The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-02-23
TOPICS OF
THE TIMES.
Pithy Paragraphs From the Pens
and Pencils.
VARIOUS ODDS AND ENDS
Remarks on What Leads Up to the Bills
of Extras Presented 10 School
Board and Council.

the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad
Company is now making itself felt at
many of the railway stations. 1t IJprovides
for a big reduction in the running ex-
penses, especially where the passenger
and freight stations are connected. Wages
and forces are being reduced. At Ash
land general man in the freight house
was laid off The ticket clerk will here
after assist in the baggage and freight
departments and the telegraph operator
is to act as assistant ticket clerk and do
general clerical work in the Office. Two
men have been laid off at the Shamokin
depot and two at Mahanoy City. No
visitation has yet been felt at the local
depots
There is a young man of town VINO
incidentally but quite frequently calls on
one of the leading society bells. That he
was much favored caller, too, the Incl
dent following will illustrate. One even
ing recently he wended his way to the
home of the young lady, rang the bell
and was admitted by younger sister OF
his particular friend, who informed him
thal THE sister was in the parlor. Our
friend was in very good humor with him
self that evening for some reason or other,
and noticing high backed rocking chair
in front of the fire with the occupant
softly rocking, he decided he would give
the young lady a very delightful surprise.
Noiselessly stepping into the room he ad
vanced softly to the chair, and before she
was aware of his presence placed both
arms around her neck, raised her face to
his and imprinted on her lips a long
lin sering kiss His heart beat tremulousiy
as he released her-nnd then stopped beat
ing when she arose and lie found that in
stead of it being his girl was her mother
that he had embraced.
Considerable discussion is caused by
the multitudinous bills that come before
the Borough Council and School Board
upon the com pletion of work by contract
The statement that neither of these
bodies ever have any work done by con
tract for which they do not pay more
than the original contract price is quite
true. Without attempting to touch upon
the merits of any particular claim of the
past or present, it can be said that the
cause for these bills of extras are moi
always properly located. These sources
are as numerous as the claims. Some
times a bill of extras arise from the mali
spring of the whole work, namely, the
work of the architect or engineer. 1t hai
been found by the experience of officials
of this borough that, contrary to the pre-
vailing belief, architects and civi
| engineers are by no means infallible, anC
the slightest mistake on their part will
sometimes cause an extra expenditure o
hundreds of dollars. Then, again, ther,
are times when the contracts signed d
not prove as well calked as the creators
imagine they are, and here and ther
frequently looms up piece of work tina
is an indispensable necessity and is no
covered by the agreement. 1t ais,
! happens that sometimes after the worl
| has been completed according to the yer,
| letter of the contract, and fully up to tn,
expectations of the parties for whom it is
performed, IN its completed state certain
Unforeseen circumstances, or changes in
connecting works, make change
necessary. But the largest root of evil i.
the conscience, or lack of conscience, ot
most contractors. They are generally
shrerd enough to keep good supply o.
| the provisions of the law on their sid,
and, like the law, some o. them have nc
souls. Fully fifty per cent. of bills o
extras presented TO public bodies, Will
! legally good, have no foundation morally