St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-20
OFFICIAL.
Proceedings Of The Board Of Education.
Special Meeting.


Willis, Giesen, Gilbert, Athey, j. j. Ellis,
previously qualiied), Fogg, Curtis, Ber-
landi, Enright and Mr.. PreSident-l2.
Absent: Inspectors Wampler, Kerr and
Thrall-3.
The President having stated the object of
the meeting, presented communication
from Mr.. Gates A. Johnson. City Inspector
of Buildings, which was read, and when
related at length number of imperfectlonS
and defects in some of the new school
buildings, now under contract and IN pro-
cess of erection by the Board of Education.
Such defects were particularly alleged
against the buildings on Western avenue
and Front street, Orleans street, and tne
Washington School, on Olive street, whlle
the structures on Grand avenue, the one III
Sigel's addition, and those on Arlington
hills and Western avenue EAST slde) were
commended, also, however, Win SOME
reservations.
On motion of INSPECTOR Willis the COM
munication was received and ordered filed.
The Committee on Real Estate then pre-
scented the following report, VIZ:
ST. PAUL, Mimi, May is. 1885.
To the Honorable Board of Education:
Having seen by the public prints that Sc
rious complaints are made by the Building
Inspector of this city in regard to the school
bnildings. now in process OF erection, we
beg leave to offer the following report: Be
fore giving a detailed statement OF the
buildings visited we will state that the
Board have the same architects this year as
for several wears past; that we believe they
are men who stand high in their profession,
and the Board employ them not only TO fur-
nish plans and specifications but to superln-
tend the construction of the buildings. We
took Special pains to award all our contracts
To first-clsss contractors, men who had the
reputation of doing honest work. we have
no desire to whitewash anybody, and no
motive in concealing the facts. But we do
profess to know something about the cree
ton of school buildings, and what we state
We are willing should be subjected to the Sc
FereSt test.
At the German School the foundation
walls are good, the mortar is good in both
stone and brick work, and all the work is
well done. The architect condemned one
lot of the brick that had been hauled there
some time ago. and on Thursday last dis
covered that some of these brick had been
put into the building, when he promptly
notified the contractor that the work would
have to be taken down. Part of this was
done in our presence, and a very few soft
brick were found With this exception we
are satisfied the work is well done.
At the Douglass School the foundation is
not vet completed, but so far as it IS
finished we are perfectly satisfied
with it. and pronounce it good JOB:
The Joints are well made, the stone is good
and the mortar is good. There are no brick
there except about 1, 900 that are being used
for chinneys in the basement and arches
over basement doorways, and they are OF
fair quality for such work.
WASHINGTON SCHOOL.
The foundation walls are nearly COM
pleted The footings are four feet wide
and eight inches thick.
The walls are well laid, in good mortar.
They are bonded every second or third
course, alternately at all openings; the
main walls three fourthS bonded. We saw
no signs of these walls falling of their
own weight if left alone" and, in the opin-
ion of your committee, they are stronger
and in better condition than in the Airing
ton Hills School, which the Inspector OF
Buildings passes as all right.
Your Committee realize the necessity Of
having our school buildings safely con-
structed. and are not willing to admit that
thew have been derelict in this respect. We
are also glad to receive suggestions from
personswho are competent to give intelli-
gent advice; hnt4we desire to enter our pro-
test against Such ilnwarranted and unjust
criticisms as are reported to have been
made by the Inspector of Buildings for the
city. Very respectfully submitted.
L. A. GILBERT,
s=z@%zH VIM. BERLANDI,
J. NJ. MINOR,
Committee on Real Estate.
Jnspector Athey moved to receive, ac
cent and adopt the report OF the Committee
on Real Estate.
Inspector Willis moved to amend so as to
receive the report with thanks to the Com
mittee. but to have a committee Of five ex-
merits appointed by the President to further
Investigate and report upon the matter at
issue.
Pending disposition of above motions and
on motion of Inspector Gilbert the super
yising architects of the Board, Messrs. ID.
W. Willard and A. F. Gauger, were heard
in reply to the charges made by the Build
ing INSPECTOR. both gentlemen taking
strong ground in defense of the buildings
under their respective Superintendencies,
Mr.. Willard characterizing ''these allegations,
as not worthy Of attention" but on account
of the reputation of the city, the Board and
of his own firm, which has been UNNECESSARILY
damaged" by this report, he asks for
commission of impartial experts whose find
ings shall be published, etc. Mr.. Gauger,
while admitting that lot of poor brick
were on the ground of the German School,
a small number of which had been used, as
serted that the brick had long since been
condemned by him and the sswalls wherever
used torn down, rebuilt and the brick ordered
removed from the premises; in all other
respects the workmanship and material
were pronounced good and satisfactory,
in which opinion he was sus-
tanned by the statements of Mr.. BurTis, a
practical builder who had been requested to
inspect the work and give his opinion, as
also by Inspector Minor. who exhibited
lot of brick and mortar as taken from the
German School premises.
Mr. William P. Murray, the Attorney of
the Board, counseled moderate and careful
consideration of the whole matter at issue,
not doubling a satisfactory solution of the
question on which the Inspector and the
Committee were at such positive variance.
Inspector Fogg offered the following as a
substitute to the motions now before the
meeting:
Resolved, That the Real Estate Com
mittee is hereby instructed to confer with
Building Inspector Johnson on the subject
of the alleged defects in the construction Of
certain school buildings now in process of
erection, and that, if the Committee
and Mr.. Johnson cannot agree in their
views upon the matter, a commission con-
sisting of three (S) builders and two ~
architects shall be selected by said Commit
tee and Building Inspector to examine and
report to this Board upon the construction
of said buildings.
Inspector Willis having withdrawn his
amendment in favor of the substitute, In
spector BerIandi moved to amend the latter
by having a special committee of three on
conference appointed by the chair in place