The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-15
DR.. ALIENS BUILDING
Much Dissatisfaction Ex-
pressed at It's Use for
School Purposes.
IT IS CONSIDERED UNSAFE
Said to Have Been Built Of
Second Hand Material
Originally.

UlISiudiiys
Residents Of the old Fourth district
were last night busily discussing the
story published in yesterdays News
about the action of DR.. Allen, the
President of the Board of Education, in
rying to have one of his buildings used
an annex to School No. 7. The build
g, which is thirty years old, and was
lgsnaliy built OF secondhand lumber,
and has a general reputation for insecur-
ity, is now being repaired and repainted-
Many old beams are being replaced with
new ones The part owner of the build
ing with DIR. Allen is a builder named
p B. Randall of Bowers street. HIS
interest. it is said, is to be acquired by
repairing the building.
= DR. Allen when seen said:-'This critic
Aism of my action in buying the place
and the possibility of the city using it as
school is all nonsense. can easily rent
be building for at least seventy dollars
month If 1 only wait awhile, and yet
howl there is because the city has
lance to get 1t for sixty dollars. And
i1wish to tell you that no one except the
city could get It SO cheaply.
ct is true that got a bargain in buy
| ing the property, but what l paid for it
is nobody's business, and the only ques-
! ton at issue is whether 1t is worth the
rent asked or not. Others had the same
chance to buy the property for sl,50O that
/ had and think 1t is no concern OF
anyone except myself. People who are
raising all this howl do me the injustice
TO forget all 1 have done in the past five
years for the public and the school chill
dren. The building has not been definitely
accepted, and there is time enough for
KICK when it is accepted
kDr Allen called at ''The News office
is morning and exhibited letter which
\ ads
Office of Building Inspector,
Police Headquarters.
Edward Kelly, Building Inspector.
Jersey City, Dec. Is, 1896.
pr. Ullamor Allen
uilding, No. 579 Palisade avenue, known
is Pratt's Hall, and recommended certain
repairs. On the second examination
have found that all repairs have been
hat the building is perfectly safe for all
purposes.
EDWARD KELLY,
Building Inspector.
Director D. r. Daily, who is chairman
pf the Site Committee, when seen said
have looked at the building and was
her favorably impressed with its To-
CATION and appearance. l consider the
prime requisite in school building to
be safdty and understand that the Build
ing Inspector has stated that the building
is absolutely safe. I am not mechanic
enough myself to pass on any such point
and must take the opinion of those who
certainly ought to be able to Judge. do
not consider the proposed rental as ex-
orbitant and have no opinion to express
as to the propriety of DIR. Aliens action.
Nothing definite has as yet been done and
cannot say when the committee viii
meet to consider the matter"
Director Stowe. another member of the
Site Committee, said:-"I made careful
examination of the building and in my
opinion it is safe. AS to the fitness of the
location I took the word of Director
Mersheimer on that point. This whole
business seems to me to be much ado
about nothing and 1 have no opinion to
! express as to the propriety of DR.. Allen
Atfylng to get the city to use building
hss."
Julius Berger, the President of the
hudson City Business Mems Association,
aid In my opinion think the use
the building for a school IS good
aren running around the streets who
ughI to be to school. ! know the
uilding is old and some say unsafe, but
think it can be repaired we'll enough to
ct all requirements. 1 know of no
Ter available building
ecretary William p. Kastenhuber of
4e same organization was very ernpha-'
GIN upholding the selection of the
EMlding for school purposes, saying
FtSuppose the building is old, can't it
be repaired? / don't think the rent
asked is exorbitant, and if owned the
4 building | would want at least SIS a
month. | know the price paid was low,
but anyone who knows DR.. Allen, knows
he wouldn't buy anything that is not a
bargain. He wants everything that is
coming to him, but / don't think that
be would do anything that is not right"
W. F. Tobin, prominent taxpayer, of
| whole scheme is characteristic of the
man behind it, and is an outrage on the
public. lwould never allow any child
Of mine in that building, for it cannot
be made safe, as it was originally built
from secondhand lumber The only way
that shanty could be made safe is to
erect an entirely new building. II never
was considered a safe building. and the
- Idea. of irnperilling the lives of several
lundred children In such a structure is
hothing short of criminal"
A. A Franck, the real estate agent is
elso utterly opposed to the plan, and be-
ieyes that the rental asked is exorbitant.
John NJ. Van Tassel Of No. n Congress
reet, who is a retired builder said that
building was totally unfit for
red when the building was being erect
and he noticed at the time what
sor quality of lumber was being used
e said that while he would not wart
own such a building, If he did own it
would consider himself fortunate if
e could rent 1t for $50 a month
Frederick Bluenl, large property owner
nd lifelong resident of the Heights
aid THE building is no good and can
~ever be made safe. and is no fit place
pr school children to be running around
II.
Robert Edgar, the President of the
eorge H. Thomas Post, G. A. R., said
About six months ago we were looking
round for suitable headquarters and
rats Hall was proposed. We inspected
and deemed it Unsafe and If it is lln-
afe for the Grand Army 1t is certainly
asafe for school children. The location
also bad owing to the two trolley lines
iat cross each other in the neighborhaad
ur post would not take the building as
gift
Several gentlemen who were sitting in
he real estate Office of G. j. Luxton,
palisade avenue, near C/ngress street
7ere unanimous in 5ndemning the
cheme. They all knew the building
thoroughly. and ore gentleman said thai