The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-06
Lose RECORD OF FAvORTTIsM.
In Nearly All OF l48 Contracts This Change 10
aaade-Tracy. Boardman Il Pintt tho
Concerns Counsel.
,der this head the World said:

Under this head the World said:
The World has unearthed an extraordinary condi.
ton OF affairs in the Department Of Public Works. of
An examination OF the contracts for street paving
and other public improvements on file in the ONCE OF
70 do any public contract work under Commissioner
Soilis unless the Fidelity and pspo:,t Company of
No contract for asphalt paving. or for granite ins paw.
adam pavement. or Tor street lighting by gas or elcc.
tricity, or for new buildings In tue parks-no contract,
i pas sn1sis 1901 OF f PSsiie W 1es D0s nnl ssss the euf Fidelity tn e rne and md
Deposit Company was given a slice OF the profit OF the
The Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland Is
S fHS s saS.h Hsa name g. Fat fTs ss ana Franz aaGm #. Fiat !; t' AND t me
Law arm Of Tracy; nGarsman 4 Plat: the head OF
Henry i. Plat i ths manager Of the Fidelity and
4 Plat are the company's counsel.
In order that there might be mo possible doubt
inrd lac contracts for public improvements in the
compitollers once. beginning with Jan. l. 1896. aud
In eyers one of these. lao contracts the Fidelity and
Ties for the fsithfui performance OF the work.
Following this is a statement to the effect
that In every case a fee WAS extracted BY the
The World was evidently under the impression
the following:
open way In which all other corporations and indi.
yiduala seeking to become .ureties have been thrust
ND'uo - 'has ~ 80
end enjoy the absolute monopoly OF the bonding
No matter who were the s~ureties of the contractor
when he put in his bid 70 Coils, the records show
Of his original sIreties and submit to the substitution
q the Fidelity and Deposit Company OF Maryland on
The game was played openly and without pretort
or ,pretence. The contractor had nothing 70 do but
Following this is what is supposed to be an
worked. The World says:
A.
s~uccessfuI bidder was the American surety Company,
or W: Z Reyes. It's Secretary, or the United States
Surety Company was scratched from the face of the
This Fidelity and Deposit Company OF maryland
substituted for the above s~ureties."
There are other attacks on Con. Coils, Senator
and the Fidelity and Deposit Company. all OF
the same fimsy nature as the above. Gen. Coils.
conclusion that tho time had come TO stop tho
ysn9moHs attacks Of the W9rid. He put the
Aoity o%ficial. who knows thorOSghly the r9u-
eAid TO a SyN reporter yesterday:
The Worid has got Itself into q bad hole
Leaving the merits Of the case aside for the sake
possible 1t would DO to nx the blame for such a
Coils. Under. the law the Commlssioner OF
Public WORKS has to advertise for bids for pub
tO "OEh. w . ul tIO blub u III II SOul-
missioner has TO select from among them tho
lowest This he sends over to tho Comp
nisheS his bond and, names, his s%ureties.
All OF this Is attended to by tho Comp
srollsr. The Commissioner q Public Works
Contractor has furnished sureties satisfactory
TO the Comptroller the latter sends word TO that
eject to the Commissioners of Public Works,
who orders the contractor to 20 ahead with the
work, Now, how can Gen. Coils bo held re-
eponsible for any fsvoritism, II there Is any. In
the mmatter OF those surety oompaniesi He cam
Comptrollor Fitch laughed when asked about
the Words allegations OF rp"rlptiOn In tho
matter OF %sureties for bidders lUg city work.
" 1t Is absurd" he said. IF tho Fidelity and
Deposit Company appears on more bonds than
other companies. 1t Is to be congratulated. That
shows that tho company has good hustlinR
ability and gets around among, the contractors:
AZ Comptroller ! am always glad TO get any of
these surety companies on bonds. They are better
than individuals, for individuals die and spec
plate. and In various ways make endless
trouble. No company Is allowed 70 become
investigated. The Fidelity and Deposit Com.
pany OF Msryland Is one Of the companies that
goes regularly on the bonds of contractors.
Any statement however. that II u In rscsiDt q