Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-03-01

The Board of School Estimate
Yesterday afternoon received the re-
quest of the Board of Education for
an additional $125,000 to be used in
completing public school No. IL now
being erected in Hall avenue, but
the board failed to go On record ap-
proving the expenditure. Mayor
William c. Wilson was in favor of
the $125,000 bond issue to make
this work possible as were the two
school board mem mbers, A. Clayton
Clark, president of that board, and
Christian Andersen. The two al
dermanic members of the estimate
board, Alderman -at-Large Richard
J. Calvin and Alderman Robert A.
Mcclure said they could not act
until they had talked the financial
situation over with the other mem
bers of the Board of Aldermen, but
their remarks did not indicate their
ravoring the additional school work
at this time.
Alderman n-at-Large Calvin claimed
that a $125,000 bond issue for the
completion of the school would so
affect the city's debt limit that mot
another nickle could be spent for
improvements this year and 1t
means nothing else will move.
Mayor Wilson said he understood
there was a large margin in when
the CITY can work before the debt
limit will be reached and he told
the aldermanic chairman that ne
wanted to see the figures In black
ana white before he would be con-
vinced that the $125,000 bond issue
would tie up all other improveme ents
this year.
Alderman Mcclure questioned the
school board members as 10 tne
amount of architects fees being pald
out by that board on the new schooi
and the fee percentage system was
explained by Mr.. Clark.
Alderman -at-large Calvin declared
there were other improvements
which should be considered before
the finishing of the school, arguing
that in order to boost the rataoles IN
the city improvements must be made
to streets. He told of the many re-
quests made by residents for street
improvements and said they should
be given consideration. Mr.. Calvin
said reports reaching him were to
the effect that there was plenty OF
room in the schools and conditions
are not as serious as the school
board members would have the pub
lie believe. 1--WE don't want to see
the school board taking advantage
of the aldermen" he added, to which
Mr. Clark replied: 'The school board
is not trying to take advantage of
the aldermen but is merely looking
out for the interests of the children
txrira In
No vote was taken on the matter
of favoring the $125,000 bond issue
for the completion of the school, 1t
being decided to await receipt of the
city's finance figures ano debt state
ment. The meeting adjourned to
meet again at the call of Mayor
Wilson.
Mr.. Clark told the members of
the school estimate board that the
school building is now costing the
city $4,000 more than it would
have cost had the contract for the
entire building been awarded at one
time. 'If we let this remaining
work on the school go any length of
time it will cost the city $4,000 or
$4,000 more than it will at pres
ent," Mr.. Clark said. He declared
that building costs are increasing
rather than decreasing and pointed
out that the remaining work should
be done on the school before the
present contractors complete their
lob.
The estimates of the cost to COM
plete the school have just been re-
ceived, Mr.. Clark said, and he con-
sidered it terrible mistake if we
fail to finish the building at this
time" The two floors which have
been finished in this new school are
aow sufficient to care for the pupils
now meeting in the sub-cellar rooms
and in temporary schools the school
boa.d sident said, whereas the