The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-08
CHARTER NOT OBSERVED
BOARD OF SAFETY SUDDENLY HOLDS
UP GAMEWELL CONTRACT.
Does Not Announce Its Failure to Get
Ahid"Vits-Wants an Investiga-
ton of the Charges.

The Board of Public Safety suddenly held
up the Gamewell police telegraph system
contract yesterday, announcing that on ac-
count OF the reports in the public press
it would not sign the contract until in
vestigation of the entire matter is made by
the Common Council. The board did not
announce however, that the board had not
carried out the provisions OF the city char
ter in letting the contract, and @that the
contract was probably void on that account.
This fact was called to the attention of the
board by Councilman Dewar, it is reported
but the b. I'd carefully kept that fact to
itself, evidently, for the following is all
that was given out at the Board of Safety's
office yesterday:
Concerning the charges made in the
newspapers TO the effect that the recent
contract for the purchase of the Gamewen
police telegraph system was irreguarly
awarded, the Board of Safety adopted the
following resolutions:
Whereas, Statements have been made
in the pubic press by rival representatives
OF certain police telegraph companies, that
this board did not thoroughly consider their
proposals or give them an opportunity to
exhibit the workings of their respective
telegraph systems on the I'd inst, the
time appointed TO receive said proposals,
and that member of the Common Council
the contract through two boards and satisfy
certain members Of the Common Council
Resolved, That as there is no truth in
the statement made regarding the manner
Of receiving said proposals and awarding
said contract, this board demands an lnVes-
LEGATION Of the same at once, by the Com
mon Council, and also demands an inVeSti-
cation of the conduct of the said member
of the Common Council, in regard to his
alleged transactions with this board, and
that no contract be signed by TINS BOARD
until after such investigation is made.
TIE AFFIDAVIT NOT FILED.
AS to the charge of contract irregu-
larly awarded" which the board vigorously
denies in it's resolution, it is stated that the
Gamewell Company did not file an affidavit,
required by the city charter showing
that it had not directly or indirectly entered
into any combination with other bidders or
induced other bidders to refrain from bid
ding. Section SO of the city charter in defin-
ing the duty of the Board of Safety, says:
Said board shall have power to purchase
all necessary supplies and apparatus and
make all repairs needed in it's department,
subject to the same provisions as are here
in prescribed for the exercise of similar
powers by the Department OF Public
Works"
Section 81, in defining the duties of the
Board of Public Works outlines these same
provisions which must govern the Board of
Safety in letting contracts:
Said board shall require each bidder or
firm Of bidders to file with said board an
affidavit that such bidder or bidders have
not directly indirectly entered into any
combination, collision, Undertaking or
agreement with any other bidder or bidders
to maintain the price of any work or con-
tract or to prevent any other bidder or
bidders from bidding, or to induce any bid
der or bidders from bidding on any con-
tract or work, and that such bid is made
without regard or reference to any other
bid or bids, and without any agreement
understanding, or combination. either dl-
rectly or indirectly, with any other person
or persons with reference TO SUCH blddlng
in any way or manner whatever. And II
after any contract has been let by SAID
board it shall be made to appear to SAID
board that the successful bidder has been
guilty of any collision, combination, UNDER
standing or agreement, as defined In SAID
affidavit such bidder shall forfeit SAID con-
tract and such work shall be relet by the
board"
In connection with this provision cited
above, it is recalled that several OF the dls-
appointed bidders charged that one or the
companies, which advertiseS as the w est
ern branch of the Gamewen Company, put
in a bid of 81 900 higher than the GameWell
Company, this being merely bluff.
The special Council meeting to investigate
the matter has not been called yet, but VIII
probably be held this week. A telegram
was received yesterday from Councilman
Kirkhof who is now in Tennessee, asking
that his name be affixed to the call for
the investigation which was issued by the
Democratic members of the mango com
mittee. This leaves Councilman ozark as
the only Democratic member OF the com
mittee who has not signed the call. lie is
in MINNEAPOLIS.