THE CONTRACTS LET

For the Central School Building

TO FACE DIVISION STREET

Vanderburg and Lovell the Successful Contractors

HOLDER AND McCAW Lots To Be Bought

[People’s Press, 17 April 1900]

Welland, April 13-The Public School Board met in special sessions this evening and definitely accepted the tenders and completed arrangements for the erection of the new central school building, which is to be gone on within a few days-soon as the new street sewer is laid for drainage. All the trustees were present, Chairman A.O. Beatty presiding, and Mr. McCaw secretary.

The chairman read the report of the building committee as follows-

That having advertised for tenders as per revised plans and specifications, we have received the following bids-

Carpenter Work, etc

J.J. Brown, Toronto                $6,285
Jacob Lovell, Niagara Falls        $5,630
J.E. Cutler, Welland, (pine)       $6,385
J.E. Cutler (hemlock)              $6,307

Mason Work

M. Vanderburgh, Welland            $5,750

Bulk Tenders

Jacob Lovell                       $11,426
M. Vanderburgh                     $12, 065
Vanderburgh & Cutler (pine)        $12,135
Vanderburgh & Cutler (hemlock)     $12,057

Your committee recommend that the tender of M.Vanderburgh for mason work for the sum of $5,750 and the tender of Jacob Lovell for carpenter work for the sum of $5,630.

And that the tender of Mansell & Purdy for the plumbing for the sum of $809, and the tender of the Pease Furnace Co. for heating and ventilation, for the sum of $1,145, be accepted.

Signed

A. O. Beatty
J. McCaw
T. Main
J.S. O’Neal
D. Robins

Moved by McCaw and Main, that the report of the building committee just read be accepted. Carried unanimously.

LOCATION

The chairman said the net matter to settle was that was of the location of the proposed new building on the side, so that the drainage work might be gone on with.

Mr. Main advocated the building facing the south as having the largest frontage and keeping the farthest away from barns and other outbuilding on adjoining lots. To face the south would undoubtedly best comply with the views of the department of education.

Mr. Burgar said the building should face the north, with main entrance from Division street; this would give the shortest means of access; to send the children from the third and fourth wards around Young street should not be considered for a minute.

Burgar and Robbins moved that the building be located to face the north.

Mr. Main called for the yeas and nays on the motion’ which were taken as follows:

Yeas-Ross, Burgar, Robbins, O’Neal, Beatty, McCaw.
Nays-Staph, Main.
Motion carried.

ENTRANCE

It having been decided that the building face the north, the next matter was to obtain an entrance from Division street.

Mr. Burgar favored closing the bargain for the Holder lot at once, so that the work of fitting up, grading, putting out trees, etc., could be gone on with without delay. He considered Mr. Holder’s offer a fair one-$600 for the lot, or $500 and the board’s lot on corner Hellems avenue and Young street. If Mr. Holder’s price were considered unreasonable of course the board could expropriate the land. It would make a great improvement to the town to have Cross street extended to the school building so that the building could be seen from Main street.

The chairman favored buying both the Holder and McCaw lots, and giving the new building a clear frontage on Division street.

Mr. Burgar said he would favor this also if the board had the money required.

The chairman said the board had the money to pay cash for one of the lots, and payment for the other could be deferred for a year or more, by which time no doubt, the board could realize the amount required from some of the school properties at present in use.

Moved by Burgar and Ross that the chairman and secretary be instructed to purchase the Holder lot at &600. Motion carried, main and Stapf dissenting.

At first it was proposed to defer consideration of the matter of purchase of the McCaw lot at $600. Motion carried. Mani and Stapf dissenting.

At first it was proposed to defer consideration of the matter of purchase of the McCaw (between Holder’s and the church), but

Mr. Robins pointed out that the building could not be located until it was known whether the McCaw lot would be purchased or not, as upon this would depend the exact site of the building, which should face the entrance, and whether that entrance were one or two lots wide would, of course, make a difference.

After considerable discussion it was agreed that the question of purchase of McCaw lot must be settled before the building could be located, and it was.

Moved by O’Neal and Robins that his board purchase the “McCaw lot at $600, and that the chairman and secretary steps thereto-Carried.

The motion of McCaw and Main, the plans and specifications of the architect, Mr. Ellis, were formerly accepted as per his terms (three per cent), and he was instructed to go on and complete the working plans, draw up agreements, etc., and lay same before the board at as early a day as possible.

On motion by Ross and Robins, the chairman and secretary were authorized to enter into the necessary agreements, etc., for building.

On motion by Ross and O.Neal, the building committee were instructed to have a surveyor lay out the grounds and fix levels, as soon as possible, so that the exact details for sewer basement, etc., may be definitely fixed.

The board adjoined at 10.25 p.m.