, 1879-06-26
TIE COURTHOUSE.
The COMMITTEES passos on tho Bidl
for Plumbing. Fire-Proof
Work, Eto.
Its Awards Appear to Be Economical
and Fair.

The Joint Committee on Public Buildings md
Public Service held nnotiler sitting yesterday
afternoon, Commissioner BurlInl, IN tic chair,
and all the COMMITTEES present except Boesc.
Architect EEan an,i judge Wallacs were alto
present, and The antc-c!lamtcr wns crowded
with contractors md their followers, the etntie->
men claiming the possession Of s'lnGooeuce :"
shinlug out In sit thrir glory.
THE FIRST THING noNE
wus to call In Mr.. w. N. A,nleraon, tic lowest
hl,ldcr on plnstering und fire.proof work, wllo
was characterized by Mr.. Egnn on Tuesday
a. a "straw" bidder, working In ulc
interest OF Smith, his present EN-
p1oycr. Mr. Anderson unlscsltnttngly gave
hitnaelf a good character, a,sd claimed
tint hc was fully responsible and abto to carry
out tlle coutraut X II should 10 awarded to him.
He had been fo1r years IN the employ of Nr.
Smith as bookkcepcr, and was not mechanic.
In reply to Mr.. Eean, Anderson said that he
knew the amount Of amith's bid, but be didn't
think Mr. Smith knew his figures.
Commissioner Wheeler made a stcech In on.
position to Anderson, and said both Smiths and
Andcrsou's bid should 10 excluded Oh the
Vrouod OF collustou.
Nj. Smith was next examined. he said be
WAS luAlIi4N4 HlkA HEE-pEOO1 HDlh III uli LIB uG~
tails. II lie received the contract he would have
to buy Ills materials, part In Buffalo and part In
Chicago, Anderson had told him Hint he was
going to put in bid, but did not gtvo the tie-
tires. He might possibly have known what bis
tsnItl's) bid was.
In rcpty TO somo questioning, Mr.. Smith said
that II was not the Ordinary practice to allow
employees to figure against their own employ
crs. The nrc-proof material called for by The
specifications {l,olow tillng) was covered by n
patent. md be did not knosr whether he could
tlI matters with the pntentces. though he
thought lc could. lie knew tllat Anderson t,au
tf IN rspiy to Cot com@issid"ss s w Wood, Mi: Smith
stated ttiNt ho knew Anderson to be n capable
man. although not a practical ncchan1e. But
he thought Andcrson's bid Un firc-proof work wos
that, although he would 90 III with him on tie
plastcE!sig, or on tlic two combined: Anderson
was In Ills employ at \ sa'ary Of SGc0 yenr.
Commissioner Wheeler WBntcd to know fAfr.
Smith having ret!ret) whether Any, acns!flo
were unmistakably cooked-up together, and he
moved to throw out both.
Atr. Smith, bclng recalled, went squarcly bacl;
on his own bid. saving that l,t Ind learned Of
tic existence OF the patent OIL hollow thing, alul
thought perhaps tho patentees ,nicht squeeze
him.
Commissioner Wood said the Committee bad
got to
FACE THE QUESTION
OF giving the carpentry, Hrc.proof work, anl
plas.er[ng oil To one man, nnd alsu to remember
tltnt the bidders were limited 10 cue specific
frc-prOof material, which was covered by pat
cnt. Ile lial no doubt this young man {Su,tthi)
could command full means to curry on the con-
tract II It should 10 awarded to hn 'lt,u speak
cr strongly advocated tho rial1ns Of Mr. Smith,
and wanted theliinitatlons as to material swept
away.
telegram from a New York firm WHICH did not
hear Of the ADVERTISEMENT for bids until too
late. uG wanted tn read7ertisc for the fire.
pr of work, asHl to abolish the limitations. so
lint they. should not be A. The mercy of apy
one patcntee. Mr.. BurlinE also stntcd TINT +.
]. Sexton had said he would tako tllc contrart
for carpentry alouo II be- could not get the
three coinbineu. although he should lose money
bv so doing. ue wanted 70 Do the work, and,
being In, proposed to stick to bis bid.
Comlnisstoner Coburu asked sarrast!calty II
Commissioner BurlnE thought Sexton wanted
the job 90 buddy tllat 1ho Was milling tn lpsn
money over It. to Which ''th5'iuterrogAted nna
answered that ho did not think that Sexton
would lose, but u'as he would not make any
Mr Ecap said t1lat With the exception Of The
briek-aryt utd tron.lathing ssstctn, which was
extremely costly. every system ot 0sc-prootng
was covered by paten's He considered TINT
there was Il better field for tompetittDn on hul-
low tiles ihan OIL snyttllng else, for the original
patcntoe had asstEncd his rights In Illinois to
others, atlI thus there would be compel luz bids.
lie considered this tho best aiM! cheapest syssctn
Of Aru-prontlng knoH II, hut Il they wanted to
rcadyrrttee hc was perfectly content.
Commissioner SpofTord said that iron 12thlne
was vesy expensive, "n'i Il was stated lint there
House.
that he would take The contract for ttre-p -proor
work At his figures. 258:57l Anderson's bid
t,uu PEtt Ffnfs RPHI{h &St MI