St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-17
CAUSES A LENGTHY DISCUSSION
IN A BOARD OF EDUCATION
COMMITTEE.
FURNACES WERE FIXED
BY A MAN WHOM, 1T TURNED
OUT, REPRESENTED JUSTIS
d CO.,
Until n Bill of Large Proportions
BObbed Up SereneIy-The Al
legged Facts.

The real estate committee of the
board of education held a lengthy
session last night to discuss the mat
ter of the bill for repairs presented
by Justis & Co., the furnace men.
1t appears that when the committee
met last August to arrange for some
repair work on furnaces in several
buildings that Mr.. Scholle suggested
the name of Mr.. Beaver, a mechanic,
who was engaged to do the work
under the supervision of the superin-
tendent of repairs. The latter was to
engage any extra men that were nee
essary. Instead of the work being
done in this way, Beaver, who was
receiving 80 cents an hour for his
time, engaged three extra men, and,
it was stated last night, charged up
their time at 80 cents, while he only
paid them 81 and $1.50 per day. Since
the work was completed it has trans
plred that Beaver was acting as an
agent or foreman for the firm of
Justis & Co., who now present a bill
for $500. About the time that the
mechanic was employed, bids were
gotten from several firms in town.
among them being Mohshosky, whose
estimate was produced last night
asas evidence that Justis & Co.
had overcharged for the work. The
bid of Mohslosky was $272.6S lower
than the bill presented, so the econ
omical members of the board re-
belled. Assistant City Attorney How
ard was present to enlighten the
committee on any points that came
up, and incidentally Mr.. Howard
asked a few questions of Foreman
Beaver, which elected the fact that
he was not acting on his own re-
sponsibility when he entered into
the agreement with the board, but
had not made known the fact that
he was in the employ of Justis & Co.
Robertson, who was at the time
superintendent of repairs, was called
in to make a statement as to the
exact agreement entered into by the
committee with Beaver. but Mr..
Robertson's statement did not at all
agree with Mr.. Beavers understand
ing of the matter
Mr.. Beaver seemed inclined to re-
sent Mr.. Robertson's presence, and,
becoming a little mixed himself, as
to the conditions under which he en-
gagged to do the work, he stated that
the men in his employ had been paid
upwards of 50 per day while the su-
perinteDdent of repairs had received
statements from them showing that
they all received 81 and $3.50.
The question of veracity between
the two men was passed up, and
the matter was referred to the city
attorney, asking for an opinion as
to the amount that the board owes
Justis & Co. Mr.. Howard holds that,
as Beaver was acting as the agent
of the firm, the board is liable to
Justis & Co., but in what amount
will have to be determined Mr..
Howard stated that the question
would be what was understood by
Beaver in the agreement, which was
only verbal one; and of the three
members of the committee, two say
the agreement called for the doing of
the work under the supervision of
Mr.. Robertson, while the third men,
Der thinks that the man was en-
titled to do it as best suited him
self. The committee is Inspectors
Scholle, Abbott and Dickson, re-
signed.
Business of a routine character was
disposed of, and the committee re-
solved itself into a committee of the
whole to consider the matter of en-
gaging an expert to look over the
sanitary condition of the schools
This will be disposed of at the next
meeting, several applications having
been received