The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-26
STATE OFFICERS COAL DEALS.
SECRETARY OF STATE HAS A RI
VAL TO THE GROCERY.
Mr.. O'Brien . Partner in . Plattsburg
Concern which Supplies State Insti.
buttons With Fuel-Noarly $500, 900
Worth Sold in tho Last -Four Years

Mr.. O'Brien . Partner in . Plattsburg
Concern which Supplies State Insti.
buttons With Fuel-Nearly $4,000
worth Sold In tho Last -Four Years
ALBANY Oct 25-For q time 1t was thought
that the Matthew'S grocery store at New
burgh was the only concern Of which q promi-
nent State Office was q stakeholder and
which was selling goods to State insttu-
tons. Recently it has become known that
another State officer, John F. O'Brien Of
Plattsburg. the Secretary Of State, and now
a candidate for reelection, has been selling
coal to the State prisons at Sing Sing,
Napanoch, Auburn and Dannemora, and
that In the last two years, while he has been
serving as Secretary Of State. he has sold
more than $4,000 worth Of GOAL to these
prisons.
In the years 1901 %, when Mr.. o Brien was
Member Of Assembly, he cold 90, 900
worth Of coal 10 the State prisons, or q
total OF nearly 500 900 In the last four
years.
Inquiries regarding prison GOAL supplies
were suggested recently, when II was
learned that the Dock and Coal Company
Of Plattsburg was the only bidder for sup
plying coal to the State Hospital for Con-
sumptives at Raybrook. The company
Is In reality partnership composed Of the
Secretary Of State and George G. Kellogg Of
Plattsburg, the Secretary Of State getting
the business and Mr.. Kellogg attending to
the details.
II developed that State Fiscal Super
visor Bender In soliciting bids for coal for
this institution confined the bidders to
"Iackawanna' coal, which Ii the name Of
the coal dealt In by the Dock and Coal
Company Of Plattsburs, q, IN other words
When the fiscal supervisor, through
the superintendent Of the hospital, for
warded the coal contract to Howard Town.
send Of New York city, the president Of
the board q Manager sd OF the, the dhsSyoTsa sH
rotary Of State O'Brien and his partner.
Mr. Kellogg.
Mr. Townsend refused. however, 10 sign
the contract because, he said, that as drawn
It did not protect the interests Of the State
| put in almost any grade Of coal he chose,
| FOR which the State was to pay -. 70 ton.
Meanwhile Mr. Townsend consulted
Attorney-General Cunneen with q view
Dock and Coal Company, sufficient to pro-
tect the States interests. Thereupon the
company attempted to raise the price
from H.70 to $3.50 a ton, which increase
was approved by the state nscal super
visor.
But Mr.. Townsend, under the advice Of
the Attomey-General, was resohte in the
matter, with the result that the coal Is to
be furnished at n. 10 a ton. When Mr.. Town
send objected to the fact that the con-
tract for coal was to be awarded upon
single bid, 1t was explained that the SEQ
rotary Of States company controlled the
field in the locality Of the Raybrook in
sttution.
This explanation, however. seems rather
odd when It is found that Nj o'Brien's
company, which is located at Plattsburg
on TIE shores Of Lake Champlain. has been
furnishing coal to Sing Sing Prison, which
Is thirty-three miles from New York city,
and to Auburn Prison, which Is several
hundred miles from Mr.. O'Brien's exciu-
sive field at Plattsburg. Mr. O'Brien's
firm also has been trying to furnish all
the coal to the State prison at Napanooh,
| which uses some 8, 900 tons year. His hope,
thus far deferred, he expects to see oon-
summated should the Odell candidate for
Governor be successful at the comm q
election. He has been able to furnish only
about 260 tons to Napauoch thus far.