Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-23
PUT tk..e0MPET|T|0N
Sequel to Recent Hold-up Of
Voucher.
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BIDS OPENED TODAY
PROPOSALS, FOR REPAIRS TO
SCHOOL FURNITURE.
Woodward & Lothrop Make the Lowest
Estimate-Statement by
General Boynton.

DulluIIlSS where lUe DOdTu VI euuSeeAciA AA'A-'
determined these repairs are necessary.
The opening Of these proposals is the sequel
of the action of the Commissioners, as
stated exclusively in The Star, in holding
up the acquisitions forwarded to the Dis
trict accounting officers by w. T. Rodrick
secretary of the school board, asking that
authority be granted for $500 worth Of
repairs and inclosing the estimate of local
firm Of furniture dealers CIV. B. Moses &
Sons) to do the work specified for the sum
stated In the requisition.
The Commissioners, 1t will be remem-
bered upon having their attention called to
District. Mr. Alonzo Tweedale. notified the
school board that the contract for the
work could be let only after advertise
ments had been prepared ana proposals
received Subsequently requlsltlon ask
ing authorization for the expenditure or
$3.50 for school furniture repairs turned
up at the District building, and was also
held up by order of the Commissioners
This was held to be an apparent attempt
at evasion of the former ruling or the
Commissioners, although Secretary Rodrlck
states today that he believed this was what
the District authorities desired when they
returned to him the first requiSition calling
for $500 worth of repairs.
Two Sets of Estimates.
Mr.. Rodrick stated today that he So
cureu Two sets Oh estimates DSAoAo SeAAAio
in the reauistion. w. b. Moses & Sons made
an estimate of $500 for the total amount
of work desired.
This work. including the refinishng OF
800 pupils desks and like number or
pupils chairs. the retinshing of thirty-six
teachers desks and the recovering Of six
teachers tables. The price named by
Moses & Sons for the pupils desks ana
chairs was 40 cents per set Of one CHAIR
and desk. The only other estimate. MI
Rodrick says was secured from James
Drummer W no has done a great deal of fur
niture repair work for the schools in past
years
Mr.. Drummer it is understood, wanted Go
cents for the pupil desk sets and conSidera-
bly, more than Moses bid for the refnishing
and recovering of the teachers desks and
tables. The Moses bid being the lowest the
requisition was made out for the amount
named by that firm.
Following the action taken by the Com
missioners in holding up the acquisitions
bids were called for to be opened at the
District building today at noon. This adj
VertiSement was prepared In the office of
the District property clerk, whose duty 1t
was to take the step. 1t was stated in the
advertisement that the necessary informa-
ton concerning the repairs to be made could
be had of Secretary Rodrck. at the head
quarters of the board of education, Frank
lin school building.
When the bids were opened today 1t was
found that Woodward & LOthrop had put
In the lowest estimate. This firm offers to
reflnish the 1850 pupils desks and the same
number of chair for 36 cents a set. or
total OF S1.IS. The firm offers to refin'sh
the thirty six teachers desks for the total
sum Of Sl26. and to recover six teachers
tables for a total of $15 The grand total
of the bid Is 81, $50, against the former
lowest estimate Of $500.
The Other Bidders.
The other bidders in the competition
which closed today John F. Boyle and
G. II. Lloyd. Mr.. Boyle offers to refinish
the pupils desks and chairs for 45 cents a
set. the teachers desks for 81 apiece and
mits several alternate prices for different
kinds Of finishes. His prices on the pupils
desk sets range from % to 10 cents. on
teachers desks from 81 to $3.50 and on
teachers tables from 81 to $3.50.
Neither Moses Il Sons Mr.. BrunnerS,
who originally submitted estimates, appear
in the proposals called for by the Com
missioners.
In 81 statement given out last night Gen.
H. " Boynton president of the school
beard. who signed the original requisi-
ticns. declares that the acquisitions were
forwarded to the Commissioners in the
Usual way. and that II they desired that
the work should be let out by contract
after "a formal competition of bidders, it
was their duty to take such course. He
declares the responsibility for calling for
bids does not rest upon the school board.
Secretary Rodrick. of the board of edu-
cation stated today that he secured esti-
mates the work merely for the purpose
of guiding the authorities and to enable
him to keep track of the school funds. With
each reQuisition sent by the board to the
District building there is a memoranda sug-
gesting who the goods should be purchased
from. Mr.. Rodrick says the District prop
crty Office Is not bound by these recommen-
dations In the least.
Has No Precedent
1t stated that in years gone by the
repairs to school furniture have been made
in small lots and the question of calling
for bids has never before come up. Here
tofore 1t has been the practice to have the
work done by small Jobs or by piece work.
Sometimes the repairers have been paid per
diem wages.
This year. however, Secretary Rodrick
thought to fnaugqrate reform and secure
better prices perhaps for the District He
decided to lump the amount Of work need
ed to be done. He did so and called for
two estimates, as he states above.
The requisition for 81, 500 was one reuuir-
ing formal advertisement for. bids. In
all cases involving an expenditure of more
than $1,000 the Treasury Department has
ruled that agreements may be entered into
only after fair number of competitors
have been allowed to submit proposals.
Mr.. Tweedale. therefore, recommended to
the Commissioners that the requisition be
held up and the estimates implying the
firm to which the contract should go, be
rejected.
It is stated that when the Commissioners
held up this requisition 1t was In their
power to order the property clerk to call
for proposals. as the statement from tho
board Of education. considered from a
strictly legal standpoint, simply suggested
the amount of work that should be DONE
and only implied, by submitting estimates
of two firms where the contract should go.
The school board officials declare the prop
erty office should have advertised for bids
If the estimates secured by the board were
not satisfactory.
Must Be Formal.
The property clerk. Mr. F. o. Beckett. In
stead Of calling for bids however. returned
the papers taS tho school board with the
statement of the Commissioners that pro-
posals must be called for in formal man.
ner. Mr.. Rodrick understood this action to
mean, he says, that the contract should or
might be let for smaller amounts than
81 600. Then came the $3.50 requisition. The
auditing officials, however, did not approve
this course, nor did the Commissioners, and
hence the second requisition was also re-
turned. Then it was that an advertise
ment was inserted in the daily press by the
property office and the bids opened today
at noon. as stated