Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-10-11
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
Continued from First Page.


During the discussion the contractor
remarked that he has lost over $500
on the building. 1t was also made
known that the contract given some
time ago by the board to VIM. William
son, to lay pipes for water, etc, had
tract, and the contractor had sub-let the
work to Mr.. Kiley, of IIazleton, who
had started the same. This blunder of
the board caused many of the spectators
to doubt the alleged carefulness Of the
officials and to think that a change was
due some time ago,
Mr.. Schaub was nominated for presi-
dent, but declined to serve.
The secretary then asked privilege to
speak of a personal matter. BY the re-
port published in newspaper the people.
were led to believe that
THERE WAS A MYSTERY
and all that sort of thing connected with
the marble slab and further, that he
was responsible for the wording as it
appears. He said five members of the
board agread to it, and would now ask
Mr.. johnson if he was not at that meet
ing and agreed to the wording. Mr..
johnson, as at the previous meeting,
disclaimed all knowledge of the trans
action. Turning to Mr.. Schaub, the
secretary asked him the same question.
Mr.. Schaub, as stated previously in these
columns, said he has faint recolle ,tion
of the question being spoken Of but, like
Mr.. Johnson, he does not remember of
the board deciding that the wording
should be as it appears. These state
ments did not corroborate with the
secretary's version, and the latter made
no further efforts to clear away the
mystery OF the tablet.
Mr.. Ferry then asked for the floor,
which was granted. He asked the
architect if he was not treasurer of the
board which signed the contract for the
erection of the new building. The
architect answered that he was and that
directors of that board. Mr.. Ferry
then asked the board if the president
and secretary did not
REFUSE TO DO BUSINESS
in Mr.. McCarthy's parlor on certain
evening until he Ferry got out, to which
both replied that they did. These ack-
nowledgements appeared to satisfy Fer
ry and he resumed his seat.
The president then gave what he
claimed to be the history of the slab,
from A to u, which was that Mr.. Riebe
came to him and wanted to know what
names were to be placed on the tablet.
lie replied that he did not know, but
would bring the matter before the board.
This he did, he says, and the members
decided the wording as it appears-and
that was all about it.
Mr.. Ferry punctured this so-calcl
history by requesting to be shown
ON THE MINUTES
something to substantiate the above,
stating that he would then abide by +
Mr.. Sweeney replied that if he wanted
it on the minutes he Sweeney would
place it there. After hearing this con
feSsion of how the books could be doc
tored to uphold a wrong, the board ad-
iourned and the audience filed out. the
latter being well satisfied with certain
parts of the proceedings.
According to the statements of Direc-
tors Johnson, Ferry and Schaub, the
board has never decided by majority
vote that the marble slab should be in
scribed as it. Common decency, there
fore, demands that those who are res
ponsble for this paradoXical inscription
lay aside their petty personal spites and
place truthful tablet on the people 5
buildinU