The sun., 1901-02-12
IS FIREMAN
COMPETENT
Frank Jones Not Allowed to Fire
High School Boilers.
HE DESIRES ANOTHER TRIAL
School Board Committee Divided on
the Matter-Contractor Harry
A. Miller Says Jones Can
not do the Work.

not do the Work.
At the meeting of the Board of Educa-
tion last evening the fact was disclosed
that there has been some friction be-
tween Harry A. Miller, the contractor,
who installed the heating plant at the
New High School and the board in re-
gard to the men employed by the board
20 run the plant.
The plant has not been turned over
to the board as yet, although it is said to
De completed. 1t is said that Mr.. Miller
will not turn it over to the men engaged
Dy the board to run it as he is under
10000 bond that the plant will work
satisfactorily for one year and he is
not of the opinion that these men are
competent.
The matter was brought up by Mr..
Kersey of the committee ON fuel, heat
ing and ventilation, who moved that
Frank Jones who had been engaged by
.he committee as fireman for the New
High School, be placed on the payroll
Tor January.
George Rommell, chairman of the COM
mittee, said that he could not vote to
pay Jones' salary.
John Il. rOstles, another member of
the committee, said that he understood
hat the engineer and fireman were at
irst not to do any work but Just 20 to
the building and learn how to operate the
plant. Jones was ut once put to firing
and is said to have failed. When he
went to work the valve from the boiler
the coils We're closed. When he opened
The valve the boiler opened causing the
team to fall. He was unable to get up
steam and another fireman was put in
and he worked till o'clock in the
afternoon before he got up steam. Mr..
Postles said that Jones had no right to
fire at that time but was only to famil-
| larize himself with the work. He stated
that Jones has since not been allowed to
| fire. He desires to be given trial and
f he is then unable to do the work he
will resign.
Chairman Rommell stated that on the
second day Jones had no steam. Mr.
Miller telephoned to him (hIr. Rommell)
that Jones was not competent. Rommel
telephoned back to him that he should
tell the engineer to discharge him.
Mr.. Rommell said the rest of his com
nittee were not with him in the matter
They are: Messrs. Schaeffer, Green, Ker
sey and Postles. Mr.. Kersey said that
the majority of the committee decided
to put Jones to work and give him q
trial. They consulted with Mr.. Carter
chairman of the High School Committee
and agreed to have the trial Wednesday
morning, but it was later decided to
wait till after the meeting Of the board
President Shortlidge said he had heard
it stated that the engineer selected by the
board was machinst and that the fire.
man had no practical experience and he
did not blame Mr.. Miller for demanding
that practical men be placed in charge
of the plant as he was under bond that
the plant would work satisfactorily.
| A lengthy discussion ensued. 1t was
stated that Mr.. Miller had fireman OF
his own firing the boilers at the boards
expenses while Fireman sJones reported
regularly every day at the building but
was not allowed to work. Mr.. Fraim
said they would have to pay him us they
had employed him and the committee on
fuel, heating and ventilation had not dis
charged him.
Mr.. Rommell declined to act with Mr..
Carter, chairman of the High School
Committee, in giving Jones trial at the
work of firing the boilers, saying that
he did not desire to ruin his reputation
MS mechanic.
| After n number of motions and sub
stitutes were offered the board finally
| lecided to refer the matter of the en-
uloyment and discharge of the fireman to
the committee on new buildings, with
1ower to act. 1t was considered to be
4 duty belonging to it as the plant had
not vet been turned over to the board.
Later on in the meeting Mr.. Kersey
again brought up the matter of paying
Mr.. Jones and it was decided to pay him
for his work.
Action Of giving the fifth grammar
grade pupils instructions in manual
training was postponed until the next
meeting. Authority was given to pur-
chase clock for the superintendent s
office in the New High School not to
cost over 500.
| President Shortlidge announced re-
arrangement Of number of committees.
The committee on the Old High School,
Messrs. Carter, Morrow and Turner
were made the committee on the New
High School. Messrs. Turner and Spru-
qnce were made the committee on the
Old High School. Messrs. McGovern
md O'Donnell were made the committee
If Scnool No. 4. Messrs. McGovern and
Brown were made the committee of
School No. 10. Messrs. Adair, Baugh
md Brown were made the committee on
Free Library.
The committee on teachers presented
the following report which was adopted:
| "At the beginning Of the term on Mon
day. Feb. 4. your committee was con
fronted with numerous difficulties and
complications, as will be found by ex-
animation of the report which will be
submitted hy the superintendent at this
meeting. The number Of pupils to each
teacher has been reduced to as near 40
as possible. There were but 45 pupils
laving the schools by graduation and re-
movals, while there were about 600 new
nnnils admitted. These reductions and
additions have made necessary the fol-
lowing changes and appointmerts.