The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-21
THE PUBLIC BUILDING BIDS.
Local Contractors Ought "a Get the
Savannah POstOmce.


Washington. Aug. 20.-Next Friday pro-
posals for the completion OF the public
building at Savannah are to be opened at
the treasury department II is understood
that there viii be a lively competition for
the contract as a number Of bids are al
ready in the possession Of Supervising
Architect Aiken. OF course it is impossi-
bic to anticipate the nature Of the bids or
who makes them as they are sealed and
placed in the Office safe until the day of the
opening. The breaking Of sealed proposals
is quite an interesting ceremony and it Is
generally conducted in the office of the
supervising architect. At o'clock in the
afternoon. the bidders or their representa-
tive. together with a number OF newspaper
reporters. assemble in the architects Of
fee 10 witness the performance.
The chief clerk of the office or one of
his deputies sits at the right hand of the
supervising architect and opens the bids.
reading the name and residence of the bid
der and also the amount OF the proposal
The amount Of the accompanying certified
check is also announced The bid Is then
handed TO the supervising architect, who
tAdAiiNeS the papers 70 ascertain IL luey
are prepared in the proper form and If
found complete, he approves them and
takes them under advisement.
1t is observed recently that many of the
successful bidders for government work
come from the western states. 1t is sell
dom that any of the contracts for work
on southern buildings are given to south
ern contractors. This is explained by the
fact that as a rule the southern contract
ore do NOT figure close enomgh In making
mp their estimates. 1t will be interesting
to watch the bids for the Savannah build
ing, to see how many Georgia bidders en-
ter into the competition. All things being
equal, the government would much prefer
to have the work done by local bidders,
but under the law the contract must be
awarded 10 the lowest responsible bidder.
II is argued that If contractors out west
or down east can leave their homes and
compete successfully with contractors
in other parts of the country, for gov
eminent work, local bidders ought to be
able to equal if not surpass them in the
contest. If Chicago or st. Paul con-
tractor can go down to Savannah and
make a reasonble profit out of a govern
ment contract, II seems reasonable to ex-
pect that Savannah contractor ought to
be able to under bid the outsider, and
still make a fair profit out of the job.
The same rule applies to the letting OF
mail contracts in the southern states. In
the star route service a number of Wash
ingtOn men are engaged in the contract
business. They make a handsome living
out of securing mail contracts and then
sub-letting them to local contractors. Now
1t Is said at the postoffice department, that
If the local bidders would make the con-
test for the original contract they would
be able to realize a more substantial re-
turn for their labor than they receive from
the professional mail contractor. If there
is money in contract for the man who first
obtains II and then subjects it, there ought
to be something better in it for the local
bidder. providing he captures the contract
first hand.
There are numerous combinations among
those who make a business of bidding for
government contracts. 1t is seldom that
rank outsider steps in and carries off
big Job. 1t frequently occurs that sew
eral contractors will pool their issues, all
putting in bids for different amounts and
then divide up the spoils equally if one of
the combine should happen to be the low
est bidder. OF course those contractors
who have the building plant on hand have
a decided advantage over those who start
in with out the necessary equipment. FIRE.
quently a new conner will enter into the
competition and out bid all of the contest
ants. He soon discovers that IL will con-
sumo all Of the anticipated profits to as
semble the required plant. He becomes
discouraged, throws up the contract and
finds himself several thousand dollars out
of pocket in consequence.