The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-05-05

h.
SNsJAk krSeA ~ night. The members
ISahvS% 4EaNYN of the board present
3)~rGN| were Messrs Bedaall,
Williams, Muldoon, Hanna, Gable, Ire.
zise, Bachman, Ogden, Conry, Davenport,
o Haren, Brennan and Gallagher.
Members of the Phoenix Fire Company
were present and asked that the company
be exonerated from payment of taxes on
its building. The request was granted.
1t was also decided that all the fire com.
panies be exonerated from payment of
taxes.
Mr.. Lamb, representing the Borough
Council, asked that the School Board assist
in remuneratng the committee who assisted
in revising the assessment. He asked that
each member of the committee be allowed
S25 and that each of the assessors be
allowed $40. The matter was referred to
the finance committee with power to act.
A communication from Watkin Waters
Post, No. 146, G. A. R., inviting the
School Board to parade on Memorial Day +,
was accepted.
A proposition from the Shenandoah
Heat & Power Company,to heat the White,
Lloyd, Main and Centre streets school
buildings for 81 600 per annum, was laid on
the table for future consideration.
Superintendent Freeman stated that the
schools are suffering on account of lack of
accommodations, owing to the abandon
ment of the White street building
1 t. bn
buildings be instructed to collect pro rata
share from property holders who are
| connected with the drain of the West
Centre street school building and that the
connections of all parties who refuse to pay
their share be cut off.
Requests to exonerate Mrs. Stanton and
Messrs Moore Michael Neary, Patrick
Casey and Patrick Gaughan, from payment
Of taxes, was referred to the exonerstior
committee.
A request by Major Jennings Council,
No. 367, Jr. o. U, A. Nj, for permission tC
have flag raising at the Main street build.
ing on July 4th, next, was granted.
The question of restoring the salary o
the secretary OF the board to its old figure
was again taken up and the motion to re-
store was dc feated by vote Of to 6
The most important business of the even
ing was that relating to the inspection anC
fate of the White street school building,
A lengthy report by Mr.. Murphy, of which
the following is a copy, was read:
Since receiving your communication o.
/ afY,fY
| general data concerning repairs to your falling
brick school house, have been unable to comt
to such conclusion as l have desired. All ex
perience demonstrates the dangers of defectiy,
construction, particularly in public buildings,
Our recent fire here, at which was present
which destroyed the Central Theatre tn,
Times Annex ana other buildings is late ant
awful illustration. The manner in whicl
portions OF the walls fell and the difficulty
which the contractor has since had in getting
the balance of the walls TO fall, shows the un
certainties of any such conditions.
Having been executive officer of the Engi
neers' Club of Philadelphia for many years
my acquaintance among engineers is unusually
large and 1 have ayailed myself of the benef
OF consultations, in your matter, with at leas
four engineers OF decided and well deserved
prominence, and all Of them agreed with me
concerning the danger and difloulty whicl
beset your problem.
OF course the simple solution would be t
take down the entire building, using such por
| irons as remained suitable in the construction
of a frame structure upon the same site, but
have been endeayoring TO satisfy myself tina
this sacrifice of so valuable building could b,
safely avoided
| While 1 am convinced that the very imperiec
work and material in the masonry foundation
are sufficient to account for the conditions, anC
while l deem it practicable TO rebuild thes'
foundations in a satisfactory manner, l cannO
convince myself that the ground on which thesr
foundations rest is not of uncertain stability
While no well defined sinks may occur, as il
frequent in limestone regions, there is NJ
danger of a large area of surface being gen
orally affected by mining operations underneath
and ! am sure that your building is not to bI
regarded as safe under such condition.
do not predict such an occurrence, but Their
is danger, just as there is Of earthquakes il
Japan, where building like yours would no
be admissible even if built in the best usua
manner and yet where It might stand for age
without any tendency to fail.
l consider it probable that, with prope
masonry foundations under it, and proper ties
your building would be permanently safe, anC
II nothing but the loss Of additional none
were TO be considered, l would not hesitate L
undertake the necessary repairs but, as 1t
entirely possible that the ground underneat