Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-18
ALL BIDS THROWN OUT
Because Calls for Bids Was Not
 Advertised Legally.

School Commissioners Had an Inter
 esting Meeting-A Reporter of the
 American Scored for, Writing UnEue
 Things About the Board and Its
 aieetings-It Was Voted to Consult
 Out of Town Engineers in Regard to
 the Heating and yentilating of the
 Schools.
 Before getting down to business last evening the board of education sprung a ratfling sensation on the representu- tfyes of the press. Commissioner NC Donald had been limiting mysteriously before the meeting opened of tnree- rInged circuses. and when Clerk fltz- gerald had read the minutes or the TWO previous meetings and the board was ready for business, Commissioner Nc Donald took copy of the evening American out of his coat pocket de, ifberately spread it before him anu then opened up on the reporter or mat paper who was present.
 Commissioner Mcdonald said ne wished to call the attention of the board to the Americans report of the meeting of the board held on April Il. That report, he said, compared the meeting to a three-ringed circus and the Buffalo exposition would lose d valuable exhibition in not having a group picture of the board for display. Commissioners Mcdonald said he re- gretted to have to speak in thls mah- ner of anybody connected with tne press or of the press itself, because ne was on friendly terms with both, put the cause of his complaint was so rrIeyous. the conlparison. of the meet ing in question to a thfee-ringed cir GUS so offensive in its absurdity, he thought 1t his duty to mention it.le He understood a joke as we'll as any man; he was aware that men in public offlce cannot be too captious about things said of them in the press, but the re- port referred to was such mockery he thought the reporter should not be allowed to attend any future meetings Of the board.
 Commissioner Hayes concurred in these sfatements.- He went further and said he considered the board was misrepresented and slandered. He thought the last meeting was quite harmonious and businesslike; it was nothing like a three-ringed circus He was aware public men are sometimes held up for criticism; but he was also aware that they have some rights which should be respected. There being no further remarks to be made in this line Mayor Kildun asked for reports. All the members were pres ent excepting Commissioners Cowen and Goodenough-
 Commissioner Mcdonald asked the chairman of the committee on schools IA nt.trx tft1 was dismissed last Tuesday, and Com missioner KIlmartin replied 1t was be cause it was of some difficulty with the water motor which was insufficient to work the heating apparatus. He thought the difficulty could be over come permanently by an expenditure of $200. Commissioner Kilmartin moved that in drawing up the con tracts for the. proposed schools it bc embodied, in them that the. Johnson regulator system be specified. 1t was already understood that such system would be used. but he wanted to have no doubts on the matter. The motion was carried.
 Commissioner Mcdonald then asked if the bids for the contracts had been advertised for according to the char ter He was aware they had not been. Commissioner Kilmartin replied that he was informed that number of bids from contractors from various parts had been received. and he thought 1t not necessary to advertise; at least so he was informed. However, he told the architects to advertise in the trade journals and they told him it was too late. The commissioner said he would not do any clerical work be- cause he was not paid for doing so. IL "a to hear this from the chairman of the committee on schools and hygiene. Had he known of it he would have done the work. Commissioner Eilmar- tin replied that 1t was singular when other members of the committee were looked for they could not be found to do thing. 1t was finally disclosed that the advertising was not done le- gally.
 It was then voted to rescind and afl- null all votes previously passed relat- ing to awarding the contracts for heat ing the new schools on the ground that the advertising for bids was not prop erly done. Commissioner Chapman suggested that before advertising again for bids 1t would be we'll to hear from some reputable engineers on the mat ter. This suggestion was made a vote by which the clerk shall commGSicare with H. B. Smith of westfield, Mass. Profs Homer Woodbridge. Boston, and R. D. Kimball. Boston, for their prices for plans for heating. etc. The above are eminent men in their line.
 The committee on schools reported that Janitress Mary Fox of the Wash ington school went on strike, her re- quest for an increase of salary from $S-50 to 8 a week having been held up or delayed. Another woman has