The record-union., 1893-05-09
TEE ANNUAL COAL WRANGLE.
1t Broke Out Yesterday in the City
Board of Trustees.
A. J. Treat Alleges the Juggling of
Figures-Bids Withdrawn and
New Ones Called For.

Yesterday the City Trustees had their
annual wrestling bout with bidders for
the contract to supply the Water Works
with coal for the ensuing year. When
ever the time arrives for the board to let
the contract for coal there is certain to be
very animated session of that body.
Yesterday was no exception TO the rule.
At Il o'clock the hour arrived for opening
the bids, and Trustee Conklin move that
the bids be declared closed, but that they
be not opened until next week. He de-
sired that tests be made of the several
kinds of coal offered, and wanted to ex-
pertinent before the bids were opened.
There were several coal bidders pres
ent, and before Trustee Conklin's motion
was put, A. J. Treat, representing the
lone Coal Company, asked to be heard on
the subject. He said the lone Coal Com
pany desired to have the bids considered
at that time, in accordance with the call
therefor. Nothing in the advertisement
referred to proposed tests, and it was in
convenient for him to run back and forth
between San Francisco and this city.
Trustee Conklin said that tests would
be necessary to enable the Trustees to ar
i've dI SOME 10 IHo T0la-
tive merits OF the different kinds OF coal,
and week would be required therefor.
Mr.. Treat remarked that the city had
used lone coal heretofore by the year and
Tor number of years, and the Water
Works officials should know just what it
could do. A twenty-four-h hour test was no
criterion by which to judge of what any
particular kind of coal will do for a year.
The last year it cost the city $1,000 more
for coal than it cost in lS90-9l, the years
in which lone coal was used. The virtues
of the different kinds of coal are we'll
known to the city authorities. Last year
the lone Coal Company desired that tests
lie made, but the City Trustees would not
allow it. Upon Mr.. Conkin's doubling
this, he was referred to the statement
contained in the daily papers of May llth
and 18th of last year.
Trustee Conklin said a twenty-four
test would be as fair for one company as
another. He wanted to do the best thing
possible for the city. Several of the bid
ders preferred to have tests made before
the bids are considered.
Mr.. Hall, representing the Sacramento
(Oregon) Coal Company, spoke in behalf
OF his company's coal. He claimed that
the extra cost of s., 900 the past year sim
ply meant that more pressure was re-
qulred than had been anticipated.
Mr.. Treat again referred to the matter
nished for such tests could easily be
adulterated with other Goals and results
obtained that would not be realized
throughout the year. This could be done
with all bituminous Goals, and some
anthracite Goals, but not with a Ignite
article, such as the lone coal, and he
would defy any engineer to detect the
trick without submitting the coal to a
chemical analysis.
Trustee Conklin said he thought the
matter could safely be intrusted to the
Chief Engineer of the Water Works to
have justice done TO each bidder.
Mr.. Treat submitted figures taken from
the report OF the Superintendent of the
Water Works, made by him at the last
years meeting, showing the cost per
gallon of water pumped for the year end
ing April l, 1892; also, data furnished him
by the Engineer, and claimed that the
latter did not tally Herewith by fifty
cents per million gallons. The statement
from which he read was as follows:
Comparative statements OF the cost of fuel
at The sacramento Water Works:
For the year ending April l, 1891, /, &C.,
247 600 gallons were pumped with lone coal,
on a contract of S14, 500 for the years supply
For the year ending April l, 1892, 1,736,-
55o,OOO gallons were pumped with Seattle
screenings, at cost OF S15,4O4 2S.
For the year ending April !, 1898, 1879
$4,000 gallons were pumped with Seatt le
screenings, at cost to the city of Sly
4g3 %.
Cost to city per million gallons pumped
Year ending April l, 1891 SS,703
Year ending April l, 1892. S.S73
Year ending April l. l 1S93........ HOY
Cost of pumping per million gallons
Year ending April l, lS93, Seattle.~S11 or
Year ending April 1, 1891, Ione...-.. S,7o3
Difference III favor of lone per million
Sallons S2,3T4
Cost of pumping 1879, $4,000
gallons with Seattle at 81 20 p
ton; s17,493 O5
for its coal, at 81 40 per ton,
been accepted, the cost OF pump
ing the same number of gallons,
basing the performance of lone
on the year ending April !,
1891, would have been, n,......,....... 14,427 SO
A dfffaranca 70 tho ci+,- of Oh 80.