The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-05
ONLY A SHELL.
Beautiful New Sumner School
Building Is Giving Way.
Walls Are Cracking in Many
Places.
NOT STRONG ENOUGH.
Were Made I3 Inches Thick In
stead Of II.
G. G. Nicholson Given Place on
the Board.
NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

Now that the board of education is
about to erect new school buildings to
cost $4,000 it has been discovered that
the most expensive ward school in the
city, Sumner. is mere shell and that
the walls are cracking as they are too
weak to sustain the heavy weight plac-
ed on them.
The board of education has often been
imposed upon by poor work but in the
case of the Sumner school the fraud is
most fragrant as the building is the
most expensive graded school in the
city. The estimate of the cost of the
building, given by the architect who
drew the plans was S17 900 for a build
ing with expensive round corners. The
board decided to eliminate the round
corners. That was done and the esti-
mated cost of the building was reduced
some $4,000. When the bids were open
ed the contract was finally. awarded ut
& cost OF S2S,370, which did not include
heating and plumbing and the cement
floors In the basement. The board de-
cided that in Sumner the city had
perfect school building.
Latterly the walls OF the building have
commenced to crack and the discovery
has been made that the walls of the
building are only - inches thick. The
specifications given the architect called
Tor n inch walls but in order to lessen
the cost of the building and give him
chance to submit plans for more at
tractive structure the thickness of the
walls were reduced. The members Of
the school board supposed that the
architect had followed the specifications
and the plans, calling for ~ inch walls,
slipped through. The contractors ana
The suDerinlend -nt of the building fol-
lowed the plans and the result has been
13 inch walls.
The south and east walls OF the build
ing have cracked badly and the arches,
too shallow 10 hold the weight above
Them have settled and caused more
cracking Some Of the inside walls
have cracked and especially in the large
assembly room. the walls have cracked
badly I'm q short time the board of
education VIII have to expend consid
erabie money in bracins and strength
ening the walls. The work may be done
during the summer vacation.
w. IT. Wilson. chairman Of the build
ing committee, said today; There Is no
danger at The sumner school The walls
will not fan and the building IS per
fectly safe for some time to come The
specifications called for Il inch walls
but the architect did not follow the
specifications and substituted 13 inch
walls The result is that the walls can
not support the weight and they are
cracking and settling badly. This will
ruin the beauty of the building and
money viii have to be expended to pre-
vent further damage. 1 thought that IN
Summer we had perfect building. IhlS
will serve to make us even more strict
as to the construction of the five new
school buildings soon to be built
j. w. Priddy started trouble at the
meeting At the last meeting Russell
Barber, the new member on the board
from North Topeka. announced his
at ff n
was begun. Mr.. Priddy was one or the
inst to hint that he would like to be
elected by the board to succeed Barber,
as Priddy viii be succeeded IN August
by r.. r. Miller The board sat down on
that so hard that Priddy's little boomlet
looked like "a summer squash after an
elephant had trOd on it, The board
elected no one at that meeting and the
matter came up again last night
There was considerable fnaneuNerln5
by the board members who We're anxl-
Gus for the election to be announced A.
A Rodgers nominated Dr. l.. A. Ryder
and W. H. Wilson nominated c. G.
Nicholson Mp Miller. the man from
North Topeka who viii take his seat
with the board this summer, was in
the room as Il locker on At the pre-
vi0us meeting N1r. Barber recommend
ed as his successor @. C.. Nicholson. The
election went over till the next meeting.
Meantime it was announced by Mr..
Miller. the member elect, that he and
Nicholson are bitter enemies and that
Miller would not be a member of a
board with Nicholson So. when Mich
olson was nominated and Miller was in
the room. things began TO be interest
ing
Mr. Priddy was the leader Of the anti
Nicholson forces ON the floor. O. ..
Skinner was mentioned He doesn
want it," said Pfiddy. He wants Ryder
to De elected he is out of politics"
''WeU. there's no politics in this
board said Mr.. Bonebrake.
II would like to have the cOmmunica-
lions that have come TO the clerk read, :"
said Mr. Priddy. And, gentlemen, in
making this election I hope you viii
others as you would they would do unto
you"
string of Endorsements for both
Ryder and Nicholson We're read. Con-
gresham Charles Curtis was one OF the
Nicholson supporters.
Il am IN danger Of breaking the
golden rule. said MT Wilder. The hos
tilities toward Priddy were Just begin
ming and the first bomb was fired i
was prejudiced when Mr.. Barber. who
had been member of this board q
short time and who attended but a few
meetings resigned and attempted to
name his successor Since then I have
TALKED to many North Topeka people
and my prejudices have been removed.
If there is any trouble between Mr..
Miller and Mr.. Nicholson it seems to
be one of a personal matter in regard to
finances. If they can't get along to-
gether on the board we viii have to seat
them at opposite ends of the table.
think it is an insult to the board to