The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-15
fawucket Body Did Not Accomplish Much During Its Two
and a Half Hours Session. Sub Committees Failed TO
Get Estimates Of Cost for Work 10 Re Done. Politics
and Pull Were Also Apparent Firm Of Which Architects
Brother Is a Member, Given Contract Although Not tho
Lowest Bidder McHugh Who Deserted the Democrats
After Being Honoed With Place in The Assembly, Given
Job as a School JantOr

II was no surprise that the meeting OF
the school committee last evening was a
long one, but rather surprising that the
amount of business transacted I'm the two
and a half hours Of the session was not
greater. The trouble was that the sub
committees failed TO do their work as
they should have done. II was not that
they had been idle for such was not the
case, but rather that the efforts which
had been made had not been well di-
rected and the results were incomplete.
This was especially true Of some OF the
work which had been done by the proper
~ comnuttee. AS was expected there
were several reports 10 come from this
committee. In the first place there was
q report regarding the Lincoln avenue
extension for which the city council has
made an appropriation OF $500. 1t seems
that when II came to awarding the con
tract for this work there was "A decided
difference OF opinion I'm the sub-commit
tee and that instead OF giving the con
tract TO the lowest bidder the recommen-
dation came that II be given TO a iirm
which was the second lowest.
But the committee split on this propo-
sition and II was not a unanimous recon-
mendation. There are three members on
this subcommittee. of which Mrs. T.. l..
Tobie rs chairman, and the other two
members are DR.. A. j. Fortier and John
H. Arnold.
GAVE NO REASONS.
Mr. Arnold did not agree with the other
members, but IL required some little ques-
tionng TO bring this fact out The com
mittee was not at first inclined TO give
the figures which had been received from
the four bidders and later they failed alb
solutely to give any reason for their re-
commendation. except that Mrs. Tobie
cha faN oil
a responsible firm. DR.. Fortier. who mad
voted with her i'm the recommendation,
kept still and gave no reason, although
he was several times pressed 10 ro SO. The
contract was awarded in accordance with
the recommendation of the committee.
When II came To the report I'm reference
to the matter of repairs on the several
buildings, II appeared that there had been
no es,bnatc. made OF what these would
cost Mrs. robie as chairman read "A list
OF what was necessary 10 be done, but
the other members of the general com
mittee could get no idea OF what the total
cost would be from this and consequently
the report was valueless.
DR. Fortier brought up the matter of
changes in the High street school, which
had been ordered and the report OF the
boiler inspectors in which four of the
boilers were declared 10 be UNIT for fur
ther use came up. II appeared that there
was need for pretty big sum of money.
No one could get head nor tail from the
facts in possession OF the committee ana
finally In order that some kind ot infor-
nation might be secured a recess was
taken so that the committee on property
could get together again. This they did
and when they again reported IL showed
that in addition TO the sum OF about $500
which was at present available there was
further need OF something over $500
IL was then decided to make few
transfers from unexpended balances ana
then ask the city council To make an APP
propriation OF $500 for the use of the
committee I'm making repairs
MeHuoH REWARDED.
Another report from this committee
was the recommendation that Thomas
McHugh be appointed a janitor at sal
ary OF sl2 per week TIE chief interest
in this appointment lies i'm the fact that
Thomas McHugh was once one OF tho
strong factors of the Democratic party
in this city and posed as "A labor leader.
He was picked up by the Democrats ana
made a member OF the general assembly
and after years service I'm that BODY
during the time John j. Fitzgerald was
the Democratic leader. he frequently OPP
posed the latter and I'm he next cam
paign undertook TO secure Mr.. Fitzger-
AIDS defeat
He was dropped from the Democratic
ticket and since then he has been ham
ger-on for Republican favors. This rs
the first little crumb of comfort he mas
received but his former Democratic
ftends will not begrudge him this little
favor after what he has done To get II.
The committee was called to oredr at
o'clock with Chairman Little I'm the chair
and all but Miss Cullen present The rec
0rdQ of he Qst
approved
Mrs Fowler from the committee on text
books and supplies came the recommend
alton that the Ridgeway Natural geogra-
ply and Nichols arithmetic be kept I'm
the schools for special supplementary pur-
poses. There are the old text books which
were surplsnted by the new ones over
which there was so much controversy
earlier In the year necessitating refer
ence TO the supreme court and later to
the commissioner OF education. The rec
ommendation was adopted.
BOILERS NOT IN GOOD CONDITION.
Mrs Toblne from the committee on
property read the report OF the boiler in
spectors regarding the condition OF three
OF the boilers In use In the different
school buildings In which u was stated
thai they were not In condition for use al
though they were not absolutely con-
demned
Mr. Millman stated that Mr. Waterman
the chief janitor had told him that In his
opinion the boilers could be used IN safe
~ for a while longer Then there came
up tho question as TO what serious dam
age would result I'm the boilers should
burst while I'm use IN was stated that they
were what ~ known as low pressure boil
ers and that there ~ not supposed TO be
over two pounds of pressure on them at
any one time any way. IL WAS agreed
that " the safety valves should fail 10
work this pressure might Increase 60 the
point where serious results would followw
hut u was also admitted that this might
BE- the case In new boilers OF similar
type provided that the persons who were
In charge OF them failed 90 make the or
dinsry and usual tcsss Of these valves.
After long discussion In which all
sorts OF arguments were advanced II was
easily seen that the members we're not