The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-23
STRUCK ANOTHER ROCK.
Gov Carpenter to Be Called Upon to
Help the School Trustees
49, -. Out Of Trouble.
Architect Paulsen Says He Cannot
Furnish the Board With a
--- Certificate.
IL Was Asked for So the High School Build
Ing Could lse Taken From Grant &
Whalen, tho Contractors,


yesterday, the design being to take some
definite action in regard to completing the
high school building. At ths meeting on
monday Architect Paulsen was requested to
furnish the board with the necessary cor
tlncate Of the refnssl, neglect and failure
81 Messrs. Grant d Whhlen, contractors, to
provide labor and material for the building.
80 that the board could terminate the en-
plovment of the contractors under section
ten OF the contract. The architect prom
lsed to have the certificate ready Yesterday
afternoon. He did have a communication
ready, but It was not the certificate the
trustees desired, and to say they were dis
appointed at the results attained is putting
II very mildly. Mr.. Paulsen's communica-
tion was as follows
In responc to your request that [ fur
nish you the necessary certificate Of the
refusal! neglect and failure Of Messrs.
Grant d Whalen, contractors, to provide
labor and material for the high school
building SO that you may terminate their
employment. have to say, that l am at
present unable to make any further certih-
cate than have already made, and that
am not able to certify that their refusal.
neglect and failure are sufficient ground TO
Justify you in terminating their employ
many departures from the terms Of the
contract, and II is wholly uncertain whether
the contractors have been paid the amount
they are entitled to receive, and that NAV
be the cause of the conduct on their part,
OF which you complain. | cannot for these
reasons give you the certificate you require.
respectfully recommend that steps be
taken in accordance withthe original con-
tract to ascertain the amount that is due
the contractors, and that if anything be
found to be duo to them. that it be paid.
II they shall then fail to proceed, your
questions will have assumed different
aspect
The trustees realized after the reading
that according to Mr.. PauIsen they were as
deep in the mud 8s they have been at any
time regarding the high school building.
Several questions we're put to the architect,
who said the board had not followed the
directions he gave in former cornmunica-
ton. and referred to it as sustaining the
positia= he now took. Trustee LanRhorne,
who all through the controversy has advo-
Gated sticking as close to the contract as
possible. was probably the most disgusted
man in the ROOM, He gave vent to his
feelings when he said: II am heartily tired
Of all these delays. For one am in favor
of taking the bull by the horns. taking pos
session of the high school building, and
then let us fight it OUT The other trustees
coincided with him, Trustee Gilpatrick
saving that if it did pet into court some
things would be shown up that some of the
members knew nothing about.
The committee to whom was referred the
matter of employing counsel to assist
County Attorney Nolan reported, recon.
mendinR that the services of sx-Gov. B. p.
Carpenter be secured. Trustee Miller then
moved that all the papers in the high school
krS ri, ~; >.
letter. be referred to County Attorney No
Ian and Gov. Carpenter for their advice as
to what the board could do legally to get
possession of the building and com plete it
During the discussion on the question of
the employment of counsel to assist MIR.
Nolan several of the trustees took occasion
to say that i'll advocating this course no
reflection was intended to be cast upon the
county attorney. who had during the high
school controversy promptly responded to
every call the board had made upon him.
Trustee Guthrie explained that he had not
said he wanted to hire a lawyer that
knowed something;'' that in the general
discussion on Monday the impression do
sired to be conveyed was, if the board did
employ counsel to assist Mr.. Nolan. it
should secure the services of the best in
the city.
During the session the purchase of the
west half of block -, i'll the Flower Garden
were the agents in the transaction and the
price paid was $3275. Superintendent
Williams is now preparing plans for
building to be placed on the property, to
cost, exclusive of the heating and ventilat-
ing apparatus, about $4,000. The bill of
OBrien, the plumber, for 81 ,262.72, over the
correctness of which there is some dis,
pute. came up, ind it was decided to take
advantage of that clause in the contract
providing for arbitration where disputes
arise.
John r. Sanford, the furniture denler,
was present, and asked the board what it
intended to do in the matter OF receiving
and paying for desks he alleged the board
had ordered from him through Prof.
Young. Trustee Langhorne said the board
had received and paid for all tho desks it
had ordered and now had more on hand
than it knew what to do with. 1t was sug-
gested if Prof. Young had ordered the
desks he WAS the proper one to whom to
deliver them, and to whom to look for their
payment. The trustees refused to accept
or nay for any desks Mr.. Sanford might
have, unleBs he could show IN order from
the board for them.