The morning times., 1897-01-31
The sALEOF FORCE SCHOOL
The commissioners Oppose Sen
ator. Lodges Amendment.
TRUSTEE BARNARD'S VIEW
The Proposed Amendment Provides
for a Sale of the Property, But
Omits Clause for the Purchase
NJ 0of"Other PrJpe rtyAA" 'Cempiica-
ton Suggested. ls,oSaAuss upiy

f'f offOtner PrODe rty ty-Asstouhf)iicd
ton Suggested. .,,osaaus ,tp,g
.Then Force School building which was
erected in, $50, at d cost of S36,0ou, was
located by permission of Congress, upon
government property, being lots lS ana
/ 8 of square 5s, OH Massachusetts, avenue
northwest. ftisnow hesubject ofpropcsed
legislation with a view to its disuse for
school purposes.
The ground is a part of a square which
fell to the share or the United States wlIen
the acquired property WIS being divided
The school lots embrace nearly 22,00o
square feet of space, valued now at about
$4,000 N7 100
For the purpose of having the school
removed TO another location, Senator Lodge
| recently proposed an amendment to the
| District appropriation bhl providing for
! the sale OF the Force School property,
! and the question "a spresanted was submitted
| to the Commissioners for their considcra-
| ton. e'l
The board is opposed to the amendment,
and SO notified Senator Mcmillan, chairman
| OF the Seuatp District ComHnittee, yester-i
| day. Briefly stated. the Commissioners say
| there Will be no meansprovided for supply
| ing another site, nor for the erection of
| another building, in case the amendment
| shall prevail, and they cite the fact that
| under the law the proceeds of sales of
| District property must be deposited in the
| Treasury, and there is ne provision made
in the amendment nor in existing law for
| getting 1t out again, except by special ap-
| preparation.
| The title to the ground is in the United
| States and the Commissioners have no
right to dispose of 1T except Congress
| shall authorize it, and the board is in
doubt as To the authority TO be conferred
| by the proposed amendment
| The Commissioners submitted the ques-
ton to Attorney Job Barnard, who is a
| member OF the board of school trustees,
| and his report accompanies the letter of
| the Commissioners to the Senate committee.
MI Barnard believes the amendment
should he more specific, and authorize
| some one TO make the sale and convey
ance OF the title at a price to be determined
! in some WI W pa " over the purchase money
to the Treasury, and then appropriate "a
sufficient sum to accomplish the end de
| sired
He adds:
| ''Duesthe proposed amendment mean that
the United States now serves notice on the
| Commissi oners, as tenants at sufferance, To
| quit the possession and use of said ground,
and remove the said school building, or
does it mean that the Commissioners shal
sell and convey the saidlJus ami thebuild-
ing-they constituting together the Force
School property'-and with the money to
be realized tterefrom;p buy ground and
build elsewhere?
''If the first Of these propositions is
correct then where is the money to come
from to buy and build with? The build
ing that is now there and which is worth
sac, 900 to the District for school pur
poses, would bring only small sum, il
sold to be taken down and removed II
the second proposition is the correct one
then the amendment is vague and mcer
tain T'"
.If the proposed amendment should pre-
vail, what would you be authorized to sell
and who would determine the price yOl
would be justified in receiving? II yor
are only to sell the building, would yor
be doing fairly by the District to dispes
! of it for less than it's value to the Distric
for school purposes? Ii such is the in
tent, then there ought to ho n condition
authorizing such sale. provided you cal
sell it for at least $4,000. The grount
and building together ought, to bring a
least 100000, as the ground is value
2 at So a SQUARE foot a7Hrns - 81
II beg leave to suggest that the bes
| localities in the city, with beautiful, safe
and sanitary surroundings, pure air, plea:
, | ant approaches, and wide streets, are no
too good for the location of our publ
. school houses. j. The board oftrustees, ii
their last report to you concerning tn
Washington public schools, state that the
| are object lessons for the school teacher
| of the nation, and for this reason shoul
| be the best equipped, best taught, and bes
regulated and supervised of any publ
|. schools anywhere l supplement this
saving, that the school houses Should
the best located of any of our public bull
ings, convenient to- our homes as may /
. practicable, and, made pleasant in ever
way for the occupancy of the Children
Mr. Barnard can see no reason for eli
turbipg the Force School because sles
: valuable ground can be had nor does Il
r consider the claim that the building ma
f the beauty of Massachusetts avenue g
e q sufficient reason for the change
r The Commissioners estimate that a
t eligible site and a suitable building Il
r oe substituted for the Force School, wouI
h cost not less than $65,000, and they su
s gest that in case the amendment is adopte
e there should be an appropriation of a sui
: sufficient TO replace the site and bull
=. ing, and that provision shall be made Il
e | retention Of the Force building unit
n the substitute structure shall be provide
e No Excuse to Be Cold.
!, Tannille the nnnular union clnfhiar