The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-22
SCHOOL BOARD
COMMITTEE
PROBES
Hose Contract Null..TO Dis
tribute Coal Supply
Awards Evenly.

The investigation of last week. when
the system of the repairs department
Of the Board of Education was crit
icised, was continued yesterday by the
On grounds, buildings and
supplies of the board. and the Issuance
contracts, the purchase of the coal
supply, and tho practise of contractors
of using material on school buildings
other than called for in the specifca-
tons were taken up.
Tho most drastic action Of the meet
ing was the passage of a resolution mo-
tifying Ralph B. Schmidt that his con
tract FOR installing the fire hose in
twelve schools was null and void, and
ordering him to discontinue putting In
the hose until he could show the COM
rnittee good cause for the delay in the
installation.
Mr.. Schmidt was the lowest of nine
bidders on this work. bidding $3.50 per
set for the hose, the total cost to
amount TO 81, 200. He was notified to
install the fittings on October 3 last,
The contract provides that the fittings
shall be put in within thirty days after
the contract Is let. As yet the hose has
been installed only in the Hawkins
Street School.
TIL question Of the brick used at the
schools was brought up when Joseph Os-
valid, the mason contractor for the -Hap.
thorne venue addition, appeared before
thu ZRhn7 y Militia md aalal kIAt L. -
lowed to substitute Allentown brick for
the front Of the building instead Of WHIP
pany brick, giving as his reason that he
thought the latter brick made a better
face brick.
The specifications OF the material for tho
building were examined by the commits
sioners, and 1t was discovered that Haver-
straw brick was specified. Mr.. Oswald
was asked to explain this by Commissioners
Tomkins. He stated that he had been
granted the right to change from Haver-
straw to Whippany brick by the last years
board. and made a reduction Of 300 in the
price because o. this.
Commissioner Guild and Taylor said
that no matter what action the old board
took in the matter, the material In the
specifications should be used, and work
will be discontinued until after the in
spection by the committee.
1pdlS iAbuihfs dItIllCtl lOE LnG E1dW@
thorne Avenue addition. was called before
the committee to explain how it happened
that a portion of the building was about
TO be erected on property not belonging
to the city, and he said that he thought
the property did belong to the city.
1t was discovered several days ago By
Superintendent OF Repairs George ".
Reeve that lots adjoining the city prop
erty which the old board contemplated
nurrha SING Moro hainsr uend and In Irof-4
Ing over the plans it was discovered that
the addition would go two feet over the
line on one side and sone and one-half
feet on the other side.
Commissioners Tomkins declared that
someone was responsible. but air.
O'Rourke disclaimed all blame and put it
UP to the schoolhouse committee of the
board of 1907.
The commissioners finally dropped for
the time the fixing of the responsibility.
and a resolution was adopted instructing
the secretary to have the land surveyed.
and the architect was instructed to m0dl-
fy his plans so that the building would
be ON city ground.
A resolution was adopted that no dealer
who has received orders for 100 tons of
coal be given more orders until the men
who have received smaller orders have
| supplied a Ike amount.
Commissioner Guild asked who placed
the orders and Superintendent of Repairs
Reeve answered that he did.
We'll, | do not see why the superiu-
tendent should order COAL" continued Mr..
Guild. This committee should do the
ordering direct"
MIR. Reeve FASTENED TO inform him that he
ordered from the dealer whom the CONF
mittees Of the previous boards had named,
and, as has been the practises when the
methods Of the previous boards were
brought up, the matter was dropped VITA
the understanding that coal in the future
should he purchased direct by the cons
mittee.
Principal Robert A. Macdonald, OF the
Hawthorne Avenue School, accompanied
by a delegation, appeared before the COM
mittee to urge the purchase OF a plot adj
joining the school for a playground for the
school boys. He said the plot in question
would cost in the nelghborhood of $500.
After the discussion of property values ii
the vicinity OF the school the matter was
laid over.
The committee left the City Han at
o'clock today and visited the Fourteenth
Avenue, Lincoln School and Hawthorne
Avenue School, to look up the brick mat
ters. After the inspection President Fred
erick IT. Guild Will give a dinner TO his
colleague.