The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-02-01
SCHOOL BOARD
CLASHES WITH
O'ROURKE
Question as to Who Is Re-
%spOnsible for Supervision
Of Buildings.

The question of the divided re-
sponsibility for the supervision and
control of school buildings between the
Board of Education and the building
department took considerable time of
the committee on obstruction and al
terations of buildings of the Common
Council last night, and a resolution
was adopted calling Upon the municipal
law department to render an opinion on
the matter.
William P. O'Rourke, superintendent
of the building department. brought
the matter to the attention of the COM
mittee several weeks ago, with a view
of having his position clearly defined.
The State school law provides that
the repairs department of the Board
Of Education shall have full super
vision over the buildings, while the city
ordinances give the building depart
ment the power to condemn buildings
or order repairs and alterations made.
The Board of Education at a recent
meeting abolished the repairs depart
ment, but vested its power in the pro-
posed new architectural and engineer
ing department, so that the situation
is still unchanged.
AS the matter stands the building
department. cannot, according to the
Interpretation of the law by the build
ing superintendent, order a faulty wall
taken down in a school, but may
recommend the change to the Board
of Education, and if the head of the
department of the Board of Education
having the matter in charge deems
that repairs are unnecessary the build
ing department is powerless, accord
ing to O'Rourke. and he, as superin-
tendent of buildings, is liable to indict-
ment should In accident occur because
of any defect in the school building.
Applications for twenty-siX proposed
changes ia buildings were passed upon by
the committee. Ten were granted. two re
iected, three laid over and thirteen marked
down for 4 visit by the committee today.N
Superintendent O'Rourke reported that
Frederick Kilgus, the contractor of the adj
dition to the new armory for the First
Regiment of the National Guard, to he
built on Rcseville avenue, had objected to
paying the fee of $344 demanded by The de-
u hiCnLs LII t&Piciiiti Niih VIZ O'N
tor objected on the ground that the build
ing was u new one, while the superinten-
dent held that it was an addition to an Old
one. The fee in the latter case is the
larger. A resolution was passed Instruct
ing the So Derintendent to collect the Zee.
A request was made by Superintendent
O'Rourke that he be given authority to
condemn a building on the southeast cor
ner of Bleecker and Hoyt streets. owned
by Nicola Vaeci. Mr.. O'Rourke thought
the building was weak, that the timbers
had rotted, and that it should be torn
down. He was given the desired au,aor-
ity after he had told the committee that
the owner had gone ahead and made
changes, authority for which was 1enied
him by the COMMITTEE some time Cago.
Among the applications for alt9 ations
to buildings which were granted was one
to Louis II. york, u 'steeplejack," living
al 419 Plane street. Joshua Brierley, who
was a candidate for Mayor in 1906. was
granted permission to remodel a three
story building at Grant and Broad streets
which he purposes using as funeral parlors.