Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-26


president Of the university were build
Ing up the school and mourning expenses
FAR beyond the appropriations made by
the Legislature. Following is the re-
port in full:
THE REPORT IN FULL
TO the Board of Regents, West Viz
ginia University:
Your finance committee begs to report
herewith that the committee has ex-
an3ined the orders, acquisitions, vouch-
Ars, drafts and reports OF the auditor
and treasurer Of the university for the
year beginning June l, 1900, and ending
Mfay 1, 1901, and have checked the bank
balances called for in these statements.
have examined and checked all Invest
ments, and find the accounts OF tae UNI
versity in balance and all moneys and
Investments properly accounted for.
IN regard to the general condition OF
the finances of the university, we md
that. according to the agreement With
number Of professors by authority OF
the late board OF regents, there Is due
and claimed by them for services per-
termed during the three summer quar-
ters taught at the university the sum OF
213,599.93-
AS these services were rendered IN
good faith. your committee recommends
thatthey be paid in full. but as any at
tempt to pay any considerable part
of the amount at this time would
reduce the available funds of the uni
versity to such an extent as to serious
" cripple IT'S work your committee FUR
ther recommends that the board official
II recognize the business of these claims
and recommend to the next Legislature
that an appropriation be made to dis
charge this indebtedness, which your
hoard found already incurred when IT
came into office.
An ADDITION to the Indebtedness
for the summer quarters, your commit
tee finds that services have been en-
Gagged which will call for expenditures
by October l, 1901, OF approximately
$4,000 over and above the funds appro-
Vriated b. the Legislature for the ad-
ADMINISTRATION of the university, and the
funds available from all other sources.
This deficiency is nearly all due to tue
tate administration engaging the serv-
ices OF teachers and lecturers for the
summer quarters, paying part OF the
expenses out of the regular salary fund,
hereby making this deficit OF nearly
$4,000 In that fund, IN addition to the
313,599.93 above mentioned. Your COM
mittee is of the opinion that tnis dehclt
OF 1000 should be treated in the same
manner as the claims OF the summer
quarters proper, and, therefore, recon-
nends that the board ask the next Leg
islature to appropriate sufficient sum to
cover this deficit, as any attempt to
meet it now out of your available funds
would practically disorganize the old
established courses of the university,
and almost destroy its efficiency, in fact
would be blow at the university which
1t would take years to recover from.
Your committee also reports that to
continue the present full force OF pro-
fessors and assistants in all of the
courses now conducted, regardless of the
moneys available.
Would Make Another Deficit
at the end of the next fiscal year of
$4,000 Your committee would, there
fore, strongly recommend that the board
abolish some departments, consolidate
others, and otherwise reduce fixed ex-
penses so as to come clearly within the
funds appropriated by the Legislature,
and funds otherwise available for the
administration of the university.
Your committee is strongly of the
opinion that the people of the State,
through the Legislature, desire to deal
generously with their chief institution
of learning. but will not longer tolerate
the mourning of having expenses be-
yond those lawfully provided, and that
a further pursuance in such a course
can only result in injury to the univer-
sity.
Your committee further finds that
contracts have been entered into be-
tween the late board and Caldwell &
Drake, contractors, for the erection OF
library, mechanical hall and armory
building, which will require the ulti-
mate expenditures of about $4,000 in
excess of funds available from insurance
on the old mechanical hall. and appro-
priated by the Legislature for their
erection. One OF the buildings, the
library building, is nearly completed;
the mechanical hall is well under way,
and the armorys building foundation is
laid, while the materials for them are
either In the buildings or nearly all on
the ground. These contracts cannot be
materially changed by your board, as
they have already been entered into by
the late board, and are consequently 90
legations
Which Cannot Now De Repudiatcd.
Your committee is of the opinion that
only two courses are left open to your
board, either to proceed with the build
tngs as they are specified until the funds
are exhausted, and then ask another ad-
dfticnal appropriation of the next Legis-
lature, or finish the buildings now as
contracted for and carry the deficit un-
I'll the Legislature can provide for it,
As the first suggestion would render the
buildings useless for nearly two years,
and with the imperative need of them,
especially the mechanical hall, cost the
State far more than the interest neces-
sary to carry the deficit until the Leg
stature meets, your committee recon-
mends that proper arrangements be
made with the contractors to complete
the buildings as soon as possible. and
carry the balance that will be due then
until provided for by an appropriation