The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-03
CITY MAKES A PURCHASE
BOUGHT A S35,7OO POLICE TELE-
GRAPH SYSTEM YESTERDAY.
BOARD of Public Safety Acts on the
Opinion of Deputy City At
torney Bell.

The contract with the Gamewell Company
for the police telegraph system was signed
by the Board of Public Safety yesterday
and approved by Mayor Taggart, notwith-
standing the fact that the city charter was
violated by the board in the matter OF re-
curing afidavits showing that there was
no collision between the bidders. Inc con-
tract has been sent to New York to be
approved and signed by Webster Chand-
lees principals. Under it the city is to pay
1876. 700. From the contract made certain
articles regarded by Mr.. Chandlee himself
as almost indispensable to a perfect police
telegraph patrol system have been eX-
Guided. Instead of rubber covers for the
cables paper will be used. An automatic
battery will not be put in, but the old-time
blue stone batteries will be used. BY
uniting these articles the original bid of
the company IS reduced over 5000. Great
credit is claimed by the board because the
company has made q concession whereby
il Is to place pedestals in the patrol boxes
and whereby 1t agrees to furnish all over
$50 miles of wire used free of charge to the
city, and promises to make a reduction or
$50 a mile on all that is furnished less than
that amount. The contract bears date OF
Aug. 2, and the company Is required TO
complete the work within four months.
Saturday the board and mayor held an
other secret conference, at which an opln-
ion as to the violation Of the charter was
received from Deputy City Attorney j. e.
Bell in the absence of City Attorney curtis,
who went away for his summer vacation
In time to avoid this question. The deputy
city attorney told a Journal reporter last
week that he had not conferred with Mr..
Curtis on the subject of the charter VIOLA
ton before he went away. Mr.. Bell was in
induced by the mayor to stretch a point
and lender an opinion that no good lawyer
would ever have rendered in order to clear
the skirts Of the Board OF Safety OF the
charge of carelessness. Mr.. Bell, IN MS
opinion, quotes the section of the charter
(Which directs the board to require each
bidder or firm Of bidders" to file an affidavit
that they nave not entered into any COM
bination, collision, undertaking or agree
ment with any other bidder to maintain
the price of the contract or to prevent any
other bidder from bidding, etc. Inasmuch
as the section does not state specifically
hat the afidavits shall be required be
fore the contracts are awarded Mr.. Bell
assumes that it does not make any differ
ence, and In support of this excuse Of an
opinion quotes the latter part of the section
which says that If after" any contract
has been awarded it shall appear to said
guilty of any collusion," etc, such bidder
shall forfeit said contract and such work
shall be relet by said board"
"While the usual way Mr.. Bell says in
his opinion, prepared to please the mayor,
would be to require the filing of the AMI
daVits at the time OF submitting the pa,
vet. under the provisions OF the charter, l
take it that if such affidavit is filed at any
time before the contract is entered into, 1t
&c q ct,hctantioI onmn1iqnpa with the law.
and if such affidavit is filed by the sue
cessful bidder the contract could be let to
him and q Reimbursement for bids would
not be required" He concludes his eX-
| traordinary legal opinion" with the asser-
ticn: your board has a full legal right to
complete the contract with the said Game
well Company"
Not a word is said with reference to the
fact that no affidavit was, required from
any other company, while the charter stip-
ulates that the board shall require each
bidder or firm of bidders to file at1davlt;
It is broadly limited around the city hal hall
himself to render an opinion IN accordance
with What the mayor desired in this case
and that he therefore found 1t convenient
to go away on his vacation, leaving his
deputy to wrestle with the unpleasant SUB
ject. Mayor Taggart was greatly emoar.
raised with the inefficiency and errors OF
the board and found it exceedingly I'M
pleasant to acknowledge defeat ana read
Vertise for bids on the eve or the coming
campaign, especially as there IS necessity
for having a telegraph system IN working
order by the time the new station houses
are completed. If City Attorney Curtis was
unwilling to render the kind of a legal opin-
ion wanted. the mayor found in Deputy
Bell a willing tool, and the result is the
document which he sent to the board. Even
the 'curbstone' and ambulance lawyers
who practice about the Police Court and
offices of the justices of the peace were
| snickering over 1t yesterday afternoon.
Charges were filed with the board yester-
day against Patrolman Miller by David M.
Dove, arrested last Friday evening. They
will be heard by the board tomorrow. Mil
Ter was on his way to roll call. Opposite
the Fan saloon he found the usual crowd
congregated. Merchants In the %neighbor-
hood asked him to clear the sidewalk.
Dove was one of the crowd. He refused
to move when Miller tried to clear the
walks. Miller led him into the street, CIV
ing him a last opportunity to go his way.
Dove was obstreperous and tried to deny
the officers authority. Miller took him 10
the station house, where he had a long talk
with Captain Quigley. who decided 10 let
him go without stating him., in considera-
ton of his age. Dove charges that Miller
was abusive. The charge is regarded as
frivolous, as Miller has the reputation Of
being an efficient and reliable officer.
Thomas e. K%ennaugh, recently fined thir-
ty days pay for intoxication, was permitted
TO resign yesterday.