The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-08-13
Commercial Club Makes Pertinent
Inquiries Concerning Proposed
School Building.
IS EXPENDITURE TOO GREAT?
Vicious Attacks Upon School Trus-
tees Simmer Down to Question of
Their Conservatism.

How the board of school trustees
come 10 the conclusion that it would
be necessary to eXpend the ma jor
part of $35, 900 in the building of a
four-room school house and the
equipment of the same?" was asked
by DR.. Richardson at the Commercial
club meeting last evening. I'VE
never came to such a conclusion in
the first place." said Senator Comins
in reply, but we have submitted the
plans and specifications of the struc-
ture as contemplated to several con-
tractors and have been told by them
that such building would cost more
than we had anticipated. Whether
i, will cost more or less we cannot
say until the bids which we now
have, have been opened.
The stirring school question that
has been agitating the minds of some
of the citizens ever since last Mon
day evening, when it was learned
that the board had entertained no.
tion of providing a school room for
the children of Ely City, whom they
believed to be residents of this dis
trict finally simmered down at last
nights meeting to the question as to
the conservatism of the school board,
composed of Senator Comins, Allen
C. Bragg and A. Mcdonald. The
I,,- oil
members was that the board was be-
ing hoodwinked and was not capa-
BILE of accepting bid on the build
ing owing to their eXtravagant ideas
in regard to the cost of such a build
ing as they contemplated. Various
opinions were offered by several of
the leading members, who set forth
the fact that larger buildings had
been constructed for less money in
other places and consequently the
board should not accept a bid that
called for none money than those
mentioned.
Mr.. Fesler raised the point that
the board had never consulted freely
with Attorney Eddy, ex-officio super
intendent of schools, as Mr.. Eddy
claimed the law allowed him pri1i-
lege of passing on all buildings con-
structed by the board after his first
passing ON the plans and deciding
whether the board had don4 their
work correctly.
Mr.. Eddy dealt at some length up
on the privileges thus allowed him
by the law and stated that so far the
board had not submitted the plans
to him and that when they did. he
didn't know what action he would
take. Mr. Fesler made motion that
a committee be appointed to meet
with Mr.. Eddy and advise aim COLI
cerning his approval or disapproval
of the plans as accepted by the board.
Dr.. Richardson stated that he
thought this was in an antagonlstlc
spirit to the board whom he was con-
vinced were honest men and would
not squander the public money. The
motion was lost.
In summing up the school situa-
tion Senator Comins said: 1.-The
board of school trustees have done
their best to provide plans for a
school building to be erected in ELY
that will be a credit to the town and
at the same time of ample accom-
modation for all our children, and ii
any of the members OF TINS cluD VINO
are present thlhk thaC 'hese .on'i q.
tors that have already handed in
their bids are eXtravagantly high,
they have the privilege of handing in
a bid themselves and the board Will
be pleased to accept the same, pro-
viding it is the lowest
No bids were rendered at las,
nights meeting, but it was decided
that the club should meei tonlgh'
and take up the matter of accepting
the various bids of the contractors
which will be opened by the board
today, and advice given The board as
to the one to accept.
The point was raised by Mr
Schmittroth as to the possibility oi
providing for all of the school chill
dren of Ely as shown in the census
to be 42S in the four new rooms !
the new building and the two olo
rooms, making six in all. He stated
that it is not possible to properly
handle more than SO pupils in one