Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-14

For current expenses. 2sIl5.32
Shiary iuhu''.. .'s.....'..... l2,2I9.O6
New building fund...,.......,.. l,107.SS
S56, 1850
Mr.. Coyle of the public building
committee asked permission to expend
$50 in putting gas fixtures in No. 1
school in order that the teachers might
have sufficient light in the drawing
school during the evening.
Joseph Pyle opposed the expenditure
on the ground that there was not suf-
ticient money to pay the bill at this time.
MIR. Coyle put his request in the form
of n motion and it was defeated by q
rising vote. The motion to postpone
action on the matter until next August
was adopted.
The committee to whom was referred
the matter of changing the present
school hours reported that they found
nothing warranting such change of
hours and reported the same back to the
board for action.
Mr.. o'Donnell spoke in favor of
changing the school hours and gave
notice that he would ask for revision
OF the rule governing the same at the
proper time.
Mr.. Belts read the report of the com.
mittee on janitors, and action on the
matter, was on motion of Mayor Short.
lidge, postponed for one month.
The board, at the suggestion of Mr.,
Baylis, voted to reconsider the purchase
of the lot adjoining the new grammar
school, owned by Senator Higgins, John
II. Dandy, and others. The motion to
reconsider was adopted. This meant a
step in the direction of buying the lot in
opposition to the wishes OF some of the
members of the board.
Senator Pyle said he did not believe
in paying $62 per foot for the lot, and
believed the sum two prices for the
ground. He was opposed to such ex-
travagance.
Joseph Pyle said the purchase of the
lot would be an infringement of the
rules of the board and that every mem.
Der who voted to buy the lot would be
held to strict account for his action.
He said 1t was time to call halt on the
new grammar school or the members
would find themselves in deep water
before they knew what they were about.
de said the board now owed $25, 672
for work ON the new school and there
was but $1,100 in the treasury. He
desired to know by what right the board
voted to expend this money. He said
he was opposed to the board going into
a real estate speculation. He did not
see why the board wanted TO spend
$500 during these hard times When
the lot was of no earthly use at this
time, He said he did not believe there
was single member of the board who
would give $32 per foot for the lot for
their own use. He thought the lot could
be purchased year from now for 81 900.
Mr. MCCARTHY said the owners of tho
lot must be possessed of "unlimited gall''
to charge $62 per foot for the lot, when
the piece of land adjoining was pur.
chasd by the board for $40 per foot. He
said the owners must be under the i'm
preston that the Board of Education
has claim on the United States Mint.
The member from the Eleventh ward
said that if he possessed as much money
as the late Stephen Girard he would moi
give over $500 for the lot.
Mr., Baynard was in favor of pur.
chasing the ground. He said it was his
opinion that the lot could never be pur.
chased for less than $50 per foot.
Mr.. Clerk thought the purchase Of
the lot was a necessity. He was in favor
Of buying it,
Mr.. o'Donnell objected to the pur.
chase OF the lot as an investment. He
said it would be an imposition upon The
taxpayers.
John Pyle said the lot was not worth
more than $50 per foot. 1t would cost
including the. purchase money and
amount expended to fix it up and bring
the ground to grade, $2,2s9.2O. lie
said the lot would not run away by an.
other year, and then if the board needed
it, the ground might be purchased al
their figure.
Mr. Turner couldn't see that there
was such great necessity in purchas.
ing the lot.
Mr.. Coyle was in favor of pur,
chasing il.
Mayor Shortlidge thought it was pool
economy to hold out against purchasing
the lot when 1t would be an advantage
IN securing it even at the price of 81 500
lie was in favor of economy, but though
the lot should be purchased.
DIR. Morgan said that when the own
ers of the lot run the figure ND to So:
per foot IL looked as if IL was scheme
to speculate at the expense of the board
Joseph Pyle called for yea and ma,
vote.
DIR. Morgan asked to be excused from
voting. There was objection and Ii,
demanded to know by what right tn
board proposed TO compel him to vote il
violations of the rules of the board. a,
Mr.. Pyle had said it would be an in
fringement Of the bylaws to vote to ex
pend $1,000, when there was not none,
in the treasury to meet it,
"Vote nay" said Senator Pyle.
81 have personal reasons for not yotin,
at all" said the member from the Eighti
ward. By q rising vote the membe
was excused from voting.
DR.. Lukens and II. y. Davis were ex
cused from voting, they being new
members. BY unanimous consent the,
were excused.
just before final vote was taker
Joseph Pyle, president of the financ,
committee, called attention to the fac
that the board had now outstanding bill
to the amount of $28,914.12 on tie new
grammar school, while there was only /,
7 balance of $1,100 in the treasury I,
: meet them. Notwithstanding this tiinel,
warning, the motion to purchase the 10
! prevailed.