The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-02
SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS.

presented an itemized statement of the
funds wanted for running the schools for
the current fiscal year. Our reporter
had the statement to publish with these
but the Superintendent of
Public instruction urged that the state
ment be kept cut of the papers, for the
reason that the estimates as made for
each school could not be carried out, as
in some cases there would be an increase
in attendance and falling of in other
schools, thus compelling the board to
give one school more and another less
than the estimates called for. Asking
the reporter for the statement, he left
the room with il, and, when asked for
il later in the day, stated that he could
not furnish it then. Before adjourning,
the board passed a resolution requesting
him to return the statement TO their Gus
tody, as it was the property of the board.
The superintendent stated that while
they were public officers, there were
some things that should be kept secret,
that this statement was based on an
average of Sc per scholar, but the board
asked to reserve the right to revise the
list of estimates and to use the money as
in their judgment would be for the best
interests of the public schools. He read
the statement of the amount of funds,
showing that at the beginning of the
year the board had on hand $3.50. 80, the
county and State tax of $13,954.70,
making a total of $14, 305.03. For all
purposes the board had expended during
the last scholastic year $40, 630,55 leav-
ing a cash balance on hand for the cur
rent fiscal year of $3,674.4s. On this
statement the committee asked the board
for a levy of at least 81 mills tax for
school purposes, and an additional 81 600
for repairing the Palstka school build
ing. The estimates furnished called for
$14, 1880 for this year. The commits
sioners seem to think that two mills,
with the surplus ON hand and the funds
which will be received from the State,
will give the board funds sufficient, with
about 81, 100 excess for incidental ex-
penses, and that will probably be the
sum levied.
Prof. Wood, in closing his statement
to the board, took occasion to pay his
respects to THE News, and referring to
the estimates published in yesterdays,
paper, said the amounts expended by the
board for the last fiscal year were over
stated, that instead of S14, 900 in reality
ths board had expended only $40, 630.55,
and hoped the paper would be more ac-
take to the fact that $4,000 had been
borrowed from the commissioners and
repaid. The Professors statements were
endorsed and reiterated by Mr.. Lott
Allen, of the school board.
JAIL IMPROVEMENTS.
At the request of Commissioner Mon
roe, appointed at the last meeting to look
after the proposed improvements at the
Jail, Mr.. B. II. Enos, architect, appeared
before the Board with the plans and esti-
mates for a kitchen and store room, to
be 12x24 feet inside of walls, which
would be let to the lowest bidder, the
bids to be received on Monday next.
The specifications can be found with
the clerk
At this point the Board adjourned to
the Jail for the purpose of looking into
the matter of the recent Jail delivery.
Chairman Cook stated that such de-
livery could not have taken place had
ordinary precaution been exercised. and
the mechanical devices of the Jail provi-
ded for the protection of the officers been
used, and had Jailer Perry to
give a practical illustration of the work
ings of the cage doors. To begin with,
the jailer ordered the fifteen prisoners in
the cage into one cell, when the door was
locked on them by means of the lever,
and then the corridor door was I'M
locked and the commissioners and re-
porters walked inside, perfectly free from
contact with the prisoners, and they as
fastened up as if there was no
door in the whole concern. The jailer's
was called to this fact that the
prisoners could have been thus secured
before the delivery, and he said himself
that if he had taken that precaution the
prisoners could never have escaped from
him. The jailer also explained to the
Board the manner of the attack made
upon him, substantially as published in,
The NEWS, and explained that the rea-
son the outer doors were open at the
time was because the cell where the
crazy negro had been confined was being
cleaned out, and the doors were left open
to give the servants access to it.
BILLS.
The following bills were read, ap-
proved and ordered paid:
Board Of Public Instruction, for
attendance and milage. $500. 5 24.00
jail. ........-...... 1000
A. j. Wood, salary for Sept. 5000
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