The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-18
Mr.. HOWELL'S CONFESSION.
DIDN'T WANT STRANGERS TO PRINT
HIS BRIDGE TICKETS.

Ihey Hau Opehe" -Ah mo Mas ana HAD
Found that the lowest was from An
other 'eS''E"''"H NAl'e" kor'
| One OF the most astounding confessions ever
made by men holding public trust came yes
| terday from President James Howell and
| Superintendent c. c. Martin OF the brooklyn
Bridge. The SUN printed yesterday some re-
markable statements from representatives OF
| the great bank note companies regarding the
manner In which the contract Tor printing
5O.OOO.OOO tickets ior use on the bridge was re-
Gently awarded.
The worst possible construction that could
be put on the facts there presented was that
the concern receiving the contract had been
permitted, aiter the olos hao been opened and
after the legal time 1or depositing bids had OK
pired. to put In fresh DID matching the low
est bid OF any OF It's competitors.
President Howell ana superintendent Mar
tin say that is Just what was done, and that 1t
was done by their PERMISSION and at their
suRgestionl
And the justification Tor such an outrage :?
Merely that I'VE didn't want to change" and
the other people were strangers to u.s.
Both Howell ana martin told the same
story about the matter yesterday and unblush-
ing'y defended their acnon. II was found that
the Homer Lee Dunk Note company had I'M
derbid the Hamilton Bank Note Company.
which mad the OLD contract Tho Hamilton
MADE the lowest plu ior strlp tickets but the
Homer Lee bid OF 2s's cents per thousand FOR
package tickets was ioWer than the Hamilton
tho bids turned them over to President Howen
NV Nt 80 .,. 1s., -, No"e'i
award the contract under them to whom they
snw fit They had the right under the usuol
ts,ms q, comnetiton to reject anv and nj, Ids lids
Undoubtedly they had the legal right for good
and sufficient reasons to reject both the Ham
nto, anS Worar La hids and ~ awor .i" IN
contract TO higher bidder. But they
had no shadow of right after the time limit
had expired to permit anybody TO offer new
bid without giving any other concern an OPP
por.unity W e1te, VIC low ~ ~ Ip1, AS
matter OF fact the agent OF inc hamilton Com
pany was sent for. He was asked IL he would
Supply lae ueAe.S q. .no D.ioe on0teu ny Inc
lowest OF his competitors and on his acqui-
The situation presented by this confession ia
,.et .,;tast,,, ooI,s toa III, 80" 10
ures in dealing with it. In the absence OF any
definite statutory provision for dealing with
such case in the peculiarly autocratic office
which the bridge officers hold, the Standard
U"'on yesterday suggested an appeal to the
Certainly an investigation is called for by
the exposure which THE Sun makes to-day in
relation to the contract lor printing oo'ooo,ooo
bridge tickets. But there Is reason to believe
that the ticket S0nF9Gt only Of the many
Which full information would prove Of start
linz. Interest to the people; and especially to
de saEo o9 many of hs the T wSs
Mayor Chapins bill providing for their fe-
perate measures resorted to for the purn RIO Of
deieatinG.that measure. and the revelations
ruption. many people are asking. Is il not
time for the Grand Jury to interfere? 1t may
hope Of reiiof from that diree ION can Be ex
pected on this side OF the river Perhaps New
York Grnnd Jury-and there is very excellent
might find facts that would warrant tho re-
moval by the Mayors Of both cities Of the pres
President Howell and Superintendent Mar
tin made somewhat detailed statements yes
On ApTiI we published the adj yertisem nat
for bids for the printing Of the bridge tickets in
the principal papers We also sent the follow
companies:
Sealed proposals will be received at the ofc. O, m.
washington street Brooklyn. until y clock, noon
ApLh ~ !e'o Tor S2goGoO strip tickets and 100000
Be once The res ese S Gs To ns
amount OF The bid must accompany /. IVA S'N VI 'H'
I. c. I1RiiS. Chief Engineer
FAnIV fhi2 ha Hnp IL
Ton War Sto t2 the wv Sto gum
Sota Cnmnenv emd tha HoInar fno 1 RnnL Htn
CompanV sent in bids. The Hamilton nA R NT,e
Note TonnSnvs hid wac tLs inWast ~ aInnnn
tSa strin tic.1s INT sNmawbn V"nS E oi az on
That ~ H6msr PGt Ean Nois aTGea IMAM
nacL oaa ,i T%s HnH noo1 ipr
Eomnspv has Tor i've Xears nrintad All N ~
ticEats neal on The br}d%a nv IoI I.i omo
nIato onH sSor oti 10 noa;at 49, uhahe Cnl
tnrv nu he S; i1oin ~ lnelI III
are nrinta3 any tnnI h eas anu 10 9tners
fbe p rah anu KEPT ra we nhp; rs y9u kn2w
IL uinaa ~ % ;nIo a.; t a1 uuH: onlei
and We MI '' a1na r. the on o at'or oNe{:
Hnu,G So nS ~ oa % ~ .ne ~ th ~ tat II
~ th hid ~ th ; W ue ntEtests
the t3cIata on1 IN H;ow o III ~ uuHditS on
Hnmiitnn snk Mia tomn Oa n1 ad det tnut tte
we cnne,d b1n ~, S3ie w0t3 ~ a oqr piaae'
h,o 10 b inoc ~ mOuin 10 b ~ possl-
neye hS ws ssa o P M as b1e
a iien I o, out ,Ur tat, 11opeek T VI INC
II ha VIVA Pam n N1'1 " @ 1 "Hu asheu MN
napts ~ PIN ~ ,rbb1b oGo u,he's al "a
With p tb % mn,en Mas tno aih9unt
To- W. H t ai eS peo Saeh G[oeu 10 u0 IL
~ Nh ho uiu no. Sei d ~ SeooeGh Wnat the
II Ss pm cSnd a do The or i Up yb asEea
ne ua ao ~, ~ ,ba ny w MI tor tnat iE-
mona1 iG sdtu h tiat 'uero W 1h 10 VERY nttie
Nota ~ IT, uuS al tI ,h 90 ny ia M on LahK
wo,Td ~ 10" ~ no ny ~ eh I'm Wy start no
%o uio DC Wiling TO MAKE them Tor that sum
~ VIZ" vi tHe5e lhCtS huu pechubo we Thought |