The Saint Paul globe., 1896-08-01
AR0SIN FELT HURT
AND MADE A NEEDLESS HOWL
ABOUT COAL SPECIFICATION
FOR SCHOOLS.
SAID ABBOTT HAD CHANGED
CERTAIN PROVISIONS AFTER THEY
HAD BEEN AGREED UPON
AND SIGNED.
IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE.
Has Republican Associates Reject
Bids and Thus SoOthe His
RufHed Feelings.

Mayor Doran, City Treasurer Horst
yesterday opened bids for furnishing
school supplies. No contracts were
awarded, however. All the bids for
coal were rejected outright, and the
bids for other supplies were ordered to
be tabulated by the secretary Of the
board.
When the bids for coal had been
opened President Arosin sprung a mild
sensation He charged that the specifi-
cations had been changed by Secretary
Healey, on the order Of President Alb
bott. Of the school board, after they
had been agreed on and placed on file
AS originally agreed on, the specifca-
tfon for coal contained this paragraph:
"The contract will be awarded to the
lowest aggregate responsible bidder,
but the city reserves the right to re-
ject any and all bids for good and suffi-
cient cause"
This was, five days after filing, as
charged by Mr.. Arosin, changed to
read:
'The contract will be awarded to the
lowest responsible bidder on each item,
but the city reserves the right to re-
Ject any or all bids for good and suffi-
cient cause
The specifications had also called for
1900 tons Of a certain kind of coal It
turns out that there is only one firm
III the city that handles this peculiar
kind of coal; and Arosin pointed out
lhey would have a walkaway at their
own ngures. He was very angry about
the matter, and took no pains to hide
MS feelings. On his motion, all the
bids for coal were rejected, and new
bids will be advertised for at once.
under new specifications.
DR.. Abbott, when asked last night
about the charges made by President
Arosin, stated that he had directed the
secretary Of the school board to make
the changes referred to in the specif1-
cations He had also consulted with
members of the board who approved
the specifications in their final form.
but it was the refusal of Treasurer
Horst to sign the specifications in their
original shape that led him to discover
the unacceptable provision. Dr. Abbott
further said that President Arosin had
never signed the papers at ALL
AS for the feeling manifested by Mr..
Arosin over the provision calling for a
certain variety Of coal, Dr. Abbott
stated that the board had been up to
this time been using Youghiogheny
coal in it's furnaces. There had recent
ly been put upon the local market.
however, coal that was practically
smokeless, and bids on this were called
for, the intention being to allow the
board it's choice, if the bids on the
smokeless coal were not satisfactory.
This coal was named in the specifica-
tions, but the latter were not aimed
to shut out any other coal, but rather
to invite bids from any owners Of a
smokeless coal that might be available.
The board had recently made tests of
the kind Of coal to which Mr.. Arosin
objected, and was favorably impressed
with 1T. 1t was not ready, however,
to declare in favor of it regardless of
price, and for that reason called for
bids for 1900 tons, more or less, not
only Of the smokeless, but of the old
YOughiOgheny