The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-09
NEW SCHOOLS NEEDED
Erection Of Two More Build
ings Recommended.
THE MONEY IS FORTHCOMING.
M. Prssch Reports 70 the Beard In
Favor Of I've oss 600 Buildings
-Eeports for March,

LEG meeting Oh the Sc0Oot UOAIu Isl ux6Es
was chiefly taken up By the reading and con-
alteration Of reports Thomas w. Prosch, OF
the grounds and buildings committee, sub
mitted the following communication:
"Gent,emn. The necessity for more school
houses has been recognized By all for long
time, but the manner of obtaining them It has
heretofore been impossible TO determine. The
board IL now leasing fifteen rooms at from $l5 TO
SO per month each, and ct m aggregate monthly
expense of 500 These rooms are scattered all
over the town, wherever they could be secured,
and in some cases are anything but desirable
from moral. sanitary and other points OF view.
Neither are they regarded with favor by neigh
boring fsmiIies and merchants, while the pupils
and their parents generally view them with ex-
treme dislike. We can easily imagine that the
results accomplished in them are not to be COM
pared with those in the large houses built for
and adapted to school purposes.
'In addition to these leased rooms are ten
rooms in wretehed little buildings. put up BY
order of the board, on lots belonging to the dis
trict. in which there il not only lack Of perman-
ency and ornamentation, but Lack also OF COM
fort and convenience, ii not absolute Lack OF
safety as well. These rooms were leased and
built only a. q makeshift, to supply deficiency
in accommodations that could not be supplied
in any other way, and they were probably the
best that could be done at the time under the
circumstances No fault can be found on that
score, but fault can be found with the contin-
uance Of their use any longer than absolutely
necessary.
eve have reason to suppose that ~ much
school room will be required during the coming
year as was required during the past. That
more will be needed the board mem
bers all no doubt individually believe
While we may be mistaken in the
belief. 1t may be positively assumed that
VIC are not in the superstition. This being SO,
the district viii need new buildings for the edu-
cation of its children, containing not less than
twenty-four rooms. Whether or not these
rooms can, with most advantage to pupils, be
placed in four, six, eight or twelve-room houses
Is question, but there can be no question from
q moneyed standpoint of putting them in twelve
room houses. The cost will be less for Sites less
for construction per room, and less for subse-
quent construction, care and warmth. The dis
trict is pinched for money, and Is forced 70 study
and practice economy. The advantage OF the
large house are so many and plain AID the
financial pressure % severe that the inadyiSa-
bility of building any other kind is patent.
architects have furnished estimates to the
effect that good, plain houses, with brick outer
and inner walls, slate roofs, twelve rooms OF
sixty-plpil capacity, with heating apparatus,
modern ventilation, closets, ETC., first-class and
complete, can be built for $4,000 apiece. This
is about half the cost Of the Central and South
houses. The difference OF 50 per cent in cost of
construction 10 accounted for in the present ex-
cceding cheapness of materials and the lack OF
exterior ornamentasion in the buildings pro-
posed. Two such houses are needed and two
such houses can be built this year ii the board
viii so determine.
available. Mr.. Furth, to whom the bonds were
sold, has made every reasonable effort to negoti-
ate them, but So far without success. He has
offered them to investors At q rate that would
entail upon him loss of Thousands of dollars.
While he has failed in the past he still has hopes
for the future and only asks for time to complete
the transaction. When he subscribed for these
bonds, per cents. were in demand; in fact,
were at . premium. The money markets have
since been in tighter condition, and nothing less
than per cent bond could be sold Port
Townsend has Just sold $4,000 of per cent
bonds for $1,000 and the city of Seattle is at
this time completing sale of per cents at 103
and per cents at 81. No other place
has better credit or can borrow upon better
terms than Seattle. Mr.. Furth. while waiting
and trying to sell the 1S90 bonds, viii take Scat
tie school district warrants At par to the amount
yet unissued on the loan referred TO. He will
agree to take up the warrants as fast a. issued,
20 that construction contracts entered into may
be upon the gold dollar or cash basis. The state
law viii allow the board to incur an expense of
$4,000 year for construction purposes. This,
auucu W inc iiuuSy URN Will duS8uCes
will give the board . building fund of between
$4,000 and $4,000, and, ~ the grounds are
already secured, is enough practically to build
the two much-needed substantial brick houses.
at VIII probably be impossible in any other
way to raise so much money during the calcn-
dar year Further inaction viii not only increase
the discomforts and Inconvenience, but viii
cost thousands of dollars in rent renewals alone.
Any irregularities there may be in the manner
Of procedure suggested in this paper are but
trifling, and may, whilc the exigencies are 50
great, well be overlooked"
MI. Proseh's suggestions were favorably re-
ceiyed. but no action was taken further than to
instruct the committee on grounds and build
ings TO look ont for suitable site for building
The expressed intention of the different mem
bcrs OF the board is TO erect at least one twelve
or sixteen room building as soon as feasible
superintendent Barnard presented his report
OF attendance from September s, $50, to March
xrh, os. q of toll g