The times., 1899-04-23

priation, one OF them being as high as
s33, 600. These proposals were rejected and
directions given that some of the decor
ative and other expensive features Of the
building be Topped of so that the total
cost might be brought within the limit OF
the appropriation. This was done and 1t
was estimated that about 81 600 had been
deducted from the cost Of the school. Not
withstanding this reduction and the ad-
ditional fact that the heating apparatus
was not feature of the specifications, but
was TO be provided separately, the bids OF
the contractors opened yesterday were sew
eral thousand dollars higher than had been
anticipated by the Commissioners.
The architects are now working on the
plans for the other two eight-room school
buildings provided for in the 1888 appro
priation bill. They have been at work on
these plans for some time and the Com
missioners have been urging their COM
pletion at an early date. One of these
buildings is to be located in northeast
Washington and s37 900 was appropriated
for its construction. The Commissioners
expended S. ,924.95 in purchasing a lot and
now have only 2s,57s.05 with which TO
build the school.
The third eight-room school building
mentioned in the appropriation bill of 1888
is for the third school division, and is to
be located in Southeast Washington. Con-
gress allowed s45, 500 for this building, and
as sl2,1S5 has been expended on site, a
balance OF s33, 305 remains for the build
ing.
School Sites.
One of the most difficult problems which
the Commissioners are called upon to so.ve
in connection with the school buildings is
that of sites. Many offers to sell sites are
after advertisements for them have been
published, but these offers are not always
satisfactory. The lot that might be most
available and possess the greater number
OF advantages is often too expensive to be
purchased. When the bids on sites for the
proposed colored manual training high
school were opened several weeks ago a
prominent citizen offered a lot for some
thing over s1000 900.
/, The Commissioners are at present en-
gagged in looking at and considering sites
| for the proposed four-room school building
| to be erected at Takoma Park, and the
| 100000 manual training school. They
visited Takoma last Friday afternoon and
viewed number of admirable sites, but
were unable TO reach a decision. so the
matter has been deferred several days
until II can be given more thorough con-
| sideration. Particular attention was paid
! during the tour of the Commissioners to a
lot, OF rather a tract of land FIVE acres in
extent, which had been offered to them by
| Thomas J. Fisher & Co. The tract is To-
| Gated on the Piney Branch Road near its
intersection with the tracks of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railway. The real estate
agents offered to sell the District the site
for the remarkably low figure of $4,000, Oh
TO sell onehalf OF the tract for $4,000.
! The New COIored school.
The Commissioners spent yesterday after.
noon looking at the sites offered by vari-
Gus property owners and real estate mer
for the proposed colored manual training
| school. The selection of the site for thi.
school has been engrossing their attention
for some time. II is quite an importan
matter and many colOred people rs vel
as Government officials have written TO III,
! Commissioners favoring various sites
| Among these communications was a peti
tion signed by many colored residents ant
accompanied by letter from prominen
Republican Senator fayoring a site In tn,
vicinity OF Stanton Square, on Capitol Hill
Another faction thinks the school should
be located along New Jersey Avenue
nearer the centre of the city, and in close
proximity TO the Coiored High School G
+. T. Cook. Superintendent of the Coloret
Schools of the city, has written TO tn
Commissioners, however, informing then
that there is no connection between III,
work of the two schools. His letter, re
ceived yesterday, reads as follows:
I'm reply TO yours Of the 14th inst.
have the honor TO say that there Will b.