The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-04
some MORE POINTERS.
Additional Hints In Case an ~!nyesti-
cation Of the School Board
Is Had.
Money Lying Idle In Bank on
Witch the Taxpayers Are
Paying Interest.
Settlement at thu Stone Contract and
the Duties and Compensation OF
an Icmploye.

As the impfossion becomes stronger that
thcrs will be q grand Jury investigation Of
school board affairs, many suggestions are
made ar totwhnt might b. inquired into
with the prospect Of beneficial results.
Yesterday HE INDEPENDENT printed some
Suggestions from a trustee, covering certain
transactions of the old board. A gentle
man who gives q great deal Of attention to
school mates in this district and who il
pretty conversant with the business of the
board, though not = member, in talking of
an investigation yesterday, endorsed the
suggestions Of the trustee quoted. and said:
The grand jury is the proper body to mAks
an investigation Of school bourd affairs.
and 1t should DO very thorough. Yha con
tracts and purchases Of the old board
should be carefully inquired into, and also
the business of tho present board. There is
ono point in particular / would like to
have explained, and that il this. Ia Au-
gust, 1891, $4,000 was received by the
Helena school district from the sale of
bonds. Since Sept. / last there has been OF
deposit in a local bank 800, 900 Of the
money. This sum belongs to tho building
fund. The banks allow five per cent. on d.
pOnlt6 HNA lOI Wig lvG IAUAtNn sAo TlVOyVuO
have been on deposit itshould have brought
in $4,000. The trustees are paying six per
cent. on this 800. 900, which for 1.-Two months
amounts to $500. According to my way
of figuring the taxpayers arc out just $500
since Sept. l in this matter alone, due to
ment of the present board. ANYWAY, the
board should be $1,000 better off than it is.
There ia yet another matter" continued
the gentleman. that I think should be in
CURED into. Thers are minors Of poor
management. il not criminal negligence, in
ths matter of tbs final settlsment Of the
stone contract on the high school building.
Some 800 or $500 was paid the contrao tors
in this settlement, and have heard one of
the trustees say lately that the money
should not have been paid. When the
affairs of the board are looked into this
should not be forgotten.
IF not deserving Of anything moro ssri-
Gus. I believe the present trustees Of the
Helena school district should at least be
censursd. The people of this city voted
$4,000 for q school building in the Sixth
ward. The lot has not yet been purchased,
though there have been q number Of advln-
tageous Offers. The board has $780, 600
lying in bank, drawing, no interest, and Is
paying rent for school rooms to private
parties. There was $4,000 also voted for a
school on the west side, in the Fifth ward.
Nothing has been done in that matter
elLnor, Out tHo DO0rQ II renting q room
adjoining a laundry for the children.
"There is yet another matter that might
be inquired into. Some time ago the school
board engaaeda gentleman to superintend
the construction of the high school build
ing. Afterwards | believe his duties were
made to cover the superintendency of all
new buildings. He 10 paid = stated monthly
salary for the work. Al I understand it the
superintendent was afterwards engaged to
prepare plans and specifications for the
Seventh ward school. This he did. and for
the work was allowed tho regular fee
charged by architeots-such a per cent on
the cost of the building. He also superin-
tended it's construction. The question
arises, did the superintendent receive
double pay in this Seventh ward
school business? If be was
only paid q commission for
drawing the plans at the regular rate, there
il not much to say against it. But if he
received the rate allowed architects for
drawing the plans and experimenting con-
struction, and in addition received his reg
ular monthly salary as superintendent, il
shows the board has been extravagant, to
say the least.
"Let US make" concluded the gentleman,
this investigation thorough. If the grand
jury il called to inquire into public bust
Moss, after it finishes with the school board
let it look into city affairs. There are
those who say they need looking into as
badly as school board business
,H%eminwey's silks of all kinds just received at