Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-09-14
Report of the school Commission
erS to the City Board.


To the Hon. Board Of Mayor and
Aldermen!
The School Commissioners an
pointed by the Board for the pur-
pose of building school houses for
the public schools would respect
fully submit the following report ::
That they were unable to do any,
thing until the settlement of the
lawsuit pending between the cred
itorS of the Memphis, GAINESVILLE q
Louisville Railroad and the county
of Montgomery and city of Clarks-
vile, for the reason that the fund
upon which they were compelled to
rely for the building of houses was
the proceeds of the sale of the stock
of the Louisville d Nashville road,
which the company refused to
transfer until said suit was settled.
They would report that as soon as
said suit was settled, they began to
prepare for building. Their work
has been much delayed from the
fact that the means placed in their
hands were wholly inadequate to
build such buildings as our public
schools require. The first step was
to purchase the lot in front of the
Methodist church for about 81 400,
which was remarkably cheap. Soon
after this they employed Mr.. John
l.. Smith, an architect from Nash
vile, to prepare plans and specifica-
tions for two houses, one for the
white children, to be built on said
lot, and the other for the cOlOred
schools, to be built on the lot near
Trinity Cemetery, which was al
ready the property of the city.
After the purchase of the lot OppO-
site the Methodist church, they
were greatly delayed because the
Court House Commissioners wished
to buy the lot for a Court House.
After due consideration, your Com
missiOners offered the same at an
advance of $3.50, which was ac-
cepted by the Court House Commits
siOners, but afterwards rejected by
the County Court. They were in
duced to make this offer because
their means were insufficient to
build the house and this profit
would have given ample means.
Pending these negotiations their
plans and specifications were all
prepared, Bids have been taken,
and it is impossible to complete the
two buildings for less than $l4, 625,
which is regarded as remarkably
low for the work. Our present fl
nancial condition is as follows:
Cash in Bank - 90
rs Shares Stock at 341 1904 50
City Bonds, $3.50, at 1885 90
sl4,888 50
We owe
John L. Smith, Architect. $3.50 90
For grading, abOut................. 100 90
TapScOtt, for service........ 20 90
Balance on lot..-................ 100 90
Foundations, about............. 70 90 1915 0O
sl2,688 50
From which it will beseen we need
81 1886 80 to complete the buildings.
In the above estimate Is included
the stock of the l.. & N. Railroad,
which is placed at the price it is
quoted in the papers. Your Com
missiOners do not think it advisable
to sell said stock now, as they be-
lieve it will advance in price during
the present year. They would make
the following recommendations
That they begin their work at once,
carrying out plans already adopted
that the cash in hand and city bonds
be used in carrying the work on as
far as possible that they be author
lied, if they deem it advisable, to
borrow money to push the work
forward, retaining the stock till
such time as they daem it advisable
to sell that they have full power to
sell any part of the same at any
time; that the city set apart the
present school buildings, consisting
of two small houses, as part of the
building fund to be used in paying
for the new houses after they are
completed, and that the School
Board be authorized to employ a
part Of the fund to come into their
hands FOR the building. 1t is not
proposed that the city shall assume
any debt which cannot be paid out
of assets in hands of your Commits
siOners, proceeds of sale of buildings
and such sums as the school Board
can spare by economy. These
buildings are so essential to the sue
cess of our school system that ii is
hoped that no effort will be apared
to Complete them promptly.
p, q, JOHNSON,
j. l., GLENN,
t. II. HYMAN,
SAM. JOHNSON,
III. c. MERRITT,
Building Com.