The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-27
Sensational Charges Made by Some
Prominent Business Men.
Contracts for Supplies Ignored and Heavy Purchases
Made From Favored Firm Only 10 Per
Cent OF Hardware Bid Upon.

amounted to only about 500, while Dun
m-Carrigan's bill amounted to 1880
Wulzer would agree to furnish the same
articles now, even at the advanced mar
ket price, for $1,000, and said he would
make a good profit on it.
The statement fatty charged that not
over 10 per cent of the hardware used by
the department. was supplied by contract,
all the rest being bought in open market,
supposedly, but in reality was purchased
Hayden Company.
The reading of this statement caused
decided sensation among the members of
the board and Perrault called upon Mr.
Wulzen, who was in attendance. to sub
stantiate 1t if he could. Mr.. Wulzen
promptly replied that he had secured the
ngures relative to purchases for April and
May from the Auditors books and they
We're easy to verify.
Perrault demanded to know who was
responsible for these purchases and Wul-
zen replied mat he supposed Chief Suli-
van was Wulzen went on to say that
some OF the articles that had been award
ed to Shook & Co. last year had been
bought from Durham, Carrigan q Hay
den by the department at 100 per cent
above the contract price. Durham, CARR
gan Hayden, he said could afford
TO give the articles bid on to the depart
ment in return for the monopoly they en-
Joyed. He reiterated the assertion that
only 10 per cent of the supplies were
awarded by contract; all the rest were
the Durham, Carrigan q Hayden Com
pany.
Mr. Wulzen produced a bill purporting
TO give prices charged by Durham, Carli-
gan & Hayden, among the items being
81 90 for single door knob, when a whole
lock could be bought for $1.25. Light
hinges, Which had been awarded to Shook
Tor cents each WulZen asserted were
purchased of Dunham-Carrigan for 81 20
each and there were many other exorbi-
tant charges given Articles were con-
81 hut i
contract or by the contractor.
Mr. Wulzen,s statement read by his at
ttorney, together with the bill he quoted
then Chief Sullivan was called upon for
an explanation. The Chief denied that he
bad anH aHho a6S 9 t6 gRpes
tirely, with the heads of departments
Articles could be purchased without his
knowledge. He thought, the bids included
about everything needed with a few
minor exceptions and he was positive that
80 per cent was not omitted from the con-
tracts
Peter H. Fleming, clerk of the Corpora
ton Yard. positive there had been
nothing wrong in the purchase of sup
opinion that the. hardware purchased in
open market during April and May would
not amount to more than 500. Not more
was outside of the contract.
John w; Reilly, superintendent of en-
gines and machinery, admitted. after
needed articles were omitted from the
bids and had to be bought in open mar
ket.
Perrault moved that all bids for hard
ware be rejected and the matter referred
to the Merchants Association and the
boards expert to. prepare new sched-
ule. ByingtOn objected to delegating the
power of the board to the Merchants
Association, but Perrault called his at
tenton to the street sweeping contract
which. was given over to the Merchants
Association.
Collins asked if the board under the
terms of the proposal could reject part of
the bids.
Mayor Phelan proceeded to read one
portion of the proposal and construed it
as being against Collins contention, when
he was brought up with turn by Per-
rault, who reminded him that it was his
duty to preside over the board and not
to argue on any matter up for considera-
ton. The Mayor then read the last
clause of the award, which expressly
stated that the board reserved the right
to reject all bids, and Perrault accepted
an amendment to his motion rejecting all
bids.
The Mayor said that certain contracts
for supplies had been passed to print al
ready, and Perrault moved that a reso-
luton be prepared resembling such action.
Mayor Phean said the vote would have
to be reconsidered, and Collins moved
that it be reconsidered at once. 1t was
ruled out and Collins appealed from the
decision of the chair.
Perrault insisted that the resolution
Clerk Russell had prepared, resembling
the vote, be acted upon, and finally the
Mayor backed down from his position.
saying it could be rescinded, as the
awards had only been passed to print
The resolution rescinded the action pass
ing to print such awards as had been
acted upon, rejected all bids and referred
the matter to the Merchants Association
and the expert. 1t was adopted, but later
the board decided to award such con-
tracts as were in reason and not dis
puted and reject all the bids for hard
ware and hose.
There will be an investigation now and
some startling disclosures are likely