The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-18

The legality of the system of col
lecting taxes followed by the board of
control was brought into question at
the meeting Of the board of trade last
night by a letter from the Pltt:t)n
board of trade.
Pittston I'm accordance with what ap-
pears to be the plain mandate of the
law governing school boards i'm cities of
the third class, makes its school as
sessment on the county valuation.
Certain corporation property escapes
school taxes. through this means and
as Pittston wants to compel the afOre-
said property to stand its share of the
burden of school taxes it had Hon. Il.
A. Corey, the representative from that
district introduce a bill permitting
school boards in cities of the third
class to make their assessment on the
city valuation.
The bill has passed the house and is
now before the senate. The PittstOn
board of trade decided to request the
from that district to favor the
bill and is sending out circular letters
to other boards of trade in third class
cities urging them to use their in
fluence for the measure.
In the letter to the Scranton board of
trade Secretary Scott calls attention to
the fact that our school board is max
ing the assessment on the city valua-
ton and If the bill in question is de-
feated 1T will likely result in our pres
ent alleged illegal procedure being
called into question and doubtlessly
overthrown with much confusion to
school district affairs.
THE SENATOR INSTRUCTEDh
After short discussion in which
some dubiOusness was expressed as to
the advisability of the board of trade
taking any steps in the matter what
ever it was decided by a seemingly
close vive-voce vote to instruct Secre-
tary Atherton to urge Senator Vaughan
to vote for the bill. During the dis
cussiOn Mr.. Wormser in answer to
request for some enlightenment on the
legality of the school boards present
course, said the system now followed
has been observed since 1878 when the
district was organized and he supposed
that board had had legal advice on the
matter and was prepared to defend its
At the last meeting of the board, 1t
will be remembered a letter was read
from w. II. Richmond, suggesting that
the board of trade investigate and take
appropriate action in the alleged eX-
travagance of the board of control
in the erection of school buildings,
and the poor board in it's administra-
ton of affairs at Hillside Home The
letter was discussed at length and re-
ferred to the committee on legisla-
ton and taxes. which is composed of
H. f. Paine, r. II. Patterson and Fred
j. Widmayer. Last night the commit
tee submitted the following report:
COMMITTEES REPORT.
To the President and Members, Scranton
Board of Trade.
Gentemen;-YJur committee on legisla-
tioh and taxes in the persuamCc of the
matter referred to them, as indicated by
the letter of William H. Richmond. per-
tanning to the mode persued by cur board
of control, in the construction of the
school buildings in the city, also as re-
CARDS to the expenditures of the poor
board in the construction of buildings az
the Hillside Home, would soy that we
have gone no further than to take up the
matter of the present style and structure
of the school buildings, and viii have 10
defer to a future meeting of the board,
a report on the expenditures made by the
poor board in improving their convenience
es at the Hillside farm.
1t seemed wise to your committee before
making any suggestions of our own, to
ascertain from other cities throughout
the state, something of the style and
quality of school buildings erected by
them. All Pennsylvania cities are grow
ing in wealth and population, and are
compelled to be constantly providing for
growing school population, and are
therefore in the same condition of affairs
as ourselves.
Your committee requested the secretary
of the board to communicate with the
school boards of quite a number of the
larger cities throughout the state, asking
for direct information on few essential
features pertaining to the school build
ings now being constructed in their cities,
Tho most important one of all was the
cost of the building, and it's seating ca
pacity, or to be more explicit we wished
to ascertain the cost CT the building per
scholar of its accommodation. This being
the only true basis of comparison.
EAsTON HIGH SCHOOL.
In reply to our inquiries we have re-
Ceived the information desired from the
NllltS Ol IlslOI, Lancaster, w llhtS-Ipdll q
and Wil,iamsport. Taking up the COM
munication seriatim, the only build
ing referred to in our communica-
tion from the city of Easton was
a modern high school building construct
ed in the year 1893. This bull illing has all
the modern improvements requisite to a
high school building for any city in this
country. This building cost complete, in
cluding all furnishings even to a clock in
bf Is h11i
to accommodate $50 scholars, it having
C'aven class rooms, and all the other
rooms and appliances pertaining to a
high school building. BY dividing tho
number Of scholars into the cost price we
find that it cost Sl25lO per scholar,
our own high school building here in the
city of Scranton cost S252, $3.50 This does
not include the tearing down of the Old
building, nor doing the extra grading nee
cessary to bring the grade to the street
neither does 1t include the cost of blocking
up in the mines under the building, as II
would be unfair to add these items IN
making a comparison with the cost of the
building i'm Easton.
The limit of accommodation of our high
school building Is about 1850 scholars
Dividing this into the cost of construc-
ton we find that 1t cost the people OF
Scranton S24O.5l per scholar, or about
twice the cost per scholar of the building
in Easton, As our high school is already
constructed and in use, and appears to be
very satisfactory to the citizens of Scran-
ton, and as there is no intention on the
part of the board of control to erect an
other high school building 1t does not seem
necessary for your committee to make any
suggestions.
SOME STYLE OF BUILDINGS.
A careful examination of the reports
which We have received from Lancaster
Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre shows
that they are ercping practically the
same style of building that is at the pres
ent time being erected in Scranton. Com
piling al Of the buildings together anc