Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-02
HUGHES GETS THE CONTRACT.

Bid of S57 zoe Brings the High School
Plum to Him.
The Board of Education held a special
meeting yesterday afternoon at the Bloomer
building and decided to award the contract
for the construction of the new high school
building to George F. Hughes on his bid of
$57, 700. The award, however, was made con-
ditionally and the contract will not be for
mally entered into between the board and
Huges until after the decision Of State Super
intendent Barrett in the T. l.. Smith site
appeal case is received, and only then pro-
viding the ruling upholds the action OF the
board In selecting the Oakland avenue prop
erty as the location for the new high school.
The resolution awarding the contract condi-
tionally also provides that It shall not be
entered into until the title of the property
Is vested in the school district.
This action was taken yesterday 90 that
bidders might know to which the contract
was to go, to avoid any further delay after
the ruling of the state superintendent is
known and which the board believes will be
favorable to it.
It developed that Hughes had arranged to
subcontract for the carpenter work in the
event of his being awarded the contract to a
party who was not acceptable to the members
OF the board. The plans and specifications
under which the bids were made provide
that the persons securing the contract shall
furnish the architects with the names of their
subcontractors and that they must be satis-
factory to them. Hughes said he was anxious
to meet with the wishes OF the board and
agreed not to employ the carpenter objected
to. Hughes bid of $57, 700 was the lowest
received.
The president and secretary were author
lied to complete the contract with the arch
fleets. Coy n SphnnnfDnn uIN rzno,- It
plans and specifications for the new high
school. The contract provides that they
shall receive $4,000 for the entire work, which
includes the supervision Of the construction
of the building. This Is to be paid them
in three amounts, the first installment OF
$3.50 on the signing Of the contract, $3.50 when
the building is under roof and 81, 900 when
the school has been completed and turned
over to the board. The compensation to the
architects 10 a little over 4 per cent on the
cost of the building. Under the contract.
Messrs. COX d. Schoentgen are to give daily
supervision to the work OF construction.
An attempt on the part of Hess to intro
duce a resolution restoring the salaries of
the principals who had been reduced was
thwarted by Moore, who objected to anv
: such action being taken in the absence of
Stewart and Cooper of the finance commit
tee.
Before introducing his motion, Hess
stated that he wished to make a few re-
marks in explanation OF his vote at the reg
ular meeting. at which he supported the re-
port of the finance committee reducing the
salaries of the principals. He now was sorry
that ne had voted to support the report
and, after thinking the mastor over, felt
that 1t was wrong to reduce the pay of
teachers who had reached their present po-
sitions by years of service and merit. He
thought 1t was all wrong and If any cutting
was to be done it was the salaries of the
grade teachers that should be reduced. As
he was about to introduce his resolution,
Member Moore interposed, saying that they
ought to postpone the matter until Cooper
and Stewart were present. This, he said,
he believed was only justice to the two
members of the finance committee who had
been mainly responsible for the cut in the
salaries. President Sims said he was pre-
pared to vote right there and then and did
not see the necessity Of putting the matter
off until Stewart and Cooper were present.
This brought Moore to his feet again with
the remark that 1t was not fair.
Hess said: IT want to be fair and IL the
board so Wills it, will wait until Cooper and
Stewart are present"
Swaine said he was in favor of postponing
the matter, but Henry was ready to vote.
ruItneT ulScusSlon Oh the question ellclted
from Moore the admission that the reason
he had supported the report reducing the
salaries was because the board had refused
to reappoint E. r. Fonda as supervisor of
buildings. He said: Hitherto / have al
ways kept politics out of the board and,
although / have always been in favor of
paying liberal salaries, I had to stick to
my friends and by voting as l did l secured
another vote for Fonda, although 1t failed
to elect him"
Sims-Do you mean to say. Mr.. Moore,
that in order to retain Fonda you voted to
reduce the salaries of the principals al
though in your heart you were opposed to
such a course?
Moore-I had to stand by my friends
and when politics were introduced by the
other members, and Fonda turned down in
favor OF q republican, I thought l would
inject a little politics myself,
After a little further discussion the in
cident was closed by Hess agreeing to post
pone the matter until next Tuesday night,
when the board will hold an adjourned
meeting.
Welsbach burners at Bixby's. Tel. 1sa
- 49, l. 1II --a-I