Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-10-07
SCHOOL SITE AND
OTHER CROokEDNESS.

cannot he erected for much less than
S4.WO.OOO. The request IL based on M,
estimate made by Mr.. Harris of the
number of children at present with.
out proper school facilities. approx
.inatcly 21.OOO. IL the city council does
not appear willing to make an apprO-
printiOn of such magnitude for educa.
tIOnal purposes Mr.. Harris will take
sides In the courts In an cntleavOr to
secdic pcrt cntagc of the tax levy for
the use of the board of education.
Aldermen ami Trustees of the Board
Of Education clashed at meeting Of
the Buildings and Grounds Committee
Of the latter body. Alderman Guntlicr.
HndenOcl. Eidmnnn, COnnOr and NJ.
NJ. Blake appeared before the commit.
tee to urge the purchase of u site for
S2S,5OO adjoining the Harrison School
nd place. for u twelvc-rOOm addition
to the school. Acting Chairman Sex.
ton said the board had procured a val.
,,ntiOn of the property which placed Its
worth at $2O.GOO Trustee Sherwood
said u site had been offered for S1I.OWl
two blocks south. Mr.. Sexton declared
the committee would not take the sug.
gcstiOn Of the Aldermen. and the com
mittee upheld him. ,but It was decided
to postpone action on the site for two
weeks.
Alderman Elimann then argued the
building of an addition to the Fern.
wood School. 10Th and Wallace streets.
lie said the Council had appropriated
S4J.UOO for II twelvc-rOOm addition.
The architect said u twclvc-rOOm
school could not bc built for that sum.
and the matter Of asking the Council
for more money was referred to u spc-
cial committee.
The FOrGucr street site for u $4,000
addition TO the Polk street school was
abandoned because another site was
offered for $4,000. Decision On the
latter proposition was also postponed.
What IL the average price paid for
undue preference In the awarding Of
school contracts:
How does Il come that members Of
the board procure or cause the appoint.
mcnt of teachers for political reasons !
Is IL not u fact that promotions of
teachers have been made cOnsilcru.
ton of certain support being given Ia
certain municipal tickets?
What arc the relations between cor.
tain members of the School Board Com.
inittcc on Buildings aud Grounds and
the Council Committee on Schools!
Who IL the employee that manipulatrs
tho real estate dealings of the board
In connection with the Council com.
mi,tcc on schools, and who arc mem.
hers of the real estate ring who stood
back of these transactions?
IL II not u fact that the prices paid
for school sites are grossly In excess OF
the prices paid for contiguous prop.
crty! II ~, why!
IL Il not II fact that In the nelglihOr.
hood Of tho school sites the surround
Ing property for hundreds of feet Is
held under option by the clique OF real
estate sharks ON tho board. and those
who operate IN collision with them
from the outside?
What II the history of the settlement
made with the tenants on the school
section property several months back
Is It not fact that the public wat
deprived of the revenue that could bt
secured on that occasion by raising thu
valuation 70 Its fair level, for ~ con
sideration" advanced by tho tenants?
What are the names of the touching
committee appointed on that occasion
and why should they not he examined
under oath rs to the settlement made
on that occasion and the terms thereof
How about the discussion over nd
Unstable desks, Nnd Is It not u fac
that certain members made advances
To certain bidders In connection will
that contract?
What about the text book cOntrac
ana the recent letting thereof?
1t Is not merely common rumOr. bu
It Is u well.grounLed opinion that there
IL graft In all Of these things and II
other affairs, too. that The Eagle wOt,
Of and may refer 10 on another 90
casiCn.
There Is talk now on the part of thu
old fossil ,lOnkeys who have been In
by the nose by the ring OF expert sharp
clu who are preylng on the public tax
~ In tho school board. about subjectini
Ing the teachers and the employees to NJ
examination by the Civil Service Com
mlssioners.
The teachers are all right, and shoul'
10 left alone.
What IL needed now II not an exam
inatlOn of the teachers by the Civil
Service Board, but u grand jury invcs
tlgatlOn of the board itself and its en-
plOyes Mt headquarters.
1t would pay. 1t would cause the dl'
ruptlOn of gang of public rObber'
worse and more dangerous than an
that Joseph Ripley has ever had to cop
with. 1t will furnish u scandal tina
will rcgale the public for months an
eventually contribute largely to tn
cause Of common Justice.
It turns. out that the board hardl
over listens to committee reports, an
that the reports are always rishe
through that body without debate, an
as II matter of fact. until one of tn
members got on the board no protes
was ever made against these 'lOose
methods.
Among the grabs iObbled through b
the tough Board of Education gang G
late years We're the following orders:
Ordered, That the proper officers q
the Board Of Education be and they M