National Republican., 1883-06-02
THE sHREETs WILL BE SWEPT.
The Effort to Induce the Commissioners
90 Revoke the Award TO Col Wright
Rrnn.cn n IrnIIrrr-

The Effort to Induce the Commissioners
TO Revoke the Award TO Col Wright
Proves Failure.
Maj. Totten, counsel Cor Mr.. Fibert late
bidder for the contract Of sweeping the
Streets held an interview with the commits
sioners yesterday in relation to granting that
contract. He presented his views of theIaw
governing the awarding of contracts. The
commissioners, having heard Mai. Totton,
unanimously adhered TO their award to Col.
Wright.
Mr.. Filbcrt claimed that his bid was
lower than Col. Wright, and that hence he
should have been awarded the contract
Commissioner West, on being interviewed
yesterday, said that there had been in GER
tain quarters an attempt made TO challenge
the justice of the award but there were
no grounds for il. AS to the claim
Of Mr. Filbert that the lowest
bidder should have got the contract,
Gen. West said "The only expenditures of
money coming under the contract provisions
of the act of Congress of June IL, 1873, which
Is quoted by Col. Totten on behalf of Mr.. Fill
bert are those relating TO new pavements,'
opening of new Streets Sewers, or any
work the total cost of which shall exceed tho
sum of 81 ,000' 1t is not held by the district
government that there is any requirement of
law that contracts other than such as relate
TO the character ofworks quoted should be let
out to the lowest bidder Yet in almost all
instances, the street sweeping for example, it
is found desirable to invite competition
through proposals, and that course Is pursued
by the commissioners, and contracts are given
rs a matter of eNpedioncy and economy, not
of law. Sometimes proposals arc invited,
then declined, and the service or supplies arc
obtained at lower rates by private bargain"
The character of the machinery TO be used
was u chief element of consideration in MAX
ing the award as it was of the conditions re-
quircd from the bidders. BY reference to
those conditions you will find we prescribed
tho following:
/. Each bidder must submit with his bid de.
tailed drawings and descrptions-or models, If
preierred--ol the machines he proposes to use.
IL the machine Is patented the bidder must eX-
hiOit proof of his right to use the machine in
the District of Columbia, and Will further be re-
quirel to execute II Lond ofindcmnity holding the
district harmless from any suits for infringement
of patent which may arise under his contract
These descriptions, drawings, and models will 10
carefully examined by the commissioners prior
| to the award of the CONTRACT and those machines
which, in the Judgment of the commissioners,
are not suitable for the work required by this
contract will be rejected, together with the bids
| pertaining TO them.
| "Now" said the commissioner. If pro-
posals had merely been invited for sweeping
the streets without specifying that tho ma
! chinery to be used would be considered as af-
! lcCIlnG Jnc manner Ill WHICH Juo WOTk was 10
be done there could only be Il question Of
price. But machinery, efficiency of service,
and pricc had all to be regarded. Each bidder
knew these considerations, and to require the
commissioners to give the contract to Filbert
would by parity of reasoning have required
them to give it to bidder proposing to do
the work by hand brooms at 20 cents yard.
or any lesser sum than Filberts bid. The
citizens of Washington have been loud COM
plainauts of the way the streets have been
swept the past three years, and an effort is
making TO give them better service. AS the
- new broom will perform its operations un-
der very many obscrvant eyes it is to be hoped
that there will not be quite as much dust
thrown into them next year"
Mai. Lydecker told n REPUBLICAN repre-
sentative that the character of the machinery
to be used influenced the award. Mr.. Fill
bert's was the lowest bid, three-iourths of n
cent per 1000 yards and his proposals were
in correct form and his sureties responsible,
but his machinery not equal TO Col. Wrght's.
The interests of the citizens were deemed of
primary Importance in the matter of the
award; hence Col Wright's bid was ac-
cepted.
Judge Edmonds said Col. Wright has had
the contract before and performed it salts
factorily, and his machines are preferable to
| Mr.. Filbert's. The Crawford machine to be
used by Mr.. Filbert lost Mr.. Crawford $4,000
u year on his contract, which was at % cents
per 1000 yards. Mr.. Filberts bid was ad-
| vanced to PSI cents, on the basis, however,
that the work was to be done with the Gram
ford machine. Wright bid three-quarters of a
cent higher per 1,000yards, on the representa-
tion that he was to use the same machine that
he had formerly used in Washington. In view
of the fact that there are various machines
for doing the work, the commissioners re-
served the right to reject any or all bids, so
us to give them some discretion as to the ma
chine to be used, believing that it is imprac-
ticable to. do as good work with one of the
several machines as with another Now,
when the bids came in we found that there
was II difference between the bids of Wright
and Filbert of about 1915 for the whole year.
There were other bidders, but their proposals
were much higher. After examining the diff
ferent machines and making an observation
of their respective workings, and upon the
testimony of good many merchants who had
spoken with us about the matter, we con
cluded that we ought to accept Wrights bid
and pay the 1915 additional for the work he
would do, rather than accept the work now
being done by the Crawford machines, even
at less sum. As matter of fact, several
merchants offered to make up the difference
in price If necessary"
WRIGHTsvILLE, PA.-Rev. Elijah Wilson
aavs, RroWn's Iron Bitters have Derma-