Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-15
GROSS INJUSTICE TO BIDDERS.
City Councils Unlawful Manner of
Receiving Bids.

On the Flimsy Pretext of Having Lost n
Key 1t Persists in Violating the Law
and Has Put Itself In an Extremely
Suspicious Attitude.
City Council persists in violating the
law respecting the manner of receiving
bids. Bidders should seal them and de-
post them in the locked box in the
Council chamber. 1t is the duty of the
bailiff to remove them and hand them
to the clerk and it is the duty of the
clerk to open and read them. They
should be removed, opened and read IN
the presence of Council. The law has
been violated every time bids have been
received during the present fiscal year.
The box in the Council chamber is in
good condition, but is practically worth
less. II cannot be used because its key
has been lost. The loss of the key was
reported nearly eight months ago, soon
after the present Council took hold of the
reins of government, but for some unex-
planned reason, probably because of
neglect or y no effort has been
made to replace it. The present way of
receiving bids is extremely suspicious
and fagrantly unjust. The Democratic
Councilman have protested against it.,
but their protests have had no effect.
The plan in vogue permits the handing
of bids to member and allows him to
open and read them before he presents
them to Council. The possibilities Of
such shameful method are so apparent
further explanation is unnecessary.
At Thursdays session of Council Mr..
Ratledge presented for Mr. Dannenberg,
who was absent, two bids for supplying
the garbage crematory with oil until
January 31st, 1895. The proposals ad-
vertised by Council call for fuel oil, to
be delivered in tank car lots. One bid
der, @. W. DIVISION of New York, rep
resenting the Standard Oil Company,
bid "a cents per gallon, his bid to be
subject to acceptance within the next 10
days and to be accepted with the under
standing that he would not be held to
the contract if freight rates increase.
The other bidder, Wilbur II. Townsend
of New York, bid on straight crude oil,
which he claimed is cheaper and more
suitable for the purpose desired than
fuel oil is. His bid was 60-100 cents.
The latter mentioned Edward f. Belts
and j. Edward Addicks as references.
The bids were referred to the committee
ON garbage crematory with power to
act,
Ecstein r. Lodge was refunded over
paid tax amounting to $685..
The committee on fire companies re-
ported that it had inspected the APP
paratus of the several fire companies
and found il in first.class condition.
The companies were allowed their
semi-annual appropriations. T..
Charles NJ. Curtis, S. A. Macallister
and Philip @. Churchman were allowed
$500 for indexing the city charter and
book of ordinances.
. The city treasurer reported 1858, 429.S4
in Union National Bank to the credit of
the city's current expenses and $2,349. 46
in each of the four depository banks to
the same credit, making a total deposit
of $72,S27.73. He also reported the fol-
lowing receipts: From City Engineer
Palmer, $62.35, fees during February;
from Clerk Adams of the municipal
court, $726.07, fines, fees and costs
during February and January witness
fees unclaimed; from the depository
banks, $4,000, to deposit in Union
National Bank; from Collector Sayers,
$3.50, city and school taxes for 1892, and
5000, similar taxes for 1893; from Col
lector Mitchell, $3.50, city and school
taxes for 1893.
The clerk of the municipal court re-
ported that his receipts during February
were as follows; Fines, 1868: fees,
$3.50; costs, $106.07. The January wit
ness fees unclaimed amounted to $3.50.
The city auditor certified to the cor
rectness of the accounts of the city
treasurer, the clerk of the municipal
court, the city engineer and the secre-
tary of the Board of Directors of
the Street and Sewer Depart
ment. He reported that the city
engineer had deposited $62.35 to
the credit of the Mayor and Council
and So to the credit of the Board
of Directors of the Street and Sewer
Department. He also reported as fol-
lows concerning the finances of the
latter body last month: Receipts,
$2,667.2S; expenditures, $14,052.62;
balance in bank to the credit of current
expenses, $22,0s3.42; to the credit OF
paving and improving streets, SAC, 276.04i
total amount in bank, $62, 359.46.
Mr.. Wainwright gave notice of the
introduction of an ordinance creating
an extraordinary appropriation for in
taroot ond cotar;as