The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-20
Construction Of the Central High
School Building Rigidly Examined.
THE REPORTS SUBMITTED
Collision and Bribery Charged
An Exciting Meeting lof the
School Board--The Sensa-
tion OF the Day.

are being severely condemned to-day
by the people Of Great Falls: but the
people are gratefully praising the
Y Standard and commencing its course.
The charges which the Standard made
of corruption and negligence in the
construction Of the beautiful high
school building have been sustained in
every particular by a committee of hve
=. OF the most responsible and competent
citizens of Great Falls. The people
: realize that the agitation commenced
, ued by the Standard has saved to the
Taxpayers thousands of dollars. Vague
charges had been made before. but
2 through certain nefarious deals the
prosecution and investigation had been
!. abandoned. In the interests Of the
7 Taxpayers. parents and children of
Great Falls, the Standard so fearlessly
proclaimed the truth that the official
rottenness has been exposed. It is an
abhorrent cancer. but Its cause Is
(, known and will be removed.
Crime has been exposed by the
Standard in all Its hideous nakedness
and 1T now remains for Judge Benton
1 to summon a grand Jury. or for Coun-
ty Attorney Freeman to file fnforma-
lions, and the guilty will be punished.
The greatest sensation in the his
r tory of this city is to-day the univer-
sal topic of conversation. The people
2 are wonderfully wrought up and de-
ished.
The school board met in regular ses-
sion last night, all members being
& present. Public interest was intense,
and the room in which the meeting
{ was held and the two adjoining rooms
could not hold the eager crowd.
When the minutes of the last meet
ing had been read, Gockstetter moved
that the reference to Attorney Pigott's
opinion that Mckay Bros. bond was
void be struck out. Hanks seconded
& the motion. Cooper moved that the
minutes stand approved as read. Ra-
{ ban seconded the motion. Cooper de-
manded the yeas and nays on his mo-
( ton. When Luckett's name was called
he said that he was keeping quiet, that
he was not going to vote either way on
question so trivial. The vote result
ed:
Yeas-Cooper, Poole, Raban.
Nays-Holmes. Hanks, Gockstetter.
The motion was declared lost. On
Gockstetter's motion Cooper again
called for the yeas and nays, and Luck
EFT refused to vote, The result was:
Yeas-Holmes, Hanks, Gockstetter.
Nays-Cooper, Poole. Raban.
The minutes were declared approved
as read, the vote being a tie.
Holmes appointed Luckett to serve
with Gockstetter and Hanks on the
building committee. Luckett declined
and nominated Cooper. Raban Sec
onded the nomination. Gockstetter
said that an old member should be APP
pointed and nominated Holmes. Hanks
seconded the nomination. Cooper de-
clined to vote and the ballot resulted:
Cooper, 4; Holmes, 2. On motion of
Gockstetter the election was made
unanimous.
Cooper, the special committee on
written report, that he had removed
written report that he had removed
the buildings and filled the vaults. The
report covered five closely-written
pages of legal cap. On motion of
port was accepted and the cost of the
work was ordered paid.
County Attorney Freeman then read
the investigating committees report,
which was lengthy. 1t showed that
the walls of the school house to the
bottom. and in many places II was
FOUND that the contract had not been
fully carried out. In many places the
foundation rested on shade or hardpan
while In other places IL went to bed
rock. Evidences of work having been
done to decided saving to the con-
tractor was noticeable. The report was
signed by Matt Dunn, William Rob-
erts. +. G. Depew, c. H. Repath and
James Greeley, committee.
Architect Anderson made a report in
which he describes the work in about
the same way that the investigating
committee did
tary report which cannot be under
stood without reference to plans he
also submitted. He makes different es-
Inmates OF the work done, but admits
that he presumes Whites figures to be
correct. Even then, he finds that Nc
Kay has been oyerpaid.
Cooper moved that the reports be ac-
cepted, the committee and county at
torney thanked. and the committee dis
charged.
Holmes objected. He wanted the
board to hold an executive session to
consider details which he did not I'M
derstand. Hanks moved that the board
hold an executive session next Satu--
day.
Matt Dunn thought the committee
had finally reported and should be dis
charged. Repath's report was a sur
prise to the committee. as IL varied so
greatly from Anderson's and Swear
ingen's. 1t was a reflection on Ander-
son and Swearingen. In their behalf
he desired to say that no man cracked
a whip over them. Repath evidently
thought the committee wanted to cinch
somebody. Anderson had been en-
had been instructed to give White the
benefit Of every doubt. II am not pre-
JUDGED against anybody" continued
Dunn. but by gracious. think we
have been robbed ! advise the board
TO dig about "a more holes and they
will save $4,000 or $1,000 more"
Repath denied that anybody held a
whip over him.
Greeley said that according TO
Whites original plans the foundation
would have rested on space. 1t would
have lacked two or three feet of reach
ing the surface. The board had al
lowed claims for excavation where
there was no earth: White had charged
them up with space. Greeley after
wards promised to bring a block OF the
space in as a sample.
Freeman did not like the idea Of an
executive session. This Is no family
quarrel-it is public AFFAIR. II our
linen is dirty. wash IL in public: II
clean, the suds will be clear and the