New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-01
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS EXCITED.
A WARM DEBATE OVER THE PURCHASE OF LAND IL
HARLEM.


HARLEM.
The meeting of the Board of Education yesterday,
President Walker in the chair, was not confined
TO the dull and somewhat mOnOtOnOus routine
which usually chaTacterizes It's proceedings. AT
the beginning a number OF appropriations were
made for repairs of schoOhOuseS, and the principals
and teachers Of the night schools for the season OF
1852 SO were appointed. Miss Marguerite Liebre,
ont of twenty-five applicants, was appointed tutor
i'm the department of French III the Normal College,
at "A salary OF $500 year. number OF awards
for doing variety OF work school buildings
were considered and changed to other bidders than
those recommended by the committee.
Mr. West then moved for a reconsideration OF the
resolution passed by the Board previous
meeijng authorizing the purchase of plot OF ground
adjoining Grammar School No. 80 ut One-hundrcd d.
aIh-tWenty- tifth-st. and lhlrd-ave. Ihe reason
gwen for asking the reconsideration was that while
II had been stated that tins land was 80 feet +
inches by 80 feet inches, II was one inch snort of
tbe specltied measurement. The motion to recon-
slder having been adopted, Mr.. West proceeded to
oppose the purchase of the land at ALL lie SAID that
not many months ago Ihis same land iad peeh Of
fered 10 the Board at $500 or $4,000, and now
they were asked 10 pay $4,000 lie had voted to
purchase 1t at the latter price under misconcep-
lion. Since he so voted he had been III
formed that the statement that the owner
of the property intended to erect a saW-Inlll
on the property was made simply to force
the Board 70 purchase II al ms own hgllIes
asked was far more than the land was worth, and
m his opinion there something suspicious about
the whole transaction
MIR Deyoe SAID that when the land was first Of
fered to the Board for $1O,00O-nOt $500, as
stated by Mr.. West-and they had declined 10 pur-
chase IL had been bought by Mr.. Wright the pres
ent owner, who bad already begun TO eXcavate the
lot and had let his contracts Tor the erection OF
mill for his own use. " He is man of high stand
ing III Harlem" said the Commissioner, " and lie
will nut UP storage warehouse ana moulding
mil. which is his BUSINESS" MIR. Wright aid not
Wish TO sell, but would do so at the price named
and as a specia, favor TO the Board.
would give 100000" SAID the president with
some warmth. rather than have this Board recon-
slder a resolution for the ayowed
purpose of simply correcting all error ana then 90
back ON their own action
II would rather give $1,000 out of my own
pocket" exclaimed MIR. DevOe, " han have that
PTonIding mill uut UP only tour feet from the walls
Of the schooih0use.' 1t was further explained that
while the storage warehouse would be bad enough,
tine noise from The mill would absolutely rum the
recitation rooms. The opinion was expressed W
other members jhat While the price nught be more
Than the market value OF the land, II was better 10
pay 1t than suffer the depreciation OF their prop
eriy which would unavOidably follow the erection
OF the mill.
Mr. Kelly opposed the I,o, purchase en-, a and
ihf the board was altogether too careless IA us
Appropriation OF large sums of money.
In spending the peoples money lie wanted MS
MONEYS worth as much as though ne were maxim
an Investment on his own individual account.
Mr. " Ood instantly on hls ieet, aId WIN
great earnes sad thai nc decidedly OBJECTED ~
such retections on the Board. lie thought Mr.
Kelis remarks Ill-tlm6d, unjust anu without IOun-
datou As matter Of TACT, ALSO, n appropriations
were ever maze except OH tHo RECOMMENDATION vi
! the Finance Committee, OF winch MI. heilN Is a
me,nber and If there were any appropriations 10
which Ar. Kelly objected these objections should
| DE made III committee. distinctly remember
| one case last year. said Nil Wood, where II 1t
| had not been for my opposition ana that
| OF one other commissioner an appro-
Uriation favored by Mr.. Kelly Tor
| the payment OF 80 600 for a size III the twenty
| third " ard, winch was not worth one-htth IN Al
| price would have been passed. Under the crcuin-
Stances decIdly object TO the inslnuatIons Air.
Kelly that other members OF The Board are careless
| IN using the peoples money" IN
~ made no such statement" SAID Mr.. Kelly,
growing red III the lace " sad IL was rumOIeu 80
OUTSIDE" >, , Al, ~,
! 4" and object TO any such reflection on me, or on
any other member OF this Board"
AZ here may Oe d dIilerenco Of opinion as TO what
10 an oxtrayagant price, remarked Mr.. Kelly.
"Wbat is that I . demanded Mr.. Wood. leaving
his seat and walking over 10 seat close TO Air
Kelly ., A., y,
nlied raising hIs voice, "ls that you not the
most careful man ia the world regard TO bills 10
be paid" a.
bigbest-puced articles were often the cheapest IN
the end. ~. ,,u -. /.
that's Just it," answered Mr. kellyj lit Is
simply u difference OF opinion
President Walker ruled the whole proceeding out
of order aud also the reconsideration OF the TesOiu
zion 10 pay xl5, 900 iOr the land OF Mr. Wright ne
The resolution had been passed by the requisite two
thirds vote Of the Board 40, whereas there were