New-York tribune., 1901-01-31
MARKS'S BILL TOO HIGH.
ANOTHER REPORT ON FIRE DEPART
MENT PURCHASES,
CONTROLLERS DEPUTY FINDS THAT REGU-
LAR MARKET PRICE OF SUPPLIES is
FAR BELOW FIGURE ASKED
nv SCANNETTtS FRIEND

LAX MAHhEI fttlCE Or SUIILlH4o -
FAR BELOW FIGURE ASKED
BY sCANNELLS FRIEND
Hubert L. Smith, an Assistant Deputy Con-
troller. yesterday sent to Controller Coler a
report on a bill for Fire Department supplies
amounting to 1891 which had been presented for
payment by William L. Marks the friend of
Fire Commissioner scannell. The bill has been
held up for investigation by the Controller, and
it~probaby win not be paid without a reduction
unless the courts order payment.
Mr.. Smiths report declares that the bill is
cessive in the amount of 1886. and recommends
a reduction to S416 The overcharges are al
legged to be on 500 brass expansion rings. sold
TO the Fire Department at Is cents apiece. for
which the reasonable market price is or 10
cents apiece 250 brass patches. at 81 80 each,
which might have been bought at so cents
apiece, and six fresh water connections. at SO
each, which have been sold as low 50 90 each
to the Fire Department within three years. Mr..
Smiths report gives the names of several manu-
faeturers and dealers who have furnished the
rings, patches and connections for fire engines,
and the result of inquiries by examiners of the
Department of Finance who investigated the
Marks bill, TO show that the charges have been
excessive. His report then deals with the esti-
mates which were submitted to the Fire Com
missioner for rings, patches and connections.
follows:
:. These estimates are three in number. One is
from the Peerless Rubber Manufacturing Company,
per F. A. Maginn. under date of April lS, 1900 in
9ne,halt inch extension rings. at 1914 cents each;
21z-lnoh brass hose patches, at 81 So; fresh water
ANOTHER is from the New-York Coupling and Sup
@ IN Whe the o6wG prces qate re 9doe 9d
eae6 ec6 HgnqS m bose nh @ rings at 70 Sef
connections. at $16 80 each
;, The third estimate is from the claimant. the
William L. Marks, under date of April is. 1860 in
5 MiSh II, me ne toowng prices are quoted: Five hun
brass patches for 2inch hose at 81 so each; fresh
In view of the fact disclosed by this examina-
tah namsy M,a that the prices charged by the
OF the market price for the goods, effort
Finance to ascertain why the two Unsuccessful
Olqders quoted prices even higher than said Marks.
when liberal profit was possible far lower
John MeGoffey. treasurer of the Peerless Rubber
manutIiacturing Company, when seen by repre-
seh@Iattoe @ or the DEPARTMENT Of Finance declined
in that company's estimate. nor would he STATE
from what brass finishing concern his company
mate been accepted '"0 S'o"S' ""0 ''s eS''-
1t will be noted that in the hid Of the Peerless
Rubber Company expansion rings are referred to
as extension rings, the person making the bid
the nature Of the goods upon which he was bidding
II VIII oe further noted that the said company's
cents. cents higher than the bid Of William l. Marks. ks.
MHeTedS Silu expansion rings already
shown. staple article sold by the trade generally
at from 10 10 cents '"'
The brass patches likewise are quoted at a fig
Winlam T. Marks m exGess %bfe qi the bid submitted by
The same statement applies TO the price SIote by
Hons e''eSS company for the fresh water connec-
An examination Of the prices quoted bv 7
reasonable figures Mr. Finerty BID so cents a9cn
rous iGp Lfns9.nE expansion rings whereas as nre-
TO- the b; F. Goodrich Company on semtember 81
the date OF tSe bid Gder and many months after
H. l9gl sold similar rings to the Powers
As regards The brass patches there IS evidence 70
hi rhcS'e that Nj Finerty himself made the patches
said Marks is now demanding payment Mr. FIn taT'l
ment Of Finance e%histed Srns OF tns beSart
similar TO those furnished by the Powers Manu-,
stated that h. had 10 MADE e F9rS F1rS psi@G
ior the tlre Department. for In Brooklyn With
patches was quoted in the catalogue and price list
and he replied that those which he had made FOR
hrookyn I were OF special design. being little
the price list and having teeth" the inner sides
Ienin-st.. borough OF Manhattan, stated TO repre-
regularly made castings FoT o fInanfe tha nat he he
knew the design Of the hose patches used by the
for the casting Of such hose patches and that he
had made such castings for Finerty within a year
II would appear therefore, that these estimates
had little value In fixing the reasonable price
which the city should pay for the goods. II can
be fairly assumed, from the facts presented. that
there was at least strange conineidence IN the
uniformly high value placed upon these goods by
the three concerns referred to.
Estimates upon goods required for use ny the
Fire Department are assumed to be solicited by the
Fire Department from the various concerns fur
nShing fire department goods the purpose of
obtaining for the city the lowest market price at
which such goods may be obtained. In the present
instance this purpose evidently defeated the
estimates furnished. of which the lowest bid that
of the claimant William L. Marks. was. already
shown. enormously excessive in amount.
In the event of attempt to enforce this claim
In the courts for its full amount. / would recon-
mend that the officials of the Fire Department he
asked TO explain the reason for the selection by the
Department OF the three parties who offered rsti-
mates said goods and also that the parties
senting said estimates he examined TO their
sons for fixing upon prices remarkably uniform.
current market price of the goods bid upon.
Controller Coler allowed newspaper men to
take copies of Mr. Smiths report yesterday
afternoon but said he did not wish to make any
comments on it.
A lawyer of the city has suggested that the
Controller has authority under Chapter Alb OF
the Laws of 1897 to compel any person present
ing bill claim against the city TO make n
sworn statement to the correctness of such
claim The Controller might summon Mr.
Marks and question him about his commissions
on Fire Department supplies
FIREMEN GALL IT ROBBERY
Members Of the Uniformed force of the NewYor,,
Fire Department are expressing indignation and