Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-07-31

reason in the world why any plumber
or any boilermaker could not bid on
those specifications We already have
one boiler of that class at No. II School
which meets with the requirements Of
the specifications. That we should re-
qeiya but one bid was not the fault of
the board or any committee, The heat,
fuel and ventilation committee has
giran due consideration and acted hon
estly in every transaction which has
been in its charge The members have
chsraeters which are irraprnachable
| and | regard it as direct insult for
any member Of the board to say that
the bids looked suspicious. Mr.. Dono-
hoe was not satisfied with the matter
about boilers, but made general accuse
tions. He charged the new building
| committee with doing wrong in fur
| nishing the rooms at the new High
SDhopl with the desks which were put
in. II he will look the matter up he
| will see where the board decided upon
/ the kind Of desks to be used there and
1 the committee had no right 10 put any
other desks In. In doing so the hoard
| was getting dollar for dollar in the
value Of the desks. Mr.. Donohoe also
/ stated that the hoard had been robbed
/ Of go COO by the contractor who fur
| nished tho coal last year. y
pr FERntz was interrupted by Mr..
| Donohoe, who asked rs there any
member who was present at the last
meeting who will say that said the
board lost a, O00?',
You said several thousand dollars,
replied MI Morrow.
II take that all back about the
%. coo then, said DIR. Frantz, resum-
| ing his spench. I'VE will all ae-
knowledge that the amount Of money
spent foEcoai last yeanwas moro than
for the preceding year. But there was
. reason for it. The furnaces in the
| schools were in operation longer. They
began the latter part of September or
early in October and were running
until near the end of the term, and
Fduring the preceding year the new
High School was not opened until
about the middle of the term, which
made material difference Whila the
winter was not SO hitter cold, it was
long and we had more continued cold
weather thRn during tAe preceding
winter. do not believe that the
board was defrauded out Of 81 hy the
coal contract of last year. Further
more, | demand shat Mr.. Donohoe pro-
duce his evidence of his charge Of de-
frauding not only in the coal contract
bat also OF all the other contracts
which have come before this board
At the request of Mr.. Donohoe, Sec
rotary Bartram read section of the
bylaws which provides that in all con
tracts where the probable cost will ex-
coed $50 bids are to be advertised for
in the newspapers and the proposals
received and read at a regular or
special meeting, after Which the board
can make such disposition of them as
y sees nit After this had been read
Mr.. Donohoe said that on July 22d
1901, the committee on heat, fuel aud
ventilation reported to the board that
ii had awarded the contract for coal to
Mr.. Solomon. He said he wished to
call the attention of the members TO
the fact that no bids had been asked
for for this contract for coal.
II deny his assertion, said Dr.
Frantz.
. - 6eny that the bids were asked for
al regular meeting, said Mr. Duno-
hoe.
THE board directed that the bids be
referred to the committee on heat, fuel
ald ventilation. with power to act, .
said Dr. FraGtz. THE object in doing
that was to take advantage Of the july
prices and not from any motive which
the gentleman-if may call him such
has insiauated. y
81 claim, said Mr.. Donohoe. s.thai
the bids were not read at a regular
meeting Of the board and the committee
did NOT ask for the authority
, At the suggestion of several members
the secretary read the minutes bearing
on tho subject, which showed that on
I lt11N odd 1Ul1 the
that MIR. solomon was the lowest bidder
: for coal and II. I. Sergeant tho loves
|: for wood, and the buds were awarded
! accordingly, Bids had been asked fol
: to be opened on July 10th, when there
was no meeting of the board, and tn,
I committee made its report at the mex
' meeting,
lis that mode of procedure not ir
regularfn Mr.. Dnnohos asked.
! No, replied the president ''It wa
I in accordance with the action OF tn,
= board. =
1 AT previous meeting. " said DIR
: Frantz, the board authorized tn
: committee, whether the minutes shoy
9 it or not to get bids and award th
4 contracts, which it did honestly, ant
4 Mr.. solomon got the contract for Goa
!. because ne was the lowest bidder.
1 Mr.. White said ne was member o
q the committee and was at the Meeting
! Bids were received from Mr.. solomon
!. the George W, Bush u Sons Co, tn
!. Charles Warner Co, and another com
+ pany. He recalled that reporters wer
a also present and kept tally. IF tn
4 board was defrauded, - ne said, ri
ii WAS not tbs fault Of the committee, q
4 il awarded the contract to the loves
= bidder -
o MIR. Baugh thought the matter 4
l. regularity of awarding the contrac
was not the point at issue Mr. VGase
d said he attended the meeting OF til
1t committee and did the figuring. as al
N Also the reporters, and he knew tina
10 the lowest bidder got the contract.
1t Was that at regular meetings
;e SIr. Donohoa asked.
No, DIR. Neassy replied.
T. Mr.. Ad3ir said that while the actio
u was irregular, the bids were publicl
9, advertised for. When the bids wen
10 opened they were published and ever,
body had an opportunity to soc then
- and if that action was irregular the II
regularity was wiped out by tho boar
~ when it awarded the contract or eI
q. dursed the action Of the committee.
o. President ShoEltidge again insistf
upon Mr.. DonOhue furnishing proof
40 lit has turned out as | expected,
at said Mr.. Morrow. '"fhe member b;
IN been after newspaper n0toriety and |
got it. When ne made these chargt
at he knew he was telling lie. A fe
,Y meetings ago he accused commit,