The evening world., 1890-05-21
UNCLE SANS BIG COAL BILL,
Fifty Thousand Tons Burned An
nually in the Washington
Departments.
why Contractors Figure SO Closely
. Upon Government Contracts,

There is no money in supplying Uncle
Sam with coal, " said u big dealer in that
article TO o Washington Post reporter.
" We who contract TO deliver portions OF
the vast quantity of anthracite and btu.
minous fuel used in the departments fig
ure on our bids SO as TO come out without
loss. and that is all. Not a cent,as a rule,
do we expect to make.
" Why do wo accept the job, then ?
Simply for glory. And yet, TO be frank
with you, it is not for glory in III ordi-
nary sense. l shall be putting it palmer
If / say that the award OF Government
contracts for coal gives q merchant pres
tige and advertises his regular business.
For that reason 1t is that We are willing TO
sell goods TO Uncle sam at cost price"
"But You don't put in the coal Mt your
wv expense, surely Z" quericd the re-
porter.
of the cost. Suppose q ton of coal on the
track costs 81. we add 10 cents Tor put
ting i'll and 20 cents for inspection, making
IL Gust 81. 80 delivered. That 20 cents
has 10 be paid on every ton of cCal dellv-
cred at the Departments, according t.
law.
Upon delivery the Government iu-
spectors sec thnt il is good weight aud of
satisfactory quality. Or they may inspect
the coal at the yard if it Is more con.
venient. We have to pay the inspectors
out of our own pocket. You can SEQ that
their work is not Improbable when you
consider the fact that the Government
uses 80. 0O0 ons of coal each year. This
allows SO. 600 for inspection. In fnct, the
t,,g,arNnra = thn manila Nuln ptala tho
money on the stuff"
Which of the departments uses most
coal?
''The Department of the Interior
10. 000 tons are burned up every twelve
months. Next comes the District gov
eminent. which uses in its various build
Ings, including the public schools,
8, 900 tons. The navy-yard consumes
8. 900 tons. In the insane asylum 1000
tons annually are burned. The building
of the state. War and Navy uses 3, 500
tons. and the Capitol 5000 tons for both
wings.
TWENTY-FIVE hundred tons are con
sumed by tho QuartermRster's Depart
ment md 2 zoo tons by1he Treasury. The
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing burns
1000 tons. the Government Printing
Office /, 800 tons, the Post-Ohice /, 900
tons, the Freedmen's Hospital 500 tons.
the Botanic Garden 800 tons, and the al
Department bureau QUO tons. Odds and
ends here and there will make up the
total to 90. 600 tons easily.
What is the average price paid by the
Government for its coal I"
For hard coal So, aud for the soft,
which comes from Cumberland County,
Maryland, -. %. Probably the Govern
lnent pays S210. 900 for coal annually. Soft
coal is used ut the navy yard, where it is
preferable for running the machinery in
| Tho ah,tNc. alcn Ia tho RtrAaf, pT knuYuy
ing md Printing and in the Government
Printing Office for the same reason.
"Three-fourths of the coal used in the
Treasury Building is soft, the heating be-
ing lone by steam. Hard coal exclusively
il consumed ut the Capitol, both on the
House aud OH the Senate side. Some
times we make our contracts with Uncle
Sam on a sort of gambling basis. That is
to say We make our bid at the current
market price; if coal goes up five cents a
ton we lose, while if it gees down five
cents we earn something"