The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-10-14
SHELL BID AND BETTY
INTERESTING MEETING OF THE
COMMISSIONERS.
INFORMATION BROUGHT gu
Shell Was Purchased Cheaper Three
Years Ago Without Competition
Than Now With II.

The special meeting OF the county
commissioners brought out some In
teresting facts yesterday that VII
seem important. perhaps, TO the small
coterie of republicans who are at
tempting TO make much ont OF the
shell contracts that have been hereto
fore made and executed by the county
About ten days ago the commission
crs instructed Judge Wheat 10 adver'
tise for bids for the furnishing OF
shell or stone at Beaumont and at
Port Arthur. The specifications ana
terms of delivery were specified IN
the advertisement. 1t was, Of course,
a well.known fact that but three pos
sible bidders were in the field. One
was the firm of Myrick Bros, which
has an extensive line of tugs and
barges and has purchased outright
large quantities of shell in the bank
in this county. Another was the firm
of John T. Ireland & Co, which has
ben growing rapidly in recent months
and is now thoroughly able 10 contract
for and deliver this character of mate
rial. The third possible bidder was
the owner or owners of the rock quar-
ries at Rockland, represented by w.
w. Kyle. When the time came for
the opening of the bids il developed
that Mr.. Kyle did not have in a bid
and it is presumed that he investigat-
ed the matter and found that the stone
could not be furnished at the points
named on a competitive basis with the
shell. Myrick Bros. bid for Beaumont
delivery was S235, as against lrelands
bid of S2.41. Both concerns being
thoroughly able to furnish the mate
rial, and the Myrick bid being the
lowest. the contract was so awarded.
On the Port Arthur delivery it was
different. The Port Arthur bids were
each the same. Both firms bid S2.35.
The commissioners finally decided
that they would postpone action on
the Port Arthur contract until Nov.
"a. The facts that are particularly
are that two and a half
years ago, when Ireland G Co. bid
upon shell contract for the county
their figure was $1.95 per square yard
while Myrcks ewas also lower than
the bids of yesterday. At that time
ireland & Co. had not come into pos
session of their present efficient tug
and barge line and shell banks. The
other firm was in position to furnish
he shell and furnish it promptly, and
vas the only firm that could do it.
Since that time Ireland e Co. have
developed rapidly, and with their de-
they have evidently be-
'Ome thoroughly convinced that shell !
II Beaumont is too cheap at S2.35 for
hey want S2.4l per square yard for it. |
This price is considerably higher than |
,Iyrick Bros. ever charged, and illus
rates that the charges in the past
lave been too low, if anything, be- |
,ause labor is more plentiful now than
[ was when the low figures were
made, and still the contractors, both
successful anu unsuccessful, in bid
ling have found it necessary to in
rease their price.
The opening of these bids and their
discussion led to the discussion of
Ir. Betty's letter and the commits
toner's from each precinct stated that
hey want a reply made to the state
lents before election day, and that
hen the people may see exactly what
he facts are and what has been done
here were many Irregularities in
Ir. Betty's statements that will be
DIRECTED, and when the commission
rs make their statement it is believed ,
nat the democratic party will not I
ave the slightest reason to be I
shamed of its nominees from consta-
lie up to president. aad especially the
Dunty commissioners and county
ldge.