New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-21
OPENING THE BIDS HERE.
WORK OF COLONEL HECKER-THE LARGE STEAM
SHIP COMPANIES COMBINE.


The War Department through Colonel Frank J.
Hecker Of Detroit. opened bids here yesterday FOR
the transportation of 5000 Spanish prisoners Of war
from Santiago 20 Spain There were dozen bids
submitted at the Office Of the Depot Quartermaster
in the Army Building. in Whitehall-st. before the
hour for opening.
Colonel Hecker was at the office Of Colonel A s.
Kimban, Depot Quartermaster at the hour set Tor
the opening. and there were present many we'll
known steamship representatives,. Among them
were Emil Boas CT the Hamburg American Com
pany. Gustav Schwab, Of the North German
Lloyd Company: Vernon II. Brown. OF the Cunard
Company. oswald Sanderson. OF the Wilson Lines
and William Coverly, OF the Anchor Line. Henry l..
Burnett. United Statas D!strict-Atorney. repre-
scnted the Government in an official capacity The
first bids read by Colonel Hecker he said. had ar
rived in his mail with nothing 10 designate ina,
they we're bids. and they had been opened WITH
other letters. The first an offer by the New
England Chemical Supply Company. Of Boston.
agreeing TO transport 1000 officers and 2im0 men,
with cabin Accommodations for the officers. for the
lump Of $3.50 C0o the transpora ton 10 be under
any other flag than that of the United States The
vessels not designated.
The next offer was from L. a. Thiens & Co. Of
Philadelphia, carry 500 Spanl2rds 10 spanish
soil for s3s5O00
James W. Elwe e. Co. OF this city. offered TO
carr in the steamship Neustria 1000 men. at the
rate Of s75 for each officer and ;35 for each man.
William II Thompson offered a vessel. with
cabins for $50 officers, $50 apiece and steerage
accommodations for 400 men. a: s45 each.
George Osgood LORD banker OF this city made
the offer Of transportating the whole number OF
officers and mer. the former at $12 % each. and
the latter at SS7 20 each. two days TO he allowed
for loading and unloading. lie also submitted
proposition in regard to rations and blankets which
was not considered 1t did not comply with
specifications
An offer was made by James L. St. John 20
transport the officers for s37 81 each. and the
for s2i 81 each. No details in regard TO vessels
submitted.
c. Richards G. Co.. Of the Prince Line, offered
the two vessels Spartan Prince. which can carry
40 officers and $50 men. and the Tartar Prince with
a capacity Of 50 officers and 1000 men, at SO for
each officer, and s25 for each man.
The Twoedie Trading Company offered TO carry
1000 soldiers in three vessels so for officers and
500 for men
Davis G. Huger offered to supply any number OF
vessels up to fifty, but the bid was not accord
ing to the specifications it was not read.
J. NJ. Ceballos Offered TO take the prisoners from
Santiago 10 Cadiz in the vessels OF the Span
ish Transatlantic Company, under the Spanish
flag provided safe transportation 70 the YES
sells was guaranteed by the Government. and a con-
voy Of warships provided If necessary the rates
to be SEQ an officer and $50 man.
The big ocean steamship companies put in
combined offer. which had been agreed upon at
conference. providing for carrying the entire force
SI0 for each officer and S55 for each man. pay
be made in bond. whether the vessels were
lost or not and the United States to assume ALI
risks The agreement was signed for the Cunard
Line by Vernon II. Brown. for the Anchor Line by
Henderson Brothers, for the Hamburg American
COMPANY oy Emil Boas. for the Wilson Line and
Wilson's Furness-Leyland Steamship Company by
Sanderson g. Co. for the North German Lloyd
Line by Oelrichs & Co.. for Robert NJ Snowman &
Co. OF Hamburg, by Emil !3oas. and for the Royal
Mail Steamship Company by SandersOn & 60. 1t
would take twenty vessels. il was estimated. 10
carry the q eco men.
After having a complete abstract Of the bids
made. Colonel Hecker took an afternoon train for
Washington where the award will be made in the
War Department.
The lowest bid was that OF L. A. Thiems &
Co of Philadelphia, which averaged 81 40
man Whethe- the company can carry out
the contract at these figures is not known. The
bid 20 carry the men under the Spanish flag was
REGARDED as novel at least. II was said yesterday
that the only need Of convoy for the vessels II
they carried the Spanish flag would be 10 protect
them from American warships. and IL was sug-
gested that Commodore Watson's Cadz fleet could
NOT he better employed when crossing the ocean.
than In acting as such convoy.