Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-20
D1:ATTLEs ROYAL IN COMMITTEE
OVER PURCHASE Of DRUGS.

OVER PURCHASE Of DRUGS.
new NE: METHOD II j D Is DEFEATED.
ArEument Advanced that city
Father. are Able 10 select Re-
liable DruTsi.t.. violation Of
Principle. Urged BY the other
Side as vital.
battle royal was precipitatsd in the
Committee on Relief Of the: Poor. last
night by the proposition to appoint
subcommittee to buy drugs for the
a!mshouse, Instead Of advertising tor
bids In accordance with the old plan,
and the. new plan was defeated after a
spirited debate.
Mr.. John 3. Minor moved that it is
the sense Of this committee that here
after drugs and medicines be bought
that the subcommittee appointed Au-
gust Is, g19o2, Ito. formulate8a schedule Of
drugs and medicines to be used at the
institution be instructed to ascertain
whether -or- .rott+it is necessary for an
ordinance to be adopted in order to do
this, and # SO, to have proper ordi-
nance prepared and presented to the next
regular meeting of the Council. and II
thsy find an ordinance is not necessary,
then. in that event, the said sub-com-
mittee shall have power to proceed to-
purchase such. drugs and medicines as
the almshouse may need in the open
market.
This motion was adopted at meeting
held October 20, 1902 by the following
Ayes-A1essrs. Cloves, Donahue. John
b: Minor. and satterfeld-4-
Noes-Huber, Villa ans and 5Gunst--s.
The .motionnsproyoked a e long discus
sion. Subsequently at meeting held
November 18th. the motion was recon
sidereed and laid on the ia bic in Iords 80 =.
to look into the proposed change O: plai..
The, motion was: taken from the. table at
3 the meeting held last night and again
considered
The surgeon and superintendent adj
dressed the committee and urged that
z the old pan be adhered to. They pointed
out the difficulties which would Il OBJ tam
subcommittee would have to be reached
chase supplies needed immedia tely:
stitutionss bought their. drugs. and medi-
cines in the open market and from re-
sponsible jobbers.. and he could see no
reason why the city could not do the
could purchase from one drug firm one
time and then from another the next
and so on
Mr. Hobson strongly urged the plan
Of buying in the. open market, and giving
the inmates the best quality Of drugs
that could be bought He said he could
not understand hoy the Snail drugg,sts
and furnish as high-grade medicines as
the institution should have.
I Mr.. Cloves said that it was not e
awarded: but e Whom : it was awarded,
for furnishing the supplies He said he
did not know that any inferior or impure
drugs had ever been furnished; but !. II
jobbers. who claimed that they bid to
furnish the city. as low as they sell the
small dealers. never got the contract
Williams. the druggist member, Of the
committee. took an opposite view and
made strong arguments against the
question as to the honesty and re
ability Of the firms who had been fur
nishing drugs. It was In the province
of the whole COMMITTEES to. reject any
k and If any J. druggist known to be irr-.
esponsible should, under bid to secure
a contract, the committee had the power
to turn tbs bid-down-
Captain Hall said he could not approve
iof a plan which would throw any OBJ
stacle In the way Of securing the medl-
cines needed promptly. Asylums of the
drugs as they needed. but the ambulance
service of large city could not be
classed this way: and emergency cases
demanded immediate attention and no
loss Of time should be made to supply
every need in the drug line. s
Mr.. Gunst, the cha irman. made e for
chile argument against the change Of
SOLD 70
ship on the committse e nearly all the dill
feren1t drug firms supplying drugs at
wholesale had received contracts. 81 He
did not see how any who had secured
contracts from the committee could be
TERMED retailers. He said he knew that
every one of those who had secured con-
nected with their. store. Mr.. Gunst added
that he thoughtful would be unfair not
to give every druggist In the city an OPP
portunity to submit competitive bids
OF proposals that standard quality Of
drugs only were to be furnished, and it
reflected on the druggists of the city
10 sppP6sS Wauld CONTACT to suppIy
under such requirements. ~
Mr.. Dona hoe said he voted for the
new plan at first, but after hearing the
tendent and the arguments made, ne
would vote to continue the present plan.
He thought it wa. the best thing to do:
Dill Jo1oIoI11lS.
Mr.. Cloves said he had the best Of
motives in arguing for the change OF
system and would not reflect upon any
from the jobbers that they would not
& bid because it was a loss Of time and
awaited nothing. He could not under
stand how the small dealers could get
the contracts over these wholesale men,.
{ He. asked Mr., Williams who: he bought
hts q drugs i from and vas answered Dy
Mr.. Williams from the jobbers. - s
Mr.. John B. Minor favored the new
plan: He said # the State found it adj
visa BILE to buy in the open market he
could not see why it would not be the
wise thing for the city to- do.
cross questioning among. those opposed
and in favor Of the. proposed PLAN the!
question was called Tor and defeated
= y yas Mes s. Cloves, Hobson. John
3. Minors. va, ~.
,Noes-M essrs. Donahoe. Hall. e. w.
Miner, Williams. Gunst-5.
MUCH :. 1 I EVIDENCE |. ] |.