The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-06
Temperance street, estimate, s77s; due,

$s09.25 Sfso' 111'
Superintendent of Sewers Schmidt COM
planned that the towing of the garbage
scow had been very unpanctuaI. and he
was authorized BY the board TO take neces-
saTy action. lie reported that the cost of
$ai0. 500 :
All bids for removing garbage were re-
Jected on motion, the lowest being $500.
and the city viii continue to remove its
own garbage.
The subject Of buying FIRE hose was then
taken up and led 10 an animated discus
Mr.. Heilbron, by motion, wished Mr..
McElroy, OF the Paragon brand. to make a
statement.
Mr.. McElroy said he desired to exptain
the reason higher price was asked here
than IN the East He said that the banks
had refused 90 consent to take scrip, and il
was. ne considered, worthless at present
he had TO hgure on that basis. He made
ayigorous defense of the hose and offered
10 show samples, but Mr. Hebron sug-
gested that he conhne his remarks before
that body to prices. He continued sub
mltting hgures with view TO showing
that the. prices offered by other houses
were really higher. He said his firrn was
determined to accept 3 loss on the contract
II necessary, as it was opening branch
house in Seattle. His bid was IS cents
net, delivered. payment to be in city
scrip.
Mr.. Hebron thought it as well to hear
the representatives of other houses, and
then call for bids if il seemed advisable.
He thought it unbusiness-like to call for
bids and then throw the competition open.
his board, however, had not called for
bids yet. and he quoted the ordinance
creating the board the city purchasing
agent, TO show that where goods must be
purchased out of Seattle they should pro-
ceed as they considered best in the interests
of the city
Mr.. Arnett, of the New York Betting
Company, deprecated throwing open the
competition after bids had been called for
His house had made the lowest bid, and
now higher bid was allowed TO come in
and cut prices after learning what other
houses had offered
Dir. 4. =. Miles. representing a Chicago
house, said his house was willing TO sup
ply hose as low for its quality as any
other
Mr.. Anderson, of Moran Bros, thought
the board had better call for sealed bids.
Mr.. q. B. Adair also expressed the
opinion that ii was not fair to call for bids
and then reject the lowest
Mr.. G. If. Willard. representative of
Stsver d Walker, spoke in favor of the
Chicago rubber works
A representative of 2. T. Wright & Co.,
OF Portland, urged the claims of the New
York Ire jacket" and a representative of
the Seattle Hardware Company also pre-
sented claims for brand.
Mr.. Hebron reviewed the circumstances
which had led TO the present condition !;
ne arrived st the conclusion that the board
should be bound by the recommendation
of the ire commissioners. He considered
that the board should secure the lowest
price for that brand, and not submit to
extoTtlon because it had been known that
Paragon was the preference of the board.
Major Rinehart said be could not agree
with Mr. Hebron. The fire commission
ers did not pretend TO know any more
about hose than this board, but he would
be willing TO rely upon the advice of the
frc chief as they had done. He did not
assent, however to the attempt to cinch
the city, and he did not consider that the
methods employed by the Paragon frm
were such as could be commended He
believed the market price was so cents,
and if they bought the hose he would want
10 feel very sure that they were getting
value for their money. He should not
deal with a firm employing such methods
as this firm had resorted to as an indi-
yidual, and would do il very reluctantly as
member of the hoard
Chairman Cochrane said he respected
the opinion of Chief Kellogg. but he did
not like the backing and hlling of the Par
agon house.
Mr.. Anderson said he had only bid 80
cents for his second grade. This led TO a
general offer by all the representatives TO
make bids on second-grade hose as low as
20 cents.
Mr.. Adair made a strong argument in
favor of giving all bidders chance TO COM
pete.
Mr.. Hebron said if he thought that by
calling for bids for hose whose quality
could be determined by test he would ad-
vocate it, but the chief said most hose
might stand a test but some would not
wear as well as others. He would not
have acted as he suggested now if the mat
ter had come before this board in the first
instance.
The question was then put as to Paragon
hose. Mr.. Hebron voted aye, Major
Rinehart and Mr.. Cochrane voted no.
Fire Commissioner Faegre asked the
board to refer the matter back TO the body
of which he was a member.
Major Rinehart said he was about to
make motion TO that effect
Mr.. Hebron objected to sending back
the bids: he considered it might be well
TO ask the commissioners TO name several
brands.
Major Rinehart was willing TO reject
the paragraph entirely. He thought the
FIRE commissioners would do their duty
fully as faithfully as this board.
After some discussion Major Rinehart
modified his motion so as TO call for an
expression of preference on the part of the
ire commissioners, upon which bids
should be called for.
The secretary was directed to transmit
to the tire commissioners the names of
brands represented by agents before this
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