Evening star., 1903-07-28
CONTRACTORS PROTEST
TROUBLE OVER THE CLEVELAND
PUBLIC BUILDING.
A Philadelphia Firm Objects to the
Award Being Given to
Another Concern.

Secretary Shaw has been having some
spirited correspondence with the Charles
McCaul Company, contractors. of Philadei-
phia regarding the contract for the S5o".-
900 public building at Cleveland. Ohio. The
company has protested vigorously against
the award of the contract for the buiidlng
to Bradley & Sons of New York, ana in
sinuate that the whole thing has not been
done fairly. AS Secretary Shaw personally
handled the matter of letting the contract
he has been personally considering the pro-
tests of the McCaul Company. which was
the lowest bidder for the building. If erect
ed of granite. The contract went to Brad
ley Il Sons because they were the lowest
bidders for sandstone building. n max
ing the contract for sandstone. however,
the Treasury Department inserted clause
giving the contract to Bradley & Sons In
case stone should be used
The McCaul Company's Protest.
The following correspondence explains
the contentious. and 1t Is said that the
Philadelphia members of Congress are
backing the McCauI Company.
''PHILADELPHIA. Pa. July 2o, 1903.
Hon. Leslie Nj. Shaw. Secretary of Treas
ury. Washington. d. c.
Dear sir: We are in receipt of yours
of the 23d instant in reply to ours of the
22d. protesting against the awarding or
the contract for the government post office
building at Cleveland to Bradley & Son.
and note carefully the contents.
When we were in Washington your SUI
pervising architect. whom we assume has
the best informa ton on the subject. IN
formed US that the appropriation already
made would be sufficient to use granite In
the construction of the building, and he
informed us that the architects and en-
gineerS plans were prepared for the use
OF granite. We were then told that If the
contract awarded to us. at our bid
for granite that there would be balance
OF $SoO,UOO of the appropriation left. when
would be sufficient to properly fnlsh the
building. On visit to you we informed
you of this fact, and you verified 1t by
'phoninR to the architects office. DO YOU
now state. as fact. that the Information
then given was erroneous? we believe that
the statement first made is the correct
IF you VIII refer to your records you VIII
find that the cost of finishing the chicago
post Office, a very much larger building,
vas very little over this sam. The cost OF
finishing the Philadelphia mint was less
than $OO,UU, and the greater portion or
that sum for ornamental iron. marble
and glass mosaic work. the Slm Of Si3,HO
being allowed for glass mosaic alone. I'm
less the Cleveland building is to be finished
in most elaborate manner, or more so
than any other government building, $780,
90 would certainly be ample for that por
ton of the work.
The writer has just returned from Cleve-
land. where he found that public sentiment
IS now overwhelmingly in favor of granite
and If the present appropriation is insult
fcient for the building In granite. and fin
ishing the same satisfactorily, there is rea-
son to believe that an additional apprOpria-
ton viii be asked for, and granted by the
next Congress, as the citizens of Cleveland
Will demand 1t, and, is usual in such
cases. it VIII be granted.
Every fact, therefore, indicates that
granite will be the stone used and If it is
used what reasonable answer can be made
denying our claim the lowest bidder?
We quite agree with you that have
no fault to find that the contract for the
sandstone building was let to another party
II that was far as your department had
gone, but as stated in our former letter
clause has been Inserted in the proposed
contract agreeing to pay Bradley K Son
the difference between their bid for a sand
stone building and our bid for a granite
building m the event it is built Of the lat
ter TINS Is the unfair portion of the in
tehned award and the part against which
we protest. We do not wish to be unrea-
Sonable in the matter, and we agree with
you that II sandstone is used then the de-
partment has the right and should award
.he contract to the lowest bidder for sand
stone. but we are convinced that this build
ing Will never be constructed Of sandstone
and we feel that you should have adonted
some method by which our rights as the
served. in the event that granite was
finally used. was
We would respectfully inquire whether
IN IN rcserVlng the right to change to gran
ite, at our bid. you have made any sttpu-
!alon that the granite proposed by us
shouid be used. Such a reservation nm
less this is done. instead of protecting the
government against eXnrbitant prices af-
!ords the opportunity to put in other gran
ite, which may not be desirable In oual-
ity and kind. but which would be to the
great advantage of the contractor and at
the expense of the government
I'VE, therefore. do not agree with Won
that such an arrangement protects the in
terest of the government. but instead it is
obstructive or all former Drecedents and
OF the laws OF Congress intended to secure
fair and open competition and prevent
j"bbery. 1t supplies a sure method by
which favoritsm in the awarding of con-
tracts can be accomplished. 1t opens the
way by which the favored contractor by
being sure in being low on the material
that is not to be used is awarded on such
material. and then by simply changing to
the other material, at the low bidders
price. secures the contract The present
may be said to illustrate this, for how
is it possible for Bradley & Son to under
bid on sandstone the Cleveland contractors
who are on the ground with developed
quarres, such a large sum as S12S77S
III Is not a question of assuming either
good or bad faith in this matter as sug-
gested in your letter, but the question is.
can such a method of awarding contracts
be justified? Are not right in asking
that if granite Is used that our rights as
the lowest bidder be respected? We,
therefore, respectfully request that before
be taken for the protection of rights
and the preservation of the system by
which all citizens rights in government
contracts equal
Yours very truly,
THE CfIAS McCAUL co.
III. b. Knox. Treasurer"