The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-21
TOO EXPENSIVE.
School Board Decides to Reject
All Bids.
Could Not See Its Way Clear to Pay
$1,000 for Convenience of One Heat.
ing System Over Another.

At it's adjourned meeting last night,
the school board wisely concluded not
to build the proposed addition to the
Franklin building or to put in steam
heating plant this year. The addi-
tional room will not be needed this
year, and for the convenience of a
steam heating plant over stoves, SO, 21O
would be an expensive price to pay.
By the time the addition to the build
ing is needed it is likely that the cost
of labor and material will be much less,
and the school district will avoid pay
ing interest in the meantime, besides
saving the depreciation in the build
ing.
1t is possible that an arrangement
can be made for securing the Tourtel-
lotte hospital and converting it into a
school building, for which it is ad-
mirably adapted by construction and
location. This would make an addi-
ton to the Franklin building unneces-
sary. The hospital is lying idle and
there seems to be no demand for its
services since st. Joseph's was con-
structed. 1t is possible that the school
district could arrange with the Tour
tellotte heirs to acquire the building.
The idea is we'll worth considering,
at least.
When the bids were taken up, Mr..
Davies moved that the contract for
onstructing an addition to the build
ing be awarded to J. B. Nielsen & Co.,
the lowest bidders, whose figures are
So, 745.
Mr.. Comstock called attention to the
fact that there is not enough money
on hand to build the addition and put
in the heating plant. Money could
not be taken from the current fund for
the purpose without violating the
charter. The addition would lie idle
for five years, while the district would
be paying interest on the money Dor
rowed and the building would be de-
preciating during this time. The
school is getting along we'll with
stoves, and a steam heating plant
would only afford a little more con-
venience. Stoves are often healthier
for heating than steam plant is To
put in a steam plant would require
large expenditure in proposition to the
benefits obtained. Long before five
years have passed, there will be de-
cided difference in wages and the cost
of material. Mr.. Comstock did not
think it prudent to invest Sc, 500 with
the result of acquiring a little
more convenient method of heating
the building, which would be COM
paratively insignificant gain. He had
thought the matter over carefully since
the last meeting. He did not believe
that the tax payers want the improve
ment at the figure that it would cost.
Secretary Brewster said that there
is $500 less in the special fund than
was figured at the last meeting, which
would leave only 81, 900 for heating
plant, addition to the building and for
additions to the library, apparatus for
the high school, etc.
Mr. Fletcher said that he was in
sympathy with Mr., Comstock's re-
marks. There had been no complaint
about the heating by stoves, and the
attendance is equal to that in the other
buildings The bids on the addition
were not satisfactory. The lowest bid
on addition and heating plant was
81, 900 over half as much as the whole
Franklin building has cost. The only
thing to be gained by the large expen-
diture is little convenience in heat
ing.
Architect Gerlach estimated the cost
of the basement, with a temporary
roof, to be used for locating the heat
ing plant, at 81, $685. go, and the addi-
tional expense on account of the tenn
porary feature at $500.
Mr. Fletcher said that in order to
put up the addition and the heating
plant the board would have to borrow
So, 500 before the year was out. as there
are good many necessary demands
upon the special fund. The current
expenses are increasing from year. to
year, with no return coming from it.
There is So, 600 less in the current fund
now than there was a year ago. The
district has been in a healthy condi-
tion financially for years, and he
would regret to see it become depend
emit upon the banks again, as it once
was. 1t is much easier to, run indie
pendent of the banks. Stoves are a
healthy method of heating, even if a
little inconvenient, and it would not
be good policy to pay 81, 600 for a
steam heating plant. Provision must
be made to meet the bonds that will
soon be falling due. Repairs are also
needed to the buildings that will cost
much money. Mr.. Fletcher said that
he would like to see curbing laid in
front of the school grounds and the
boulevards sodded, but he did not favor
sod inside of the school grounds, where
the children should be unrestricted.
A vote was taken on Mr.. Davies
! motion and all of the members present
voted against it except Mr.. Coughlan,
who voted for it. Mr.. Coughlan said
that he considered the bids low.
The bids on addition to the building
, and on heating plant were then reject