority of the people form their opinion
Of schools, as they do Of religion, by what
they see Of its proiessed friends, rather
than by what they hear and read for or
against them, SECOND Ward.