The morning call., 1894-03-04
A SCHOOL SITE.
1t Occasions Indignation
at Elmhurst.
Property Sold Upon Conditions That
Were Not FulfilIed-Mrs. Jones'
Timely Offer Accepted.

The pretty little village of Elmhurst, on
the electric road between San Leandro
and Oakland, and about four miles from
town, is just now in the throes of a genu-
Inc sensation.
It seems that when the town was laid
out and wnen the boom was at It's height,
bonds were voted TO build schoolhouse,
and for this purpose the Warner Brothers.
who owned most of the land upon which
the town was laid out were induced to
offer for a reduced price and reserve
for the purpose twelve choice lots,
each 50x140 feet in size. Three thousand
dollars was the sum TO be paid for these
lots. and when the big auction sale of lots
was held there were flags flying from these
lots announcing the fact that fine insti-
tuition Of learning would be erected theI e.
on. On the strength of this many lots
were sold surrounding this school tract.
In due season the town was regularly
started. school district formed, SchuuI
Trustees chosen and bonds voted to build
a schoO house according tn the wishes %
the voters on these selected Warner lots.
Anderson Jones, 4. ID. Macdonald and
Louis SlmonsOn were chosen as board
of school trustees, and il was supposed
that as soon as the school bonds were ne
gotiated the lots would be paid for and a
choolhouse erected.
The lots were paid for. The sum of
$4,000 of the funds was used for this pur-
pose But the trouble at Elmhurst inst
now is that the lots selected 10 the mind of
every Elmhurstite were not the ones chosen.
School Trustee Jones also owned piece
of land south of the track, and II was
from this tract, much TO the CONSERVATION
of the citizens, that site was chosen for
the school Jones offered the trustees
- III
$1,000 and, strange to say, the trustees
voted 10 accept by a vote OF To /, Jones
and Macdonald casting the affirmative
votes. However, Jones bad decided the
property to his wife and the transaction
was between Mrs. Jones and the trustees.
Ii was done in this way: On Thursday
last, March 1. the board had a meeting, at
which a proposition was received from
Mrs. Jones to sell the lots for a school site
for $4,000, and this offer was accepted. An
attempt was made To hold meeting the
following Gay to arrange for the payment
OF the money, and the meeting was held in
the evening at Jones' house, where, on
motion of Macdonald. seconded by Jones.
the clerk. SimOnson, who is also mem Der
of the board. was ordered to draw war
rant for $4,000 payable to Mrs. Jones.
Jones and Macdonald voted for the meas
uTe.
Simonson drew the warrant as ordered.
but refused to sign the same. 1t was sup
posed that the warrant would be presented
yesterday and protest against its pay
ment was being prepared by the friends of
Warner, to be presented to the Superin-
tendent of Schools, but before the pro test
was ready it was learned that the warrant
had been already cashed.
1t Is asserted that when the meeting was
held at Jones' house at which action was
taken deed to the property was already
prepared dated March 1. from which it is
thought that the deed may have been
made out ia advance