Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-09
SEAT CLEANING CONTRACT
Secretary Gillian shows that the
Various Propositions Were Re-
ccived nk Sealed Bids.

OMAHA, Feb. ITO the Editor Of The
Bee ] observe il reading the TtpUr, Of
the work uf the Investigating committee
Today that your reporter mas confused
ordinary communications TO The hoard with
scaled bids. in speaking Of the seat-clean!ng
contract for 1901. ] do not think it inten-
tionRl. but ] desire to have the matter sci
right before the public.
! desire to state that The proposiu rs for
the seat-rleaning and vanishing contract
Jet in December. 1929. rad nothing 10 DO
whatever with The contract reid by Fl. Il.
Bpyles last year. under which so many seats
were cleaned. Mr.. Boyles contract was lei
in December, 1895. The Board Of Educsri Z
has never asked for bids on seat-clearinr
and vanishing. neither in 1895 nor 1899.
Pro- ~ositiuus to clean ana vaTnish seats have
come in from time 10 time, bu1 have never
been received as sealed bios, for thg reason
that they have In every case. with the eX-
ception Of one. ! think, been simply com
uuuications to the board.
In December. 1898. Nj. Buyles sent q
communication 70 the board Offering TO clean
seats To- So cents. This proposition was
u~cncptz5 and the contract YVES let without
asking for any other proposition.
In December. 1898, communications again
began 10 ONE il ofe-ing 10 clean ana
u ~ HNLes - 49, 1905 -- -
these communications werP haQded in with
or. even having envelopes upon them. ana
CHEERS IN open envelopes, and che. The bid
G. andrew Ki=Wl.. was handed 70 ms 4 few
minutes before hoard meeting with the re
uucgr that ! should no. open il until the
hoard met
] showed clearly today, ny M testimony
ana the affidavit Of Mr., KieWit, that This
proposition was not opened until it was
opened in the board. il happened, however.
trlt che Other proposition which haa be-i
handed 10 me, simply a 4 c~ommun.ca-
ton. named The same price-yiz. % cents
AZ mat quoted in Mr.. Kiewir's bid.
ii Is my duty as secretary r the board
10 open communications addressed 70 me
S rretury ana 70 The board, excepting in
cases where the board has asked for s5a-e-
ai-s ana u all such cases ] have never
rpeue1 hlds excepting by mistake. wher
they were nut marked OF the envelope so as
10 Indicate that they We're bids
TINS seaJ-oleEnirE contract Tor 1899 was
le; simply after successive propositions haa
baeu offered by different pprties and the
price constantly ran down, The contract
awarded 10 Oscar Peterson ri - cents pei
sGal is moi. IN reality, worth The paper II Is
written or. fur the reason that ne could me-
afford 70 clean and vHruisE seas us tnty
EhLuIu he cleaned and furnished uuder tAt
Specifications n Mr.. Bu!les' contract fol
thai p~ias. Nj. BoyleE received 81 cents
whereas M Peterson offered To clean them
FOR "a cents.
recommended 10 the beard at d previous
meeting that Il he beard intended 10 JET {
contract far seHt-Gleauing ii should prepare
specifications and invite sealed bios. but thu
was mol d-rs, consequently The cummuulca,
uuus which were received with regard q
seat-cleuu.pE could nor be cousideped scale.
BIDS and. as ] have stated above, some o
them were net even enclosed Ia envelopes
The sHe- Thai the las, communication re
cCivfd nv The board CHEERING ito clean IN,
varuisf seats came from a relative q
member Of The brarc should nor he used (;
confuse the minds Of The people ana cH-s
tferr 10 believe that these were sealed bids
Tine entire proceeding with regard 10 III
FpE.-uleznIuE contract fet in Deosmhsr, 1885
was u~u5ustnrssHke. but ] should nor be heiH
responsible Cor the actions q the b9ar5 ana
while me investigating COMMITTEES uudPr
strrds th4 facts. ] believe. ] desire that IA
puhIla ALTO should know the -ru-h with re
gard II ne above matters. Very respee,
fuHv YOURS n GILLIAN.
Secretary Board o Edurgrion.