October 1993 (continued)

FEDERAL EMERGENCY ADMINISTRATION
OF PUBLIC WORKS
October 9, 1933

Washington, D.C.

Mr. Chris D. Sheffe,
Teaneck, New Jersey.
My dear Mr. Sheffe,

Your telegram of October 4, stating that the application for a proposed project which would permit the building of a school in Teaneck, New Jersey, will soon arrive in Washington, is acknowledged.

This telegram will be filed for reference with the application upon the letter's receipt in this office, at which time every effort will be made to expedite final action thereon.

Sincerely yours,

For the Deputy Administrator.

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October 16, 1933 550 Warwick Avenue
Teaneck, New Jersey
(West Englewood Post Office)
October 16, 1933

Mr. R. W. Crawford, Executive Assistant,
Federak Emergency Administration of Public Works
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

High School Addition
Elementary School
Teaneck, Bergen County, N.J.

Thanks for your letter of October 9th acknowledging my telegram to the Administrator since which date you have undoubtable received my letter which confirmed and elaborated on the telegraphic message.

A day or two ago we learned that at the request of the State Committee, our Board of Education had separated the two school projects and submitted the smaller one to Washington with their recommendation. It is not quite clear what action was taken on the High School building project. We who know the Teaneck school situation consider the High School a vitally necessary addition to our building program. Immediately upon completion the High School addition would provide adequate facilities for some eight hundred students who now are forced to obtain their instruction in a frightfully overcrowded building under serious handicaps.

We indicated previously and we reiterate for emphasis that both these projects are ready for immediate work Everything has been done of a preliminary nature up to the point of asking bids and the High School will of course provide more work than the elementary school. The Teaneck program fully meets the requirements set down by the Administrator, Mr. Harold Ickee as recently as yesterday when he wrote at length on the subject in the New York American.

There have been several statements about the handicap imposed on your effort to expedite work by reason of the high labor cost resulting from certain conditions in the emergency act. May I, at the risk of telling you something you already know, point out that this is not an obstacle in the New York Metropolitan area which includes Bergen County, New Jersey. In this territory, the building trades have been highly organized for years. The rates of pay etc., set forth in the act quite generally prevail already so at least as concerns these proposed schools in Teaneck, they will not cost any more to build because of what is written in the law than they would if constructed under other suspices.

We have had iun our State for quite a few years very definite requirements for the letting of public contracts on a competitive bidding basis which assures reasonable to low prices, with no opportunity for graft or favors.

If you or any of your trusted lieutenants could personally study the situation on the ground, which I realize is probably impossible because of your many duties, I know you would share my belief that both buildings will quickly furnish considerable work for many men of the building trades who have been without employment for months and furthermore that their work will be upon a project which is necessary and of enduring value.

Yours Very Truly

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