Evening star., 1899-03-01
AWARD CRITICISED
Police and Memberaof tie Fire De-
partment Dissatisfied.
The CONTRACT FOR MER UNIFORMS
Opinion of Attofey Respecting
the Responsibility therefor.
THE DIFFERENCE IN BIDS

The attorney for the District to whom
the question was referred by the Commits
sioners, has advised them that in his opin-
ion the awarding of the contracts for fur
nishing the members of the police and FIRE
departments with uniforms is not Dis
trict matter; that the Commissioners have
nothing to do with it. and that the con-
tracts must therefore. be, made between
the contractor and individuals. The Com
missioners have approved their attorneys
opinion. and the contracts will be entered
into by individuals representing, respective
ly, the two departments. 1t is understood
the contracts will be awarded to Messrs.
Rosenfeld Bros. of Baltimore, Md. despite
the fact that local firm offered 70 supply
uniforms at prices lower than those named
by the Baltimore people.
1t will be recalled that Capt Austin Of
the police force, who was chairman of the
committee of inspectors and lieutenants
selected to report on the bids and samples,
received in response to the advertisement,
reported to the Commissioners that the
committee was of the opinion that the in
terests of the members of the police de-
partment would be best served by awarding
the contract to an outside firm at higher
prices. Messrs. Rosenfeid Bros. supplied
during the past year.
Committee Appointed.
In the matter of the fire department uni
FORMS Chief Paris selected six foremen,
Messrs. Boss, Donahue, Robinson, Sullivan,
Young and Sorrell, to select a sample of
cloth, and Messrs. Daniel Curry and E. B.
Hesse clerks under the District govern
n2ent, were appointed committee by the
Commissioners to report upon the bids Sub
mitted. They reported that, selecting the
samples chosen by the six foremen, the
Baltimore firm was the lowest bidder.
1t is claimed by the members of both de-
partments that neither Capt Austin and
his associates nor the six foremen select
ed by Chief Paris really represented them
in the matter. There seems to be little, IL
any, doubt that both the policemen and
firemen desired and now desire that the
contracts should be awarded to the lowest
bidder, especially if a local firm offered to
supply the uniforms at prices below those
submitted by the Baltimore firm. The men
OF the two departments insist that they
were neither consulted nor had any voice
in the selection of the two committees.
The Commissioners and the public" said
policeman to a Star reporter today, ARE
misnformed when they beli&te that Capt.
Austin and his associates represented the
men as a committee. How the lieutenants
ould say that they did am at a loss to
Know, for the question. of uniform was
never broached to the men,, we being eX-
pected to take and pay for anything that
the firm of Rosenfeld Bros of Baltimore
chose to infiict upon US, as We have been
forced to do in the past. Since we pay for
our uniforms, 1 beieve 1t is the wish of all
the men to award the contract to a local
firm. 1 don't think the fits OF the uniforms
of the past winter were of the character to
make anybody very proud Notice any six
policemen you may come to and see for
yourself If any two of the collars on their
oyercoats are exactly alike. Question the
men in the ranks about the material used
in some Of the overcoats, and last summers
pants. AT No. g, when the policemen II ct
to have their coats altered and stitched
over, l suppose the good citizens OF that
vicinity imagined there was still another
parade under way which, however was
being reviewed by Resented Bros. and not
by our own beloved President. The bills for
these same oVercoats were presented and
We were forced to make payment on same
wkile our overcoats took their journey to
and sojourn In the monumental city"
Views of the Ffremen.
1t appears from a statement made to a
Star reporter by a private in the fire de-
partment that the six foremen were in no
sense selected by the men. Said this man:
Il did not know, and do not believe that
any other private in the fire department
knew of the selection of the six foremen
until it was published in The Star l was
never consulted in the matter, nor was
L
l have no intention of questioning the mo-
tives of either Chief Paris or the foremen
selected by him, 1 know that it cannot be
truthfully said they really represented the
members of the department in the matter.
So far as l have talked with the men, and
by the men l mean the priVates, they all
felt and feel now that the contract ought
to have been made with the lowest bidder.
especially when he was a Washington man.
If anybody is to get the benefit of any diff
ference in price the men feel that they
and not an outside business firm should get
it, for none of us have any more dollars or
even cents than We know what to do with.
l have been told that If the contract should
go to the local firm we would make some
thing over S3 on the uniforms for the year
Three dollars may seem a very small mat
ter to the foremen chosen by Chief Paris
and to the Commissioners but 1t is a great
big matter to men who get as little money
as we do, and have to buy our uniforms
out OF the little we get Our wives and
children, to my mind, are much more en-
titled to the difference than any business
house, whether here or in Baltimore"
Text of the Opinicn.
In his opinion, the attorney for the Dis
trict states that the law requires the Com
missioners to make rules for uniform cloth
irg for the police force, which shall be pro-
cured by the members strictly in conform
ity with such rules, at their own expense
and risk. and that any member shall be
removed from the force for not complying
with such rules. The manual of the fire
department, he says, requires the firemen
TO procure uniforms at their own expense.
The Commissioners in my opinion he
f fnG shn t,~..