The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-04
VERY WARM SESSION
QUITE A ROW KICKED UP By
COUNCILS ACTION ON
GASOLINE BIDS
HINTS OF JOBBERY ARE HEARD
Representatives whose Bids Were
Thrown Out Are Wrathy and
Threaten Trouble - All
Bids May Be Rejected.

American Developing Company-Incan-
descent gasoline lamps, S2n 2-3 per
month; plain gasoline, s1.361s per month.
Sun Vapor Company, Canton, Ohio-ln-
month; plain gasoline lamps. $l.5O per
month.
James Forrestal & Co.-Bid rejected.
Incandescent lamps, $218 per month; plain
gasoline lamps, $1.35.
Cleveland, Ohio, Vapor Company-Bid
rejected. Incandescent gasoline lamps,
1925 per month No bid on plain lamps.
According to bids opened at last nights
meeting of the board Of aldermen,
the American Developing company is en-
titled to the contract for lighting the
residence portion of the city next year
with gasoline lamps, Of both plain and
ircandescent style, but the whole affair
is SO tinged with accusations of alleged
jobbery and fraud, that the various
propositions are likely to be rejected and
new bids called for.
For gasoline lighting four bids were
received by the board last night, but, be-
cause of nom compliance with the spec-
fcations two of the number We're reject
ed without being opened and read. One
of these belonged to James Forrestal y
Co., while the other was from the Cleve-
land Vapor company, of Cleveland. Ohio
The proposition to reject these two biz
came from Aid Knauft, who held laaL
the two firms had not complied with the
specifications, in that they had failed 70
place on exhibition, five days before the
opening of the bids, samples of their
lights.
ut is physical impossibility to COM
ply with those specifications, answered
the representative of the CLEVELAND nrni,
who received permission from the chair
to speak, that is, gentlemen. if you dc
sire general competition. They are I'M
fair in that they are wholly In the in
terest of those already on the ground.
Your call for bids reached our firm, last
Friday and it would have. been an impos-
sibility to get lamp here by that time.
Those specifications are manifestly UNI
fair.
James Forrestal broke into the argu-
ment without any recognition from the
chair and, by his language, did every
thing but charge direct fraud and collu-
sion. 80
..I went to the city clerks office three
days in succession last week and wanted
a copy of these specifications. This was
on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
and each time was told they were In the
hands of the printers. It was not Until
late Friday afternoon that obtained a
copy This left only four days, so, even
If 1 had put lamp on exhibition, II
would not have been there the required
time.
One of the aldermen remarked that the
American Developing company had
sample lamp UP on time.
YES" answered Forrestal, "they had
a lamp in front of the court house for
the past week. Seems to me they were
acquainted with the specifications before
they were drawn up. The whole thing
looks like a fake to me. That fve-day
10 MI I'M
Aid. Hunt wanted all the bids rejected.
and new ones advertised for, remarkins.
eve don't want a lighting row. We want
to give everybody deal that is square
and above board. These specifications Go
not seem fair.
Aid. Murphy said Mr. Forrestal had no
kick coming, as he was aware of the test
the city always demanded Aid. Knautt
also had a few words comings in support
of his motion to reject bids not complying
with the specifications.
Accusations of unfairness and trickery.
by the two disappointed representatives
might have gone on indefinitely had not
a call for the vote been made, which re-
suited in Aid Knauft's motion to reject
being sustained. Aid. Hunt and Schiff-
man answered in the negative.
The opening of the bids followed. after
which the two propositions were sent to
the joint committee on streetS, Ior lux
Their consideration.
Forrestal and the Cleveland firm repre-
sentative were both quite indignant, the
latter intimating that, if the contract
was placed injunction proceedings would
be brought, and litigation follow. Both he
and Forrestal intimated that the specif-s
cations were drawn for the purpose OF
throttling competition, and giving the
field entirely over to companies on the
ground. The contract including, as it
does. heavy addition to the incandescent
gasoline district involves an expenditure
of nearly 5000.
It is not at all unlikely that all the
bids will be rejected and new ones called
for :