El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-04
Of the School Board Last
Night, With Interesting
Result
COMPETITION
Will Take Place in the Mat
ter of Providing Plans
For the New High
School

The school board held most inter-
sting session last night at the Office
ii the superintendent.
There was full attendance all
| lembers realizing that business of the
= tmost Importance to the people of Ell
! I'aso and their children was to be
transacted.
! The question whether the board WAS
! 20 receive competitive plans for the
I s.hool buildings and in that manner
elect an architect or whether the ar
! Infect should be chosen before any
, ,lans were submitted. was the chief
one up for consideration.
Mr. Morehead was heartily in favor
of non-competition and carried his
point. but only after "A hot fight
| Edward Kneezell was the man chos-
en-. The board stood three to three
on the proposition. but President More
head cast the decisive vote in favor of
appointing an architect.
DR.. Gallagher championed the cause
of open competition and at times the
remarks that flew between him and
Mr.. Morehead We're heated.
The fight opened up after it had been
| agreed to erect high school building
to cost not more than $4,000 of the
| s75. 900 voted by the people for school
purposes.
When that question had been def
nitely settled DR.. Gallagher proposed
that architects generally be in
vited to submit plans for the new
buildings and improvements: the
| board TO select such plans as were de-
scribed ana pay only for those chosen
and the construction work to be let
after bids had been received from con-
| tractors. He thought this was the on
| ly way to proceed. inaSmuch as the
school trustees IN a signed circular sent
out tC taxpayers had pledged them
selves that the money derived from
the sale of the bonds should be dis
| bursed in manner above suspicion
of jobbery.
| He urged that each architect submit
ting a plan be required to accompany
the same with acertified check for one
per cent of the cost of the building as
a guarantee that it's price would not
exceed the amount already fixed by the
| board
| Mr.. Shelton favored the plan pro-
posed by DR.. Gallagher. but it was vot-
ed down by the other four members
of the board. the president having no
vote except in case of tie.
| The second proposition was advocat-
ed by Mr.. Martin. 1t was that the
board proceed to the election of an
architect. whose duties should be to
carry out suggestions of the board in
preparing his plans. and afterwards let
the work by sealed bids to contractors:
the architect to have the supervision of
plans and five per cent of the money
expended for the buildings.
! The second proposition after heat
ed discussion, mainly between DR.. Gal
lagher and Mr.. Morehead. met with
the endorsement of Messrs. Martin.
| rev. anu w lllldIIS. ana was opposed
| by DIR. Gallagher DR.. Wright and Mr.
! Shelton. The vote stood to and
President Morehead announced that he
| would vote for the proposition.
1t was declared adopted and Archi-
tect Edward Kneezell vase hosen as
| the boards own. His fee will amount
to over $4,000. He is to make his con-
tract and bond Immediately.
1t was decided that to avoid any sus-
| picion OF jobbery each contractor de-
| string to compete for the work be re-
quested to come in person to the board
meeting and present his bid himself.
| when the proper time arrives.
| The Proceedings.
Those. present last night were:
President c. r. Morehead; f.
c. Pew. DIR. Gallagher. w. r. Mar
i