, 1879-05-29
COAL.

soMErntNG QUEER ABOUT THOSE B1Ds.
The Con,mIttco on Public Service will meet
this nftcrnoon for the'purposo Of considering
the bids fur the suupy Of coal to tho different
county institutions during tie ensuing year.
These bids wcrs opcnc,l and read In the County
Board Inst Monday aud show large variations In
prices on the t!fcrcusesades. Tho coal supply is
an important matter, Involving asit does tho CT.
penditurs Of over $6U,0 ,00O aud 1t will be expect
ed OF the Committee tlatthey shall exercise duo
care and judgment in making tho award.
OF course the question OF price is the most
the different grades is vol known. The bids
nre for Wilmington, 9trcator, Indiana block,
Coat Creek, anl brazil coal. There nro also
bids for hart coal, bne these aro not factor in
this question at all, for tho county Institutions
do not need mud ought not to supplied with
such coal. Before this could lo used the CRATES
und furnaces, With very few e1ccptIona would
hare to bc changed throughout. for they arc no
wood. It is understood tIat MI effort will 10
made 10 fo[4t slch contract on tlu county, but
II this prevails 1t will bs speedily followed BY q
deinnnd for metz Erutcs, thus furnishing another
job for another favored contractor.
Most Of tho btds handed in were accompa-
MED by bonds or chceks, but, irrespective OF
these. the COMMITTEES oiEnt to consider the
standing 81 th1 bidders, ard their ability TO
carry out their contracts 10 tla possible light OF
an advauce In prices. Actual coal-owucrs, who
nwn mines, M,,l yards, and cars of their own,
can afford to make such coutracts, but there !s
a shFowd suspicion tllnt some OF the bids pro-
eecd from u,ea who own, no coal, and who, II
they obtatn the contract. through favorltism, or
on the strength Of long connection With the
board. vii calmly turn y over to others, and
pecket their pcrcentagc. This, Of course, must
sSs Ssss out Of suotes 5s FosSy aa Il in ,tss
to reason t1at jobbcrs cannot possibly compete
on even terms with producers, Enough bids
have betn nlndo by firms who do tllelr own
mlntng to give tho Committee vide tiold for
nlcn whose sole stock In traio Is a little ot1ico
a'l an acquaintance with past and present u,cna-
bers Of the Board.
TIE ALLEGATIONS.
II The facts III rsga1d to Sons Of tho bids are
as statcd, It would spetn tllnt there aro scrcral
ot shctn which wilt bear the closest scrutiny.
Baker Brus., Who have 20 long enjoyed prac-
tical monopoly of tic coal supply, dating buck
e s tt'e pamy aays a q Periolat havH csDplo ot
on very good authority, tlat nearly half the
'rst on tho list is. thxt Of Passatnorc,
which, averages 10 cents PEI. ton below
I3aker'a bid. Yet thss fs. Il Is said, only Baker
this Ia the bid which baker aud hts friends
expect will be showed through. Ono Of the Bakcr
Droa., when questioned about Passamorc, de-
to say, Baker Dros' nalnos hta, i''ls bond, alti,
| in fact, fassatlore has done most Of Bakey's
tealn!ng for long timo. 1t Is atao understood
tlat Wherever tho words Wilmington Coal
Association" appear iu my ahupo they mean
Baker also. In viow OF nlc8c fncts, ans of
| thu further fact that there nro bids
from coal-nncrs and actual owners of con1 Of
| tho best qualify Which aro considerably lower
! tllan even tic lowest Of the osteasiblu Baker
blls, tile Committee can ycsy well afford 10
| spend an hour or two In figuring out results
The trouble would be fully Justified un the
| ground Of ultimate economy, as the difference
on the 6,000 tons or 80 called for will amouu1
to ogor $3,00o. which Is quito I'll item these
days.