The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-18
TO PAY FOR The LABOR.
Tho School Board Look After the
Workmen on tho New
High School.
Protest From Grant d Whalen
Against Taking thu Build
ing From Thorn.
It Is Placed on Tils and tho Trnstsal
Proceed to Consider Other Matters
before Them.

At the regular meeting OF tbs school trus-
tees yesterday afternoon, Grant ~ Whalsn,
contractors for tbs nsw high school build
ing. presented the following communion
ton:
1--WE beg to call your attention to the fact
that there Is about 5000 due to workmen
for labor upon the building by persons who
are dependent upon thsir daily labor for
support. and who are now in sors mood OF
thu amount due them. We suggest that
tho board might safely pay this small
amount and il IL Ii done w agree that il
shall not, in any manner, affect any mat
ters pending between rs and the bosrd. and
shall not be referred to or considered to
the prejudice OF the rights Of the board In
amy respect whatever. Pay this and charge
to our account"
Tho board decided to pay this bills Of
labor, which the contractors assured them
would mot amount to more than $6OG, and
charge the amount to the contractors &C
oount.
Grant q Whalsn also sent the following.
which was read and ordered to b. placed
on fle:.
I'VE are to-day il receipt Of your notice
TO as advising rs that " are required 70
proceed within three days from this dats
to furnish proper and abundant material,
and 4 force Of properly skilled worknen.
and sarry on tbs work on the school build
ing under the terms Of the contract, and
that failing to do % you will, under the
provisions Of said contract, taks possession
Of said building and complete il under the
terms and conditions provided II the son
tract. " response, we must b permitted
80 say. that We deny the authority Of the
board to taks this action, md protsst
against it, and do hereby give notice that
We are ready and willing to proceed with
the completion Of the achsol building
without delay. provided the board will pay
us IS per cent Of the balance now due to us
for work done and material furnished mp
to this tins. az the sontraot requires You
should have done every " wssks, and
which you have not dons. At your solicit
tation We submitted to you on the 14th of
this month, a bill Of particulars. which We
are advised by the action taken by your
board was entirely ignored. because some
of the itsms were excessive in your judg-
ment, and because the statement furnished
was not in all respects sufficiently specific.
In reply to this VI have to say that we did
not suppose it was expected OF us to naks
ont such a bill Of particulars - would b.
required in a suit in court, whore tha rights
We nrs not insisting upon ! final settle
mont, nor that the board shall be eon-
cluded BY any payment made to ~. W.
only ask ! partial payment on account.
Tho payments we havs already received
were made under estimates furnished with
out any bill Of particulars being required
of US. Besides We have already visited tbs
building in company with year committee,
and have shown thon the work for WHOA
We claim additional oomPsnsation.
Your wi architect and superintendent
know personally well all thu
have furnished. and the value thereof, and
your committee was instructed in the Per
foYmAncs of its duties to call upon these
gentlemen for information. Your commit
tee does not, however, state that they
called upon them, and that they were not
we are justified in believing that No effort
WAS made by tho committee to obtain any
facts from them or either Of them. It IL al
much the duty of the board to ascertain
the amount and character Of any extra
work done, or material furnished rs it ID
employed under high salaries to look after
it. Why il it, that tho board psrsistsntly
Ignores the provision of the contract, which
especially provides this mode nv which the
amount of our compensation for or
traA NAV be readily and speedily
determined: We are ready now and
to submit the matters of difference between
US az to the amount of our compensation in
tho mode provided in the contract, a. you
have been notified timo and again. W.
still insist on onr part that the matter
shall DO submitted to compstent arbitrat-
ols, as provided in the contract, and are
nat xvilliCu TINT onr riuhta ahall No Iatar-
mined by the board itself. We desire that
our work shall be examined and the pricl
therefor tixod by skilled mechanics, and
not by persons having n 0 practical knowl-
edge Of building. II the committee had
called upon US for any information, which
should have done, We would have gladly
furnished them any information they do.
81; ed. II is only On account of the failure,
neglect and refusal to comply with
the provisions OF the contract that we
ara unable, at present. to proceed with the
work. We deny the right OF the board &c
terminate the contract at this timo fol
many reasons. but especially because b.
the continued violation, and disregard bj
the board Of the thirteenth paragraph OF
ths contract, by which all our difference
could have been prevented. and by = aom-
we must insist that it be done. Let thu
board comply with tho contract OF its part
md We will complete the bailding without
unreasonable delay"
This resolutions offered the day before by
Trustee Jockey, to have Architect Paulssr
proceed with the work. we're lost by yeas 2
nays s, the majority of tho board thinking
they had already taken all the steps neoes-
cary up to this time.
You can get everything in notions for lesI
money ut Butcher l. Bradley's than anywhere
else in town.
Bird cages in endless variety ut The Bee Hive
at prices to suit the times.