The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-20
LOCAL BIDDERS DISPLACED.
Charge Jnfnirness in the Award of
the Police Uniform Contract.


A committee consisting of Capt. NJ. A.
Austin. Lieutenant Inspectors Pearson
and Cross, and all the lieutenants of the
! Metropolitan Police Force of the District
| of Columbia, met recently, opened the
proposals received, and awarded the con-
| tract for furnishing uniforms for the MEM
bers of the force for the ensuing year.
| Bids were received from the Chery-Mo-
ran Company. of S11 Pennsylvania Ave
nue.: Henry l.. Kaufman, of 920 + Street
| northwest, representing John Wanamak-
| er, of New York; the S. Barnhartt Tai
| loring Company, of 52S Twelfth Street
northwest; Oehm 4 Co, of Baltimore.
Sand Rosenfield Bros, and c. J. Heller. Of
the New York Clothing House. Baltimore.
The committee after considering the
bids decided to award the contract to
Rosenfield Bros. and C. j. Heller, fer
uniforms and caps, respectively, on the
basis of the contract for the present
year
Captain Austin, chairman of the COM
mittee, in reporting the decision to Major
Sylvester, stated that to properly clothe
the officers and men of the force with
summer uniforms 1t would require forty
frock coats, 2i0 sack coats, $50 pairs of
pants. go helmets so helmet cords, and
the contractor be required to use better
buttons than those last furnished and to
! require him to have misfits altered at his
Washington Office.
The proposals of the five competing
firms were made public yesterday after
noon by Major Sylvester They show that
the Chery-Moran Company was the low
est bidder and that the New York Cloth
ing House, Rosenfield Bros was the next
lowest bidder hpiHg
bly, in excess of them.
The proposal of the Cherry Moran Co
for the summer uniforms was: For all
officers, frock coat, $l3.9T; vest. s.. 60; ma
jor, captain and lieutenants, sack coat,
sl2 so; for all other officers. sack coat,
sS.0l; trousers, A.S5; on bicycles, trousers,
That of the New York Clothing House
was: For all. dress coat, sl4.75; blouse.
S.SS: pants. IS; cyclers, sack coat, ss96;
pants, A15
That of the Cherry Moran Co for the
winter uniforms was: Major captain.
ieutenants, sergeants, and patrolmen,
oVercoats, Sl9.75 private with patrol wag-
on, overcoats, Sl5.25 bicycle policemen,
overcoats. s9.25; all officers, trousers. $3.50;
officers with bicycles, trousers, $5.15.
That of the New York Clothing House
for the winter uniforms was: For all.
overcoats, S2l.S0; pants, $6.U; vest, s2.7o;
drivers, eyercoat, Sl6.75; cyclers, over
coats. 1910; pants. $5.15.
There is considerable feeling among the
for the uniforms of the police is contin-
ually awarded to out-of-town firms. Some
of them declare that they know that the
out-of-town firms are underbd, and vet
for some unexplained cause the contract
has been regularly given for several years
to the Baltimore firm. 7. p. Moran of the
Chery-MOran Company. in speaking of the
matter yesterdayto a Times reporter. stat
ed that he knew for a certainty that his bid
was more than 81 lower than the price bid
by the Baltimore firm for the present year.
Therefore" ne said.' ''if the contract for
for this year, the Baltimore firm was un-
derbid." Mr.. Moran declared that the
manner in which the contract is awarded
is grossly unfair to Washington business
men.
Take our firm for example" said Mr..
Moran. We can make these uniforms as
cheaply as anybody. OF course, there Is
no concern in Washington that can manu-
facture them on the ground. but that
makes no difference. There Is the cost of
the cloth as the first item. the trimmings
etc. Then here is the cost of making
Now we can do that just cheaply as the
Baltimore house. They do nothing that
We could not do, unless it is to get dollar
or so more for uniform than we would
get"
Major Sylvester, in speaking of the mat
ter. said that the committee had acted
wholly within its rights under the law.
He said that no injustice had been done
to anybody. He said that the Baltimore
firm had always been prompt in the deiiv-
cry of the clothing when ordered; that it
was of good quality, and well made He
declared that the relations between the
department and the Baltimore firm had
always been pleasant, and so far as he |
knew the men were entirely satisfied. At |
least Major sylvester thought the men on |
the committee We're intelligent enough TO |
KNOW