School Bonds Meet with Opposition

State Architect Lescher Examines Its Condition and Reports That it Can Be Repaired.

["Ottawa Journal," 31 March 1898, page 3, column 6]

The proposition to vote bonds for a new school building has met with objection in Ottawa, since its agitation, by those who believe that the old Central building may be repaired at a small part of the cost of a new building. State Architect Lescher was invited here last week to inspect the old building and made his report as follows:

To The Board of Education of Ottawa, Kansas: Gentlemen - By invitation of several of your citizens to examine as to the safety of your high school building, will say in reply: having made a general inspection from basement to attic, I find that the building can be made perfectly safe for use for from 12 to 15 years, and longer, at an expense of about $2,000, including a front porch at main entrance.

The walls are not bulged or out of line. The corners are perpendicular. The settlement is in the foundation - down, not sideways. The remedy I would suggest is to put in 1 ½ inch iron, through rods, from front to rear, and from end to end, with ring plates; star washers on the outside of the walls, and turnbuckles inside, as shown by the rod now in the building, and drawn up tight. These rods should be inserted not exceeding ten feed apart. Those running parallel with the joice can be inserted between the floors and ceilings; those in the opposite direction should be as close to the ceilings as convenient to handle. These rods to be put in at every floor. After the rods are in and drawn tight, the broken and loose brick can be removed and others fitted in with cement mortar, and the window caps replaced with cement mortar.

It would be advisable to cut down the belfry or cupola, and cover just sufficient above the bell with sides left open, and deck tinned over. Respectfully submitted, T. H. Lescher, State Architect. Topeka, Kansas, March 28, 1898.