The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-11
THE INVESTlGA Tl0N.
Councilman Reads Testimony Before
the Committee.
HIS VIEW OF THE CONTRACTS.
lie SAYS Read a Son Did Not Ask To Bs
Allowed To BID Again-The Household
Sewing Machine Company's Case Talked
of--Other Points Discussed.

Councilman Read, of the City Property
Committee, was testifying before the
special investigating committee of the
City Council when the hearing adjourned.
He added very little TO that which Chair
man Batchelder had already told TO the
committee. He told substantially the
same story as Mr.. Batchelder as TO in
creasing Mr.. Horizons bid on the Candace
street schoolhouse. Mr.. Horton had for
gotten to make calculations for the iron
work, and the committee agreed TO allow
him one-half of what that work would
cost him. This was done on the advice of
the City Solicitor, and Alderman Fuller
had seconded the motion at the time to
payit. When asked why he did not treat
Read a. Son in a like manner when at
firm made mistake in its bid, Mr.. Read
stated that they did not make any specific
demand. They had simply said that they
had made mistake, but did not say how
much of "A mistake, nor offer TO show their
figures TO the committee as Mr.. Horton
had.
On being questioned farther MS to giving
Mr.. Horton an extra allowance witness
said that Mr. Horton had begun the work
before he had discovered the mistake; he
had not signed contract when he begun
the work. II was very common occur
renee Mr.. Read said for contractor TO
begin the work, after his bid had been ac-
cepted, before signing n contract.
He was asked why the Boston firm had
been given the preference in the matter of
buying furniture for school houses to the
exclusion of the Household Sewing
Machine Company of this city which
made all the article required. Mr.. Read
said that the Boston firms figures were
lower, and the recods showed that this
statement was correct, that the Boston
firms figures were S91 lower than the
home company.
Mr.. Read was asked why the Household
Sewing Machine Company were not given
a chance TO bid again as Ross had been
when Read a. Son went below in the bid
for the Manual Training school. Mr.
Read answered that the Boston firm had
always done its work satisfactorily and he
knew of no reason why they shonld be ex-
cluded.
As to the Manual Training school Mr..
Read admitted that Mr. Ross had been
telephoned 10 after the bids were opened,
and that Mr. Ross was given another
chance to bid; Mr.. Ross did bid again and
about 800 lower than Read q Son. Mr.
Read admitted that the committee wanted
Mr.. Ross to have the contract, he himself
thought that Mr.. Ross was the proper
man to have it as all his work had been
done well.
He was then questioned as TO the pur-
chasing of hardware and as TO the charges
that partiality had been shown several
firms as to the exclusion of others. In re-
gard to the charges made by Charles III.
George he said that he had been called to
the store and asked why that firm could
not have some of the city 'sbusiness. He
had spoken to the chairman about the
matter and Mr.. George was told TO send
in iis bids the next time. He got one job
after that and the reason he did not get
more was that his figures were higher
than the man to whom the contract was
awarded.
The hearing adjourned to . o'clock this
afternoon.