Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-21
WHITE REPLIES
To the Structures of the Trades Council
Anent the New High School
Building.
. Committee of Citizens Asked to
lnvestigate-The KellisOn
Matter Again.

exception OF Will Hanks, being present
Trustee Gockstetter called the atten
ton of the board to complaints made by
DR.. e. Crutcher, on the work of Mr.
Graham. who teaches the West side
school. 1t appeared to simmer itsell
down to the charge that some child h.
been marked 100, when several mistakr y
in spelling occurred in the exercise. AS
the doctor was indiscreet enough to take
part in a spelling bee a few days ago and
tumbled down dixie many a man before
him on "banana," the board thought il
hardly fair for him to kick on spelling
and took no action.
1t was decided to dismiss the schools
next Friday and give the children two
weeks vacation.
The kellison matter came up again for
final action. An affidavit was read from
a certain girl stating that she knew
nothing about the matter and the other
side produced a written statement from
the same girl testifying directly contrary
to the affidavit.
Attorney George Stanton appeared for
"A. II. Kellison and Attorney Cooper for
the prosecution. A final vote was taken
by ballot to dispose of the case, each
trustee marking his ballot Guilty" or
"Nol Guilty" to get an expression of the
sentiment of the board on the question.
The result was four ballots guilty and
two not guilty. it is probable that the
case will go into the courts. and it is only
fair to state that the evidence of his
guilt So far as it has Deer permitted 20
become public at least is of rather a
doubtful character.
The following reply to the structures
of the Trades Council on the character
of the work done on the nigh school was
read by the clerk:
GREAT FALLS, Dec. Is, 1894.
The Hon. Board of Education, Great
Falls, Mont:
GENTLEMEN-Being unable to attend
your meeting this evening, | would ask
that the following be read as my answer
to the report of the committee of the
Trades and Labor council in regard to
the construction of the Central high
S hool building as published in today's
TRIBUNE:
1t seems to me this report is made by
Il very ono-sided committee, consisting,
as it did, of men who had, with the ex-
ception of Mr.. Carlson. all been unsua-
cessful candidates for the position of in
spector over the very work which they
now report upon. And | also feel that
their report is not in accordance with
the facts in the case.
In the first place, they censure me
for not having made a "test" of the
ground upon which the building was to
rest before | made working drawings.
This is unjust for the reason that |
wished to make such a test, but was de-
tered from doing 80 by the assurance
that the ground was rock three feet be-
low the surface, which certain members
of the board who adopted my plans and
who claimed to be familiar with the
formation gave. l think the same as
surance was given all competing archi-
tects. Anyway, it would have beer nee
essary to p ace extra foundations under
any of the other buildings had their
plans been used instead of mine, for
none Of them went any deeper than
mine did. Besides, this testing comes
uLNCl tbo outlEo vi tuC EupoI ultDQtlL
or supervising architect, neither OF which
appointed to that office | did examine
the ground, and had your honorable
board seen fit to have acted under the
advice of my report in this matter this
extra foundation would have been
placed at a saving to the district of about
$4,000.
This committee states "that footings
are not placed where indicated on plaus,''
and that "there are only two courses Of
footings under the circle where there
should be three"
How it is possible for any one to tell
whether footings are in line or not when
hey are covered by IA feet of earth, as
are the ones in question, / cannot see.
These footings are where they should be
and. as any one can readily see by refer
ing to the specifications for this foun-
there are only two courses re-
one ) feet 4 inches wide, the
4 feet wide, under the circle. Nor
e there anywhere a footing 6 feet s
inches required by these specifications
n plans. And yet the work is con. t
because it is not placed under ,
he walls of the circle. |
As regards some partition walls being |
nj OF plumb. the facts are as the report I
epresents, TLls was caused by the h
arth being newly graded around the =
.utside of these walls, while Inside the ,
eiIar Was some S feet below, and this !
Toun. free ling pushed the walls in. u
'hcsn walls viii have 10 be partly. At !
'a7i, %reouilt, hut it Was caused by the
lrCad abandonment OF the work AMI so {
ttIr f,Dit q. no DTR ,