The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-25
SOUTH SCHOOL WORK
Criticisms By a Contractor on
Manner of Letting.
The SCHOOL BOARDS REPLY.
Consr.essr EIarsd Claims Faveritism
wss shosn-Ths Board MAKES
q Detailed Denial

A great deal Of dissatisfaction hss been
expressed - unsuccessful bidders ia re-
gard 70 the letting Of ;as contract TO- the
Improvement 81 the south school grounds
o. John Psrke TIE matter drew forth
tie following communication from VIII
lam 81 Eiares, one II TIE bidders:
sx.rTLK. Aug. 2. issf
To rnE Kp!r0z. ~ time when econ
omy in expenditures i the watch
word q every puhlIe nan; when
such an eagefness for work exists
among contractors And laoorers IN
All branches that through competition the
public work of the city. county sud
ssate j. beng done for ons-haif Of former
prices, IL is strange 10 hnd one public
BODY having such an inter disregard Tor
the state Of economic affairs that It's Efforts
are expended In sndeayoring 10 awaFd
contracts FOR public work 70 The highest.
rather than 10 the lowest bidders. / refer
20 the board Of education oi tBis city, and
particularly aliude 70 iss action in aEard-
ing tbs contract for the improvement Of
tbs south school grounds 10 the next 70
the highest bidder among zine cofnpeti-
tors. and to the fact that through It's de-
termination 10 give the work TO 4 fay0Flte
contractor il has saddled an unnecessary
expense upon the taxpayers OF this city o!
$500, that being the difference between
the lowest bid aud that Of the successful
contractor.
So many conflicting reports about the
letting OF this Job having appeared in the
papers and been circulated on the streets,
ask space in your paper 10 tell the true
- . "a kRSH Of -
bidders for the JOB. and followed the pro-
ceedings from start 10 finish. ] am able TO
do SO. The nine bids in due form were
delivered 20 the secretary OF the board up
to II "a, August 6. is94, aud the same
evening were read before the board. most
Of the competing contractors being pres
enL The amounts o! the bids were a. fol-
lows: s3,gl2, 1878. 81. 373, s4ags. s., GO,
g. $50. 81. 200. 81. 500. 1894 Immediately
before the different tenders were read the
contractors we're notified that the success
ful bidders would be required 10 furnish
an additional bond of 81. 600. The job
was not awarded that evening.
The next day letters were sent to the
nine bidders. stating that the board
thought we could not do tue work for the
price we asked. and asking that We fur
-
bid by .. M, the SGh, and seven re-
sponded. When the secretary was about
TO open the bids one Of the toard re-
marked. Whats the use OF opening
these, We won't know any more after We
do. and can't act until our engineer. U. S.
Grant White. arriYeS' The contractors
were requested to review, as they would
be notified by letter OF the determination
- -
fused to furnish the s25. coo bond claim
ing IL was ridiculous. unjust and not men,
toned in the call for bids or anywhere
else until the bids had been In the hands
OF the board for eight hours.
At special meeting of the board on
August - the job was awarded To US.
Heath 4 Eldred, At our price 1873. and we
were given until IL M. August IL to sub
NIT our bondsmen. We asked the board
for instructions as to exactly what they
wished Us To furnish on Saturday, and
we're told 20 prepare list OF the names Of
our bondsmen, with the amounts they
would qualify for, and deliver il at White
& Munday's Office by IL M. Saturday.
August IS. A. so arrived at White &
Mnnday's Office with nay list of bonds
men, and found the board in session,
seven of the bidders being present Nv
partner informed me that the board had
called him up while he was waiting for
me below and asked him TO submit his
boadsmen. lie informed them that had
the original list and would be on hand at
disappointed time. and gave them the
names Of such OF the bondsmen a. ne then
remembered. Attorney White said hat the
bond should be signed By the sareties. each
for the fun amount OF the $4,000 liability.
and fifteen minutes before l. m. they had
passed on 10 the consideration of the pro-
posed bondsmen of the next highest bid
der. 1 Immediately rose To explain, and
almost Immediately sat down again. hv
request The character. and financial
standing Of the hondsmea for the next
three bidders were condemned: one mem.
Der in particular measuring everybody's
financial standing by his own.
When the proposed bondsmen for tho
bid Of S. 30 we're named considerable dis
cussion was INDUCED in. and one member
made motion that the job be awarded 20
the bidder a. tho price. s.. 30, and that
three 81 the dozen gentlemen namet by
him he accepted as saretieS. Another
member moved TO amend that the wives
Of the three gentlemen be required 10 sign
with them. The amendment was lost and
the contract VAS awarded NJ the price
above named.
AZ the board meeting on August 10 the
then successful bidder Informed the board
that at the last moment one Of the three
suretles they had selected from his
list OF bondsmcn had been per
snaded TO drop out. but as the tao
others. who were present. had been
pronounced hy tho board separately worth
tive times the amount OF the bend, and as
the law as interpreted by their attorney
called for two or more bondsmeu. he would
offer the two present and all others on his
list. and II given smother day he would
supply still another. stronger than any vet
suggested. The protest Of the bidder shat
re only wanted q tea hours 10 strengthen
his bond and that his good faith was
guaranteed by = $50 check deposited With
the board. sas ignored. The job Was then
promptly voted 90 the next higher man ai
Sc 50. the party it Nss always Intended
for. On the next day his bond Was &c
cepted after the board bad held short
private meeting. and after resolution 90
declare all previous action Of aud cal FOR
new bids had been defeated.
After the very hrsE hitch in the award
snE of the contract u vas common TAX
among the city contractors and material
men that the board Vas seeking TO give
the contract 20 ths party Who now hss ~
although h!s bid ass - high thsi he eas
apparently out ~ the race. IL Is Qgsie
Gear e. me that The beard never intended
the iob TO 50 90 aay one eus she party who
nos has it, who q . rich mzB, and tae
high iolat bead aAs enc Of tso scApmes 30