The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-25
CONTRACT FOR UNIFORMS.
The mmissioners Explain Their
Position In the Matter.

Numerous protests have been made
against the action of the District Com
missioners in approving the recommenda-
ton of the committee of police lieutenants
to award the contract for furnishing Vni-
forms for the local police to Rosenfeld
Brothers. Baltimore firm. Washington
tailors express Indignation over the matter
and n certain Southern Senator has been
sufficiently interested in the matter to
write to the District Commissioners say
ing that local bidders should not be COM
PEELED to stand by while out-of-town man
ufacturers are awarded contracts at a
higher figure. ~
The Commissioners wrote a letter to the
Senator last evening expressing their posi-
tion in the matter. The letter was pre-
pared by Commissioner Ross and reads as
follows:
| beg to acknowledge receipt Of your favor of
the I'D instant, with regard to the letting Of
contracts for uniforlns Of the police aud FIRE
departments OF the Dist srict OF Columbia
/ am pleased to havel your views with regard
to the matter. but | a4ure you that there is a
general misapprehensi0n as TO the power OF the
Commissioners in-thc matter. The only concern
the Commissioners have. to the whole subject
is to have the police provided with presentable
clothing. uniform in appearance and in aC-
cordance with the regulations No District
money whatever is paid to the person who manu-
| of the policemen and the fremen. The Com
mssioners are dcsirous Of carrying out the wishes
of the persons most intimately concerned IN the
matter. and in order to accomplish that result.
4 committee. composed Of the heutenants OF the
force, was authorized to examine the samples
submitted and the schedule Of bids and 10 ad-
wise with regard to the selection OF the manu-
facturer. That committee almost unanimously
selected the Baltimore firm, which last year per
formed the same work satisfactorily, and the
Commissioners deem il but proper not 10 interfere
! with their selection.
No final determination has been reached in the
matter, but you viii readily understand that it
| is not a contract within the meaning OF the
| organic act ot the District.
| 1t appears from this letter that, notwith-
standing statements to the contrary. final
decision has not been reached, and that
! there is 4 possibility that the award may
| be changed although there is no assur-
! ance to that effect. Daniel Curry and Z.
b. Hesse, of the District government, sub
/ mitted a report yesterday from which it
| appears that Rosenfeld Brothers were the
| lowest bidders on a sample OF cloth select
ed by six foremen of the Fire Department.
who were invited by Chief Paris to make
the selection. 1t is stated that il the other
samples had been selected the bid of
| Cherry. Moran & Company would have
| been the lowest The bids on the sample
which was selected were as follows: Oehm
& Co. Baltimore, s2.a9274 w. cordlinger,
$2.01S.67; Cherry. Moran Co, $2,0l4.14:
Saks & Co., sl,9s7.9s; William H. Horst
mann & Co. Philadelphia. sl,974.47, and
Rosenfeld Brothers. Baltimore, $l924.45.
Commissioner Wight said yesterday that
the Commissioners did not feel that they
should interfere in the matter as the com
mttee representing the policemen and fire
men had made known their choice. He
would have liked to see the award go to a
local firm He added that if the men de-
| sired to have their uniforms made by other
than the firm selected he did not see how
! they could be prevented from doing so.