The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-08
Report Of Committee on New
School Houses.
Treasurer Knapp Not
Liable.
City Solicitors Report on Wood
bury & Moulton Case.

An adjourned meeting of the city gov
eminent was held last evening, all being
present except Alderman Tilton. The
matter of new school buildings, the opin-
ion of the city solicitor in the Woodbury.
a. Moulton case, and the proposed refer
endum of Alderman Small We're the most
important questions discussed.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
Alderman Ssammon chairman of the
Joint committee from the board OF alder
men and the school board reported that 1t
was the luminous recommendation OF
the committee that the city issue bonds
for the erection of new school buildings
in wards three and seven, and for the en-
largement of the school house in ward
six. The building in ward three to be
erected ON land owned by +. III. Hartford
on the corner of Sawyer and Broadway,
the cost of same, if of brick, to be $4,000,
and if of wood, SIC, 900. The building in
ward seven TO be on land owned by the
Atwood Lead company, situated on the
westerly side of Main street, the cost of
same il of brick to be 81, 900 and if of
wood 5000. They further recommended
that $l20O be appropriated for the enlarge
ment of the school house in ward six AMI
that ths plans and specifications drawn
by Fred A. Tompson of Portland be
adopted. The ward three school house to
contain eight rooms and the ward seven
house four rooms, the price of the land
being respectively $500 and $1,000.
The report was received and placed on
nile.
CITY SOLICITORS OPINION.
City Solicitor Moulton read a carefully
prepared opinion in the matter of city
funds deposited with Woodbury. and
Moulton by the late Freeman Knapp, in
which he reviewed the record of the city
council aud recited Mr.. Knapp's history
of the transaction. Mr.. Moulton read the
statutes defining the duties of city
treasurer, which in his opinion only
called for good faith aDd reasonable skill
and held that it was simply a question of
fact whether or not Mr.. f<napp's tran
saction was without fault. The city has a
right to call for the money and MIR.
Knapp must then show that the loss was
without fault on his part. In the end a
jury would have to pass on this question
and it was the opinion of Mr.. Moulton,
in view of all the circumstances of the
case, that the city could not secure YER
dict of recovery, were the matter brought
before the courts.
ALDERMAN SPEARS ORDER.
Alderman Spear introduced this order
~. ,.ff
ford the five lots of land at the corner of
Broadway and Sawyer streets in ward
three; said lots being about one hundred
and sixty seven feet on said Sawyer
street; one hundred and ninety three feet
ON Broadway, running back from Broad
way about two hundred eighty-flve feet
and running back from Sawyer street
about ne hundred and fifty feet thus
having street on three sides; said
premises to be used for the purpose of
erecting thereon a school house, and said
purchase to be made for the sum of $500.
The order was given its first reading.
Alderman Smith asked some questions
of Dr. Brown of the school board as to the
number of scholars in temporary rooms
in the South Portland district, and after
reading petitions from several citizens in
troduced an order in the nature of a
referendum to the effect that the legal
voters be warned to meet at Oasis hall,
June % TO vote from 9 a. m. to p. m. to
vote ON these questions: "Shal there be
erected in wards two or three wooden
school building the cost of which not to
exceed $4,000"
"Shall there be erected in ward seven a
wooden school building the cost of which
not to exceed $1,000"
The order provoked some discussion in
which Alderman Smith said it was not
introduced with any hostility TO the pro-
posed measure, but rather TO get the sem
timent of the tax payers.
Alderman Spear objected to the form of
the order and Alderman Jordan dwelt
upon the necessity of increased school ac-
commodations in Ligonia and Cash's
Corner. The vote resulted as follows
Yes, Aldermen Willard, Spear, Seaman,
Pickett, Jordan. No, Alderman Small.
A TEMPORARY LOAN.
Alderman Jordan introduced an order,
which was given its first reading, that to
pay Indebtedness which may arise the
city treasurer be authorized from time to
time to borrow ON the notes of the city
money not to exceed 5000.
OTHER BUSINESS.
The auditors report Of expenditures
and balance ON hand was presented and
an order for the payment of cure MT
monthly bills was given its first reading.
The street commissioner was instructed
to build sewer in Knightyille at AZ Main
street and running southerly to connect
with sewer ON East L street.
The matter of the construction Of a cnl-
vert near the property Of Matthew Woods