Omaha daily bee., 1912-10-23
PROFIT ON ELECTRIC FANS7
Question Has Effect Of Bomb in
Board of Education Meeting,
MEMBER BOURKE THE SALESMAN
sears Inqairy Causes Lively Debate
IN which Bourke Insists Fans Are
Costly: and Hoiovtchiner De-
|nOunces Insurgeats.

n0unces Insurgents.
Two: purring electric fans blew the
smoldering enbers Of argument of the
members Of the Board Of Education into
flame Monday night when Member NJ. F.
Sears, who had been scanning the report
Of the claims committee, innocently 10
quired IL Secretary w. r Bourke had
sold the supplies committee two electric
fans which originally cost him SIS for
$3.50
He had switched on the juice!
Vice President Parsons was in the chair.
President Holovtchlner was TRANQUILITY
chewing the end Of his cigar. but sprang
instantly to his feet.
He was shocked! -.r~
Roundly he lambasted the insurgent
Sears. The air grew hot and cold by
turns. Poets speak Of vagrsnt breezes.
hut this was the other kind. 1t was
Holovtchiner who once led the valiant
seven Of the board to the battle in which
j. f. Burgess lost his job as secretary
and w. T. Bourke resigned as member
Of the board to replace him.
These insinuatlons cut the doctor to
the heart
Bourke asked permission to explain.
He said he had bought these fans and
paid $3.50 each for them, had used them
rr two months and found that he had
no more urgent need OF them. That was
several weeks ago, he said, and he had
forgot to send In a bill.
Sears called for Duncac Einlayson,
superintendent Of buildings.
,"Finlayson, didn't you tell me those
fans cost s14 eachf' he asked.
Finlayson was IN quandary and
showed 1t.
Sparks From ROl0vtchiner,
Before the superintendent OF buildings
could answer. DR.. Holovtchiner was de-
nouncing Sears and the methods he was
employing to secure reply to his query.
This is a shame" the doctor declared,
"you are questioning Mr.. Bourke's word.
He has told you what the fans cost him.
Now you want to bring one official Of
this board In to contradict the statement
OF another. I protest against H. Mr..
Bourke's word is good enough for me"
Sears fared backl
You can't muxzle me. There are some
things In this board that / want to find
out. i am going to ask questions when
anything comes up that doesn't look
right to me. You can't stop mel"
They decided to leave It to Vice Presi.
dent Parsons, but Bourke interceded to
allow Finlayson 10 testify.
Finlayson said be had spoken off-hand
and couldn't say exactly what these fans
did cost. He remembered something
about 1t, but not enough to say anything
positively. II had come before the sup.
plies committee, and the fans had been
bought. He didn't know how much such
fans usually cost.
GensIeman'a Word Enough.
Holovtchiner and Sears were on the
floor for another set-to when G. T. Wall
ker declared tho board had no right to
doubt Bourke's word. He said y the fans
were big fans they undoubtedly cost what
gourke aaid they cost.
Jimmy Richardson. chairman OF the
claims eommittee. suggested that the bill
be allowed and the supplies committee. OF
which II. /. Plumb - chairman. be asked
to make an explanation
Plumb declared he didn't remember any
thing about the fans.
An Investigation with be made and the
supplies COMMITTEES win then report to
the board.
These fans were formerly used in
Bourks's tailor shop. One Of them was
placed In the Board of Education's store
house. Nobody could tell what had be
come Of the other.
Sears told the board. after the excite
nient began TO wane, that he was seeking
information and nothing else and would
be satisfied IL the supplies committee
would bring In the expected explanation.
Another disruption occurred over bill
for $50 submitted by Architect Latanser
for services Of Ritter g. Mott, structural
and reinforcing concrete engineers, in
with the uniform plan"
H.. /. Plumb OF the buildings and
grounds committee said It looked to him
like, the board would be assuming a
attitude II this money was
given I.atenser.
DIR. Holovtchiner said there was no
doubt but what Latenser deserved 1t. 1t
seemed that Latenser had asked these
men to draw up the uniform plan" ordi.
nance which is now the basis for all
architectural work In the schools.
Holoytehiner pleaded for the passage OF
the claim and had apparently won his
fight when the insurgents suddenly called
for a vote and turned down the claim by
a vote Of five to four.
This was the first small victory OF the
insurgent. anti Hoiovtchiner faction since
the doctor became president Of the board.
The vote stood; For-Holovtchiner Judge
Foster, Leavenworth. Parsons; against
Plumb, DIR. Foster. Richardson, Sears.
Walker
Omaha chapter Of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. through the secre-
tary. Fannie p. Adams. asked that the
flame OF the Omaha High school be
changed TO the Capitol Hill High school
In comneuioration OF that historic spot.
The Communication was placed on file
and vote on the proposition viii be
taken at the next meeting. President
JIoloytchiner spoke in favor Of the sug-
gested name.
Purchases OF supplies for athletic pur-
poses were authorized as follows: Twelve
balloon balls. lss vofley balls. twenty-nine
basket balls, sIxty-sIx medicine balls.
ninety base balls and ninety base ball
bats. thirty dry court markers. thirty
tennis nets.
Twenty-four Maypo'es will be made
and ,anile,. r,asts will be nut nm The sup-