The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-06
MAY DRAW ANOTHERC0NTRACT
SO Recommended by Coal
Committee.
DOUBLE VIOLATION OF Law
Bids for Supplying Fuel Opened and
Family Coal Firm Said to Havs
offered Lowest Price.

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The power exercised by a. " Machen,
superintendent OF the free delivery divi-
sion. over the highest officials Of the
Postofice Department. and even over the
Postmaster General himself. in prevents
( ing the proper execution Of the laws Of
the United States. which their oath OF
Office obIigates them TO enforce, has oc-
casioned the greatest surprise among
Government officials generally
The coal committee. composed of H r.
Rand. confidential clerk 10 the Postmas-
ter General; James G. Cook. chief Of thu
division Of inspection. and James o'Don-
Tse1. chief engineer of the building. TO-
day forwarded to the Postmaster Gen
eraI a recommendation that the bid sub
mitted yesterday by MacheH Bros. for
supplying coal 70 the department for the
remainder Of the fiscal year be accepted.
While the members Of the committee
are reticeGr ard refuse 10 discuss tRe
matter, il is understood they failed Ia
call the attention OF the Postmaster
General TO the fact that A. " Maches
is member Of the coal firm of AacheE
Bros. and that to award the contract IN
accordance with their recommendatio1
is in direct violation Of Sections ~ and
1TS2 OF the Revised Statutes Of the Uni-
ted States
An Unprecedented Action.
It is unprecedented. in view OF ths
explicit provisions Of the statutes as
placed before the Postomce officials and
the Acknowledged fact that an official
Of. the department is connected with a
firm that is offering 10 enter into a
ceatzaet wlth the 6e9artHaeat. that those
ofEeiaIs Should EiIh a 1haEaussal- ks9zsl-
edge Of the situation. persist 5n vi9Fsttag
the law section ~ Of the Revised
Statutes explicitly provides that no per-
son employed in the PozIomce Depart
menJ shall become interested in any
contract for carrying the mail, or act -
agent with or without compensation, fer
any contractor OF person OHering TO be-
come . contractor in any business before
the department and any person SC Of
tending shall he Immediately dismAed
from Office and snail be liable to pay 50
much money as would have been allied
from said contract, to be recovered IN
action for debt, for the use of the Post
Office Department.
Mr. Machen stands convicted Of vto-
latjon OF the statute by his own ad-
missions. and yet the Postmaster Gen
eTaI and other officials of the department
satisfy themselves with referring 1hs
matter to the attorney for the depart
ment where it viii be pigeonboIed and
never again heard from. if iJ Is possible
TO prevent it. Furthermore in the very
face OF the law a proposal Is made 10
disregard its provisions for the second
time
a Remarkable Situation.
The situation throughout is a most re-
narkabIe one. As far back as the middle
OF November. Macbeu Bros. without he
tormaIity by the Departments OF asking
for bids. were awarded by the Depart
ment a contract for supplying goo tons
of coal at $3.50 a ton Early IN Deeenl-
Der bids we're called for and only two
were submitted. At the last moment a
letter was hurried into the hands CT the
coal committee from MaChea Bros. offer
ing to supply the department with coal
Tor the remainder CT the year at s5-T5 a
ton The bio was irregular ia form and
under ordinary circumstances wouId
have been thrown out without consider
alton The competing dealer did eursr
a protest and on the ground OF their
being excessive all Of the bids were re-
jec5ed.
It was not until December 30 that pro-
posals for supplying the department.
with coal for the remainder OF The year
V ere again called for In the interval
Aiacheg Bros were supplying the de-
pCrtmcut with coal and enjoying all ths
privileges Of their i'll cCtleu contract
Why such an interval was allowed 70
elapse between the rejection Of the hrsE
bids December TO- and calling for fur-
her bids December 80 no one has beeR
able to explain.
Machen BIOS Again.
Yesterday afternoon. when these niaz
we're finally 0Dered. ii was fouad hat
Machen Bros. in an apparent eu5eavor
TO Justify themselves ana the depart
meut. renewed their bid o. December Ia,
but this tine it WAS on tEe form pro-
vidcd Tor Che purpose by the Depart
lccnt and WAS regular in every respect
The prices quoted in the proposals would
indicate, ii is ClsiUed. that either the
local dealers are ez5Crting money rom
he ordinary consumers o. that Aachen
Bros. are quoting figure beIcw the
market for a purpose.
There were tour proposals submitted
Yesterday The dTgr was from J. p Az
new & Co, Who offered 70 furnish Big
Vein Georges Greek or New River
coal at 50 ton Two Eids
We're received fron William J. Zeh-ons
for 5-e00 tons OF New River luminous
at Ss.+a and the other 10. Eauawha run
OF the mine at S5.i3. s. s Daish & soma
offered 10 supply ksuawha run OF the
mine at $500 while the bid OF H8chea
Bros. for the same coal was S5.75
Postmaster General Payne bad not had
The papers in abe case placed before him
at a late hour this afternoon but g Is
understood the contract VIII be awarded
to Aaehen Bros. in accordance with the
recommendations OF the coal committss.