The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-17
Yase New school Building Again.

Editor Item: We had hoped that
she Board OF Education would take
sach action On our charges With refer
eEee TO the new hign schoo! building
as would have relieved US OF the un-
pleasant duty of again appearing IN
print, but their card needs some atten-
stion from us.
An analysis reyeals several facts
which we desire TO emphasize, but be-
fore proceeding we Tssh to say that
We did not reflect in any manner upon
the gentlemen wto compose ghe Board.
Several of chem are personal friends,
and all OF them are we'll known to US
as enjoying the full confidence and
esteem of the citizens OF Snmter. We
say this much because it has been
urged that people who live away from
Sumter may form an erroneous opln-
i9n from reading our article.
We desire to call the attention nf
the public to the fact that the card
was only signed BY four members OF
the board, and that the name of Mayor
B. Stuckey was not signed co it.
Now for the analysis: The four
sgeatiemen say, e. have felc satisfied
that no reasonable ground exists for
sach complaints and yet a little fur
tber down they admit that 's,rhe vari-
ons alleged defects pointed out by Mr..
Miller are not new To the beard. They
had already been referred to our archi-
tecs for adjustment. Undertaken.
mind you, TO have matters adjusted
where mo reasonable grounds for
such complaint existsi" Thea Why an
adiastment9
@ AS 30 the necessary departure from
the foundation plans. OF course de-
parture was necessary, very necessary,
where the architect had so neglected
his business as 60 pass upon and allow
the contractor to put lp interior walls
that had TO be dug out and jack up
thousands OF brick, raising them from
their original position and letting
them down again on neso foundation.
s Technically, their architect may not
have passed upon the building, but
practically he has Mr. Wilson, has
been here once and made an inspec-
ton upon which he ordered a $500
nsYment. At Eve other times hise
paoyees; Nessrs. Urquhart and Leitner.
have made inspections upon which
$9,094.57 have been paid. The entire
.cosf OF the building to be $4,000, Ieay-
ing a balance OF s2.30543 yet due.
Now, practically, as we see. it, the
Building has certainly been passed
upoa and accepted, Notwithstanding
an innocent looking clause, in fine
pyiut. aS the bottom Of the order,
which reads: This certificate is not
an acceptance OF any part OF the work,
nor IS ie to be construed as guaran-
tee that the work will be completed
for the balance Cue noder the con-
tract. The milk in the cocoanut is in
the list clause which says there Is no
guarantee. &c. SO that really, the on
IS guarantee that the building will be
constructed for ST., 900, is that given
By the contractors bond for 5000 III
the American Bonding Co., OF Balti-
more, that is, If they are solvent after
the great fire Of two weeks ago.
The card refersto "a local architect"
making certain damaging : state
nsents." The best planis is9to produce
the statements" themselves, and We
have procured the letter of Mr. Zeig-
ler, which is published in full below.
It only remains for US to inform the
Dnblic that the cracks in the walls.
reported bY US. have been nicely
plugged up with mortar and washed
IoVer to eliminate all traces of them,
which process, of course, adds great
IS e )to the strength Of the structure.
More anon. z. F. MILLER.