The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-14

DR. ALIENS SCHOOL.
Pratt's Hall Proposed for
Rental By the City at
$500 a Year.
A TUMBLE-DoWN ANTIQUITY
1t Was Recently Knocked Down
at Public Auction
for 81 475.
A TUMBLE-D0WN ANTIQUITY
Purchased By the President Of the
Board Of Education, Who Says
lie is Half Owner of 1t.

For some time past the question of
more school accommodations has worried
the parents of the upper part of the old
Fourth district, and the Board of Edu-
cation took the matter under advisement
The Committee on Sites were instructed
10 look around, and they have practically
settled upon Pratt's Hall, No SO Palisade
avenue This building was erected short
" after the close of the war and after
erving as a skating rink, dance hall and
svcle club headquarters it is now in any
" but good repair
sterday afternoon a reporter called
Dr.. Ulamor Allen, the President of the
BOARD of Education, and he said:--
There is no doubt that we need more
accommodations and should the building
In question be selected we could take in
about 400 children. The rent is below
$500 a year, and from what / have been
told I am of the opinion that $1,700 or
$1,S00 would place the building in COM
plete order. That amount, ,sof course, in
cludes the furniture, for we would really
need to buy very little. as much Of that
which has been discarded could be used
The matter will be brought to the at
tention of the Board of Finance, and we
think that there will be no difficulty in
getting the money appropriated.
If we do get the money our Board
will take action at its meeting on the
2sd, and the work could be rapidly
pushed and the building ready for occu-
. pancy by the middle OF January"
y another members Of the Board, when
seen. said:-"sone people might kick if
they knew we had selected Pratts Hall.
but it is being repaired now and soon
will be as good as ever, so you just say
chat No. 80 Palisade avenue has been
' selected .
As an aftermath of the selection of this
|old tumble-down building In which TO
house 400 pupils at an annual rental Of
$780, it was discovered it had been sold at
&public auction on November II.
The purchaser was DR.. Ulamor Allen,
President of the Board OF Education,
the price paid was 1.475.
*! hank Stevens. the auctioneer who made
the sale, was seen by reporter this
morning He said that the facts as given
above are correct. He had Knocked down
the building TO DR. Allen at the price
named. The sale was under foreclosure.
II the building were put in good order
IT should be worth about s., 900. he
thought, and even in its present condition
81; ;475 was cheap figure for u.
DR. Allen was called up on the telephone
this afternoon, and asked If he owned
the building
why do you want to know? Are you
going to criticise me in your paper be-
cause it Is going to be selected for school
purposesE We Doctor Tejoned
want is facts and / would like to know
if you own the building
'Well-er-you see,' came the reply, 81
own half and there is nothing in the
matter TO write up
Who owns the other half, Doctor?"
asked the reporter several times without
getting any definite reply. The doctor
who really did own the other half
Before you write anything about me
&pr that building, the doctor said In con-
piston, you come up here and see me
d II show you that l am spending a
of money to repair it. You see there
really nothing in this whole business
ou come up before you write anything
3 ! can explain everything