Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-31
SCHOOL BOARD IN
A TILT OVER BILL
Waldfon Claim on Miller Street
School Work Attacked by
Commissioner.

Declaring that the claims of L. II.
Waldron & Co. for extras on the Mil
Ter Street School were unjust and that
the money would be wrongfnlly spent,
Commissioner Gaetano NJ. Belfatto of
the Board of Education, last night
warned his colleagues against pay
ing the elaRm Mr.. Belfatto even
threatened to resign if such practlses
were continued.
Notwithstanding this warning, how
ever, the claim for $1,000 was passed
by vote Of five to three. Commits
s1oners Belfatto. Frederic L. Johnson
and Edgar r. Brown voting In the
negative, with Mr.. Brown qualifying
his vote by stating that he was not
sufficiently familiar with certain de-
tails of the matter 10 conseientiously
vote for its settlement. but believed
that the majority of the board might
be right.
After the Miller Street School was
in course of completion It was found
the foundations, owing to an un-
known condition of the soil, had not
been sunk deep enough and the build
ing sagged. Experts We're called in
and after tests were made the con-
tract for snoring up the building was
let to an outside firm. The work was
held up by various causes, and in
consequence was not completed until
long after the time laid down In the
contract made between t. NJ. Valid
ron & Co. and the Board of Educa-
ton.
A bill for $2,421.27 was rendered by
the company for extras and this was
4 .g#s
and later 20 a subcommittee consist
ing of Messrs. Taylor and Belfatto
According to Mr.. Belfatto it was
ssreed that items amounting to 1927
were the only ones which should be
allowed. but that later the building
committee met with Mr. Waldron and
his bookkeeper and the matter was
carefully thrashed out. A claim of
Si.S25 for penalties in failing to COM
plete the work in time was held by
the board against the construction
company and it was finally recon-
mended by the committee that the
claim for penalties be waived and the
company given a check for 81 600 in
full settlement. A gentlemen's agree
ment to this effect was made between
the committee and Mr. Waldron and
In consequence the resolution was
presented last night and adopted.
Mr.. Belfatto went into the matter
very carefully and detailed the pro-
ceedings from time to time since the
beginning of the work. quoted the
law on the subject and declared the
commissioners were in duty bound to
throw out the claims of the. company.
What are you going to give Mr.
Waldron 81, 900 of the peoples money
for? Good luck? I cannot ratify it.
1t is an injustice TO the people and
! will not be a party to it. l put this
matter up to one Of the best lawyers
in the state and was assured we
could not be held liable for the
claims. l warn you not to vote for
that resolution, but instead relegate !
1t to the waste paper basket, where II /
belongs, said Mr.. Belfatto. MY I
honor, integrity and reputation are
at stake and l would be ashamed to I
tell people l am member of this I
body if such practises are kept up. /
would rather go TO his honor the
Mayor and resign my commission"
Samuel p. Waldron is now the con-
trolling factor in the firm of E. NJ
Raldron & Co. Z. NJ. Waldron re-
tired from the concern some months
ago.
President Charles P. Taylor stepped
from the chair and gave his version |
of the case. He said that while at I
first II appeared the claims should
not be paid, careful Investigation Of
them showed the payment of $1,000 (
and waving of the claims for penal
ties would be an equitable adjust
nent The vote when recorded stood:
For settlement. Messrs. Smith, Breu
mig. McCabe Tomkins and Taylor,
and against, Messrs. Belfatto, Brown
and Johnson
City Superintendent A. B. Poland
that on September 80 there
we're IS, 992 pupils enrolled and the
CORDS of teachers numbered 1868.
A resolution deploring the death Of
the late Charles Edward Hill, for
merry president Of the board, WAS
passed.
A request from the Public Service
> Rilway Company 10 run a trolley
line in front of the Physical Training
Field on RoseWlle aveue was laid
over for investigation.