New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
TO HASTEN WORK on SCHOOLS.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOING
AWAY WITH DELAYS.
MEANS FOUND THAT PROMISE TO SAVE MUCH
TIME IN BUILDING SCHooLHoUsEs-MEM-

Evidence Of the new spirit that has animated the
Board OF Education since the progressive element
secured control Is 20 he found in the earnest en-
deav or that nbers king 20 hasten the work
Of building schoohouses. Things have been run
ming in a rut long that good deal Of energy il
requisite TO get them out Of H. The chairman or
| the Committee Sites. Commissioner Agar. and
the chairman OF the Committee on Buildings. Com
missioner Peasoe. doing some tall husiiing
these days, and have the kcenest appre citation OF
tho Importance Of pushing work rapidly a. possi-
bic so as TO meet the large and growing demand for
school accommodations. Good service IS also be-
I ing rendered by tho Special Committee. of which
| Commissioner Taft is chairman appointed in De-
cember. TO consider the question OF delays IN secur-
/ ing sites and erecting buildings.
At the last meeting Of the Board a capital Illus
tratOn was PRESENTED for the instruction OF the
members the importance Of greater haste IN
proceedings for acquiring property needed as sites
/ for scnoolhousos. Announcement was made Of the
/ completion Of the work of securing title TO site
which the Board decided 10 acquire as long ago as
/ May 1895. As the plans arc yet to be made ana APP
proved and the contract given out. 1t Will certainly
be more than three years from the date given before
/ the building can be completed. At the same meet
/ ing a new precedent established In the adoption
| os Il resolution authorizing the Board 10 make an
off r Of $4,000 for certain property. although the
owners had not given their consent 10 the sale OF IL
| Tn. only opposition came from Mr. Little, VINO
/ said that such course was unbusinessIKe ana
! contrary to established usage. The answer was
that It might be unbusinesslke. compared with the
way in which business was ordinarily done by the
/ Board but it precisely the course that would
| be taken-b q private purchaser. Mr. Liti!o's OBJ
lection carried so little weight that his was the only
vote agains; the propositi1n when oc'asloh'I
| a lively discussion. The incident is interesting aS
! showing the disposition Of the majority 10 use al.
available means for doing away with the necessity
OF condemnation proceedings in acquiring sites
WORK OF MR. TAFT'S COMMITTEE.
The Special Committee on Delays consisting Of
Mcssrs Taft Agar. Hurlhut Van Arsdae and
Montant has done a good deal Of hard work in the
last two months. and lis inquiries are not yet com
! plctcd The members OF the committee sci out 10
| learn whether the delays that have characterized
the building operations Of the Board Of Education
were necessary and If not to suggest means OF re-
moving or reducing them. They have found some
WAYS in which considerable time can be saved, and
are hopeful Of finding more. What they have
| recommended thus far is number OF amendments
TO the School Condemnation act, which, II enacted
| into law. will save least four months IN the
acquisition of sites, and in many cases much more
! The recommendations already approved by the
| Board are that the odjhs Of the Commissioners Of
Estimate in each case be filed Immediately on their
appointment; that the title OF the land 10 be con-
, den1ned shall become vested in the city four
months thereafter: that the Board shall be au-
| thorzed after the filing OF the oaths, to enter
| upon the land for the purpose Of making surveys
| examinations and borngs so that the Supern-
,endent Of Buildings may prepare plans, speciiica-
tons and contracts for the proposed building ana
that Immediately on the completion Of the plans,
the advertising for bids be begun. The contracts
will be awarded condtionally and the plans.
specifications and contracts will be submitted at
once 10 the Board of Estimate and the needed APP
pense With special meetings of the Board for tho
purpose Of signing petitions IN condenLahon De-
ceedings. ana 10 have this work dohr .! LLl'
dent and the chairman OF the Committee on Sites
Whether the law amended by me conHll zee
viii be presented to the Legislature for adoption
in the form that has received the appr1Ea Oh NC
BSnts are well regarded by the Corporation Couq-
sell but he is understood 10 De ar Ia ms 2birb Vii
| cover the points made by Mr. Tafts committee.
WHERE GAINS CAN BE MADE.
Speaking OF the committees investigation n day
or two ago. MI Taft said What we have aimed
at thus far is to have several important steps IN
the ACQUISITION Of school sites taken simultane-
ouc1v heretofore nothing has been done toward
the proparation Of plans until after the city takes
lille which Is not until the wnd-up OF the con-
demnation proceedings. We propose 10 nave inc
CITY take title four months after the commissioners
conducting the proceedings file their o''"', anu -
the mean time to have the plans drawn, the con-
tract let and the appropriation made Ihere Is no
reason why all these things cannot be done M
mean "a decided gain in every case; .,,-,.,oo
Another important matter Wnion NE Trdmctne a
has mad under consideration Is that OF ihuuchs a
better class Of builders TO put IN Gq b 'of fby do
houses. one Of the reasons VIZ nSSnor5I feel,
ing among them that the Gi;y i. n sI9w IL
G m3foG n iueh matters ana unwilling 2 make Ike
payments until the work has been inspect..d P by
his 9WR BSt the sOvness with which these
things are s d bjSdeTe that we should Ike
compeng for this work had co i1a ct9 ON
rscent syhi arT and it throws an important light
man mo- iI What he said was in substance thls'
WHY 11GH-CLAss BUILDERS DO NOT BID
",There are several reasons why the pette' o''s,
~ responsible bidders refrain from O"ohis o
/ schooI work One is that they would nave 10 give
bonds which they never do In their private ou''
ress We feel that the bond should be the othe'
wav Then although the Board states IN aIEe -
ing that it reserves the rlsn no s Obliged 10 ac-
copt the lowest long the bonds are pul oi'
sons mg w6om the members would never employ IN
their private business Years "EP re,e1 could get
ioU anni,r6 TO get contract. and could see 9Iter
N b and materials were not what had estimated
on Another objection is that wnfn Wien hi pa biiidnr
can get his money. and often by the time ne ger
one Davment three four more are duc. mr. L. n
theIr - no So What ie RICH. and what is wrong
itcctl VINO r say nm5c Of roads each OF whom
pas Something TO say. That is very annoying to
an IiSw of his there TO be little hope OF
Inducing better men TO enter into them
c6 no hot see how the hoard can refuse TO accept
The lowest bid provided bonds are G.o'n to t,irc
r,a- a~forna nee OF the work ana inc onIl lil.I.
=. 10 & IN keep close watch on the c9nIi.. ~.
and see that the contract Is strlcuY c"rIieu Jul
TIME NEEDED FOR BUILDING S'hOoi'
HOUSE.
AS for the time required to put up schoo
building # does not seem wise 10 uy 10 So'' ven
80 o,,. ox.ont When see one OF these tai
,rc,,,rcs Fl, the lower part Of the city rushed NJ
20 n height Of fifteen or twenty stories IN Re"
; months we are likely to think that schoohous'
ought 10 be- built well inside OF year nut ~
,crjencod builders tell me that while II Is possible
70 ID this II IS better not 70 90 H. costs NOR =,
Of course and the result Is less Satisfactory.
has be.n found that from thirteen 10 tlt'eh mon M
Is as short a time a good sciooIlpua. N1hh y,