Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-14
Proposal for Construction Of Engine
Houses Rejected.
PROBABLE DELAY FOR CONGRESS 70 ACT
Prices Of Materials Advanced Since
Fund Was Appropriated.
COM MISSIONERS UNCERTAIN


not one of the three houses provided for
the District fire department by the current
District appropriation act will he COM
menced before spring. The appropriation
bill makes provision for truck house in
Columbia Heights, one in Georgetown and
house for a chemical engine company in
Tenleytown. The sites for the three houses
have been purchased by the Commission
ers. and twice bids for the construction of
the truck houses have been invited. The
bids received in response to the first invita-
ton were rejected, as was stated at the
time in The Star, because all of them ex-
ceeded the amounts respectively remaining
available for their INSTRUCTION and equip
ment When the second set of bids was
opened it was found that Mr.. John Hughes,
jr., of Baltimore was lowest bidder by sew
eral thousand dollars foraeach house, and
Capt. Eeach. the Engineer Commissioner.
fnulng that the houses could be built at
the prices named by Mr.. Hughes recon-
mended that he be awarded the contracts.
The papers then went TO Commissioner
Ross, but before he acted upon them it
was discovered that Mr. Hughes bids con-
tanned Il reservation by which he claimed
the right to change his figures within live
days. The bids were, therefore, held up
for further consideration, and it is under
stood that they will be rejected by the
Commissioners on the ground that the
reservation contained in them renders them
informal.
I.cmaining BIDS Too High.
The remaining bids received in response
to the Commissioners second invitation are
too high 10 enable them to accept them,
although by knocking off about 500 from
the next lowest bid for the Georgetown
house it could be built But, it is more
than probable that the Commissioners will
reject all of the second set of bids on the
two truck houses. Whether they will for IA
third time invite bids these houses is
stated to be very uncs rain. in view of their
failure to secure satisfactory bids the
two occasions mentioned Should the bids
last received be rejected, it is understood
that the Commissioners will at the coming
session of Congress ask for authority to
either construct the houses by hired labor
or to be allowed to go ahead with the
construction of the houses by con-
spectivey available will permit. But
if either Of these steps is deemed to
be inadvisable. the Commissioners will
probably acquaint Congress with the situa-
ton. and then ask for such additional
amounts will surely enable them to
build the houses.
1t is not often thai the Commissioners re-
ceive no response to an invitation for bids
but this has happened in the case of the
chemical engine house to be constructed in
Tenleytown. Bids were advertised fer sew
eral days ago. ard the 1iEne for receiving
lncn mas expired without one DIG belfS
received. For the construction of this
house the Commissioners have remainir z
available about $1,000. and the inspector
of buildings has heen told that the failure
to receive a bid for its erection IS due to
the fact that those who contemplated bid
ding found. after figuring it over. that the
house could not lie built on the plans
adopted for any such sum.
Delay Suggested.
In view of these facts. as well as the
difficulty experienced in securing suitable
bids for the other houses. Capt. Craghill
the assistant engineer commissioner in
charge of the matter, has recommended
that unless the needs Of the fire depart
meat very urgent the construction of
the chemical engine house at TenleytJwn
be deferred until Lext spring, in the hope
of getting a better price.
The matter has been referred to Com
missioner Wight, who has Immediate
charge of the fire department, and it is I'M
derstood that nothing will be done by his
associates in the matter until he returns 10
the city, he being expected here Monday
next.
Upon Mr. Wight's return 1t is understood
the question of the construction of the tive
truck houses will also be finally disposed
Of but, as above stated, it now seems more
than probable that the Commissioners will
not proceed further TO any Of the three
houses until after Congress shall meet and
they have had an opportunity to invite the
attention of that body to the situation
Such a course the Commissioners have al
ready decided to take. has been stated
in The Star, in reference to the three public
school houses provided for in The District
appropriation act providing for The ex-
penses of the District during the fiscal year
ended June 80 1899 the Commissioners
having found after three times inviting
bids, that they could not construct them
with the amounts respectively remaining
available therefor.
The failure of the Commissioners to re-
ceive satisfactory bids for the school houses
and those for the fire department is said to
be due to the fact that building materials
have greatly advanced in price since the
amounts We're authenticated by CCnprnSs