The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-21
AUSTIN DUBS THEM
THE FAULT FINDERS
AnswerSLocaI TaiIorS' Complaint
About Uniforms.
COOPER PAYS TAXES HERE
Says the Local Tailors Were Act
ing as Agents for Outside Con-
cerns-No Reason for Po-
lice to Pay More
COOPER PAYS TAXES HERE


Age-Herald regarding the awarding of the
contract for making the police uniforms
created considerable comment among the
officials of the police department, as well
as the Birmingham tailors. The tailors
and clothiers seem to think that they
should have been shown some considera-
ton on account of being home concerns
and paying license to do business in this
city.
AS is by this time well known, the con-
tract was awarded to the Cooper Tailor
ing company, of Cincinnati, which concern
does not have branch house in Birming-
ham nor do they pay license to this city.
Many of the dissatisfied tailors and cloth
iers who bid for the work admit that the
prices of the Cooper concern were COM
paratively low, but that some of the Bir-
mingham firms offered to do the work
just as cheap and think they should have
been shown preference. Members of the
committee who opened the bids and ex-
amined the samples say, however, that the
material offered by the Birmingham houses
at the price of the Cincinnati concern Was
of very inferior quality, and was really
unfit for policemen to wear.
Mr.. Chies, chairman of the board of
police commissioners, said yesterday af-
ternoon that the contest for the work had
narrowed down to the Pettibone Manu-
featuring company and the Cooper Tailor
ing company, of Cincinnati, and that Mr..
Cooper, who was in the adjoining room,
was called in and asked if he had any
property or paid any tax in Birmingham
1t was found that he did pay tax on a
building on the corner of Twenty-third
street and Second avenue, and that he
could get the clothes here much sooner
than the Pettibone concern, so he was
awarded the contract. Mr.. Chiles said
further that the patrolmen who were to
wear the clothes looked at the samples and
prices and were fully satisfied.
Chief of Police Austin was also present
and assisted in examining the samples. In
regard to the article in The Age-Herald
appearing yesterday morning he said:
Chief Austin Makes a Statement
1.-THE bids for the summer uniforms for
the police department were granted to the
Cooper Tailoring company of Cincinnati,
for the best quality of goods for the lowest
price.
bids were also received from L. Rogan
& Co, T. C. King, M. We'll & Bro, ].
Davidson, L. Schwartz, Peoples Tailors,
Sommers Tailoring company, Brooks Tail
oring company, all of Birmingham; the
Pettbone Manufacturing company and
Cooper Tailoring company of Cincinnati.
Every local firm, with one exception,
that they would write for samples to the
house they represented as local agents,
when they were notified that bids would
be received until noon on Wednesday, May
H. 1899. The Sommers Tailoring company
did not state where their uniforms would
be made IL they received the contract, but
with this exception, 1t was a known fact
that the uniforms were to be made In the
northern cities IL awarded to the remain-
Ing local firms, as they were only agents
for some manufacturing tailors, and would
simply receive a 'midde-man's' profit
Now, everything being equal, am posi-
tive the police commissioners would have
preferred some local concern to have the
contract, but the commissioners did not see
why they should require the police officers
to pay 50 to 81 per suit more to a local man
as representative of a manufacturer and
non-tax payer when a taxpayer of this
city and manufacturer of uniforms could
furnish the uniforms of better material and
at a lower figure.
Mr.. H. II. Cooper, the proprietor of the
Cooper Tailoring company, and his own
representative, owns considerable property
IN this city and spends great deal of time
here. His bid Of $3.50 per suit with officers
suits at @5 with all trimmings and helmets
at $27B. with wfeaths included (No. Knox
only), was lower than any other bid ac-
cording to quality of goods. have been
informed by reliable parties that No. /
Knox helmets are sold at the factory for
S33 per dozen or s2.75 each, with wreathg
included, and anything lower than this is
not the quality desired or is it first-class
helmet.
las to the experts of blue goods. as used
for uniforms, will state that have worn
enough uniforms to know something of
good uniform cloth, although I am not an
expert. and 1 think the police commission
considered the best cloth for the best price
and at the same time patronized home
man.
Il Will state for the benefit of the fault
finders In this mornings papers, that L.
Rogan & Co. were second in quality, price
and workmanship among all the bidders,
and their bid was $17.55 per suit with he'll
NETS at So.
my interest and the commissioners in
terests are for the patrolmen getting the
best for the money expended, as they are
the ones who will have to pay for the uni
forms. Our uniforms will be here soon, and
am satisfied the men who will have to
wear them and pay for them will be well