The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-08-04

The School Board and the Book Con-
tract-Sharp Contention Between Bidders.
| The School Board held special meeting at
Towson, on Friday of last week, for the pur-
pose of awarding the contract for furnishing
the schools with books for two years from the
1st of August, 1900. The two principal bid
ders were Messrs ]. H. Medairy & Co., and the
w. J. G. Dulany Company, both of Baltimore.
Soon after the Board convened Mr.. Dulany
appeared and suggested that he should be al
lowed to make a speech to them when they
went into executive session-that is to say,
when the public was excluded from their de-
contained in his bid. He was willing, how
ever, that representatives of all other compel
ing houses should be present.
Commissioner Wilson then said that mas
much as Mr.. Dulany had made public state
ment by an advertisement that he should
make any statements he had to make in pub
lie. Mr.. Dulany appeared surprised. MY
statement ?' he said.
"Yes, your statement. You will not deny
that on made the statement, will you ~
II do not have to deny it. You say that it
was my statement, and you ought to prove it.
l neither admit nor deny anything"
The Board decided that all statements made
by representatives of bidders or bidders must
be made in public. Mr.. Dulany then said:
1--WE are bidding here on proposals published
by the secretary of the Board. 1t was under
stood at the time that these bids were to be &C
cepted as an entirety as has been the custom
in the past. That was my impression and the
impression of all others bidding, and so pre-
pared my bid. The point l make is this: In
good faith the bid which is the lowest should
be awarded the contract. On the bids sub
mitted we are from 81, 100 to 81. 600 per annum
lower than any of the other bidders, and re-
spectfully submit that we are the lowest bid
ders In the past two or three days L have
heard that there have been frequent causes OF
complaint as to the material furnished by US.
10 10 rokha lofo in fbo dou for ouoh
statement. If there was any cause for it l did
not know it. A year ago there was COM
plant about ink. The ink was changed to
conform to specifications of the School Board.
There are $50 schools, and it is only natural
that in that number there should be some who
will carp and object. | am further informed
that the Commissioners contemplate dividing
the contract. As to that l can say that we
want the whole contract or none at ALL"
Mr.. Medairy then addressed the Board, say
ing: There is a printed list of everything
that is required to be furnished the Board.
On that was American Standard Ink. Mr..
Dulany knew he had to furnish that; he bid
on it, but he did not furnish it until COM
plant was made. Wire bound states were on
that list but he did not furnish them. Com
For Is years has our house served this Board,
and has done it satisfactorily, and is it fair
now to bring us into competition with bids of
this character? What is this see in the paper?
threat | have still little manhood left,
and don't propose to sacrificed it. There seems
to be combine. Look at the bids of Dulany
and Bond. The Bond Company is just per
cent lower all the way through. How does that
look?' Turning to Mr.. Dulany, he said: He
knows he cannot afford to give you anything
lower than 16s per cent. off on books, for
there is soon to be let big contract in Balti-
more city, and he cannot go any lower. Mr..
Dulany has said to you openly that he lost
81 900 on last years contract, and here he is
about to give you another 1000"
Mr.. Dulany then said he did not wish to en-
gage in any personalities. That he had made
his bids and the Board could enforce the con-
tracts it made. That if there was any COM
bine, which he did not admit, the Board ought
to be glad of it for the county's sake, for it
made 81 200 year by it.
The vote of the Board stood three for each
bidder and as it was impossible to reach an
agreement it was decided to adjourn until Sat
urday, August 18th. It is understood that
Messrs. Todd, Wilson and Arthur-all Demo
crats-were for Messrs. Medairy & Co., and
Mr.. Krout, Democrat, and Messrs. Russell and
Ensor, Republicans, were for the Dulany Com
pany.