The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
7 BIDS WITHDRAWN.
mEyTr OR MORE BANKERS AT a
SALE OF MACK BONDS.

a, ALLEGED Attempt to Form = Pooi to cop-
tro, tho Price OF the Bonds-As the Omciais
refused to Read the Bids - they Were
o,rred All Present Withdrew Their Bids.
vv,cK. June 5.-on Thursday last the Nyack
water Commissioners offered for sale at their
.sc, in Depew place. this town, S165, 900 4 per
s,nt, water bonds, interest payable semi-annu.
.Iy bonds to run thirty years, with option TO
nav not exceeding $1,000 per annum after ten
,.ars. with the proceedings of the sale, which,
:, the way, was not contaminated, goes an In
tsresting story Of an alleged attempt on tho part
~ somc twenty or moro bankers and brokers or
their representatives who were here to submit
hids for these bonds and to combine or form o
noo, to control tho bidding and keep the figure
rithin a certain limit. The bidders wcre:
Roberts & Co., E.. Morrison, Foreston C Co,
{. Jones & Co., E. D. Shepard & Co., w. STAN
tom & Co., Rudolph. Kleybolt & Co., Moran &
Co, street s. wykes. @. H. White & Co., N. b.
Harris & Co.. Il. B. Underhill, seligman 6 Co.,
penvell & Everett, Whann & Schleisinger,
Mason. Lewis s. Co.. seland, Towle & Co., 4. c.
stanvood & Co., Dietz, Denniron & Pryor. W.
J. Hayes & Sons, James H. Rand, Seymour
pros, Lamprecht & Co., and George M. Hahn.
The representatives of these %woll-known bank
Ing firms Of New York. Boston, Chicago, Glove
land, and other cities came In response to an ad-
yertisement for the bids which they had read in
the New York press. Soon after their arrival
they gathered in groups and held private
conferences. About twenty of them held
deliberations under the shadow Of q
maple tree, corner of Broadway and Cedar
Hill avenue, and tho sact that OCCASION
ally q few Of them would hasten up to the Wa
ter Commissioners Office and return, led to tho
belief that there was something unusual on foot.
When the town clock struck 2 the whole process
MON marched to tho Water Commissioner
room. and when one Of the most genial Of them
was asked what this all meant, he replied:
"Oh. we are q party Of robbers and thieves"
The Water Board. with their attorney and
clerk, gathered in the back part of tho office and
drew two tables across tho room to keep the
crowd back. The board, after q brief consulta.
ton, decided to open and examine the bids and
thHsH work oHsof The bidders then became very
anxious. and one Of them said:
Are you not going to read tho bids, gentle
men, as they arc openedf'
One OF the Commissioners replied:.
I'VE shall read them in due time"
"Thcy should be read as they are opened"
President George Dtokey of tho board. and
that they should follow their own course In tho
matter, and one Of the brokers then said some
thing about withdrawing his bid.
bid he may do So" replied Mr.. Comisky. and
then there was silence for O few moments while
81 heard there was a pool here. said one of
the bidders to a reporter. " but II there is 1 am
to eoi keep y; the BIDS s down. but ! SdSn't know whesS;e IF
one has been formed or not"
There was a lul for q short time, when ono of
large bunch OF bananas. which he distributed
among the crowd present. This prolonged the
si5SsG ss uhah e1 sRs sssss T sSsi e' disspp nssa fe os the tho
proceedings. Another opportunity was given
h. ,hs men a.d c stepped forward and received theiI
After the bids were Withdrawn the broker.
snce.. With what result is not Known. Late,
they left town. After the bidders withdrew the
c ea. ansiig See,d sii'1 sSss p IsS %stf bi::ls spd ant !!
Commissioner Comisky DO . committee to nego
tiate tho bonds at a private sale and report BY
Commissloner Comisky was seen by q repro
sentative Of THE SUN. he said:
bonds. e and Tx I fn soW' that fhaR't the re pr aas %isss1 @ @
matter Il submitting Sids. They so nsiiPalss,
as to make them susceptible Of any numbel
of interpretation, and the reason we proposed
ing any public announcement was to learn 4
the bidders had complied In every particular
were properly drawn and certified. Tho bid
had made q proper assortment Of those that hat
ticufar. we would have read them out, 90 all ooult
have heard, and we would heyo awarded tn,
were susceptible to two or three readings, anc
many OF the checks were uncertihed or improp
by this examination, as to whether the bids wer,
regular or not, the bondsmen grew impatien
and called for the reading Of their bidA- We pait
not going to be governed by what they wanted
and 1 told them that II thoy did not like tn
withdraw their bids. and this they did. II Their,
was anything irregular in that / am at o loss t,
know where 1t comes in. II there was any sharl
practice going on I wanted to know 1t. I wa
elected to protect the peoples interest, and tina
70 exactly what I tried to do, and will do a
lonp aa I am n Cnmmtaaioner