The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-20

and hereby offer, in order to secure the opportunity to file q new bid. to guaran- tee that we will bid for the hire of all conviets of Jefferson county. regardless of their term of sentence age, sex or physical condition, until their death or legal discharge, sentenced within four years from and after January 1st, 1905. not less than $1400 per month per capita.
 And if your honorable board desires bids to be submitted, based on the age. sex, condition and length of sentence of the convictions, we hereby offer to guarantee to bid, based on the length of sentence for crime, not less than the following prices per month per capita, until their death or legal discharge:
 For all males 15 years old and over whose sentence is two years, SLIGO.
 For all males 15 years old or over whose sentence is one year and less than two years. S165O.
 For all males 15 years old or over whose sentence is six months or more and less than one year, Sl4.0O.
 For a4 males 15 years old or over whose sentence is less than six months, $10. 50.
 For all boys under b years of age and for all women. $5.0O
 Or if you prefer to hire the eonvicts on any other basis, we hereby offer to and will guarantee d substantial increase over and above the amount the county would receive from any bid heretofore filed. Yours respectfully,
 SLOSS- S-SHEFFIELD STEEL AND IRON
 COMPANY,
 By J. c. MABEN. President
 Attorneys Contentious.
 In presenting their bids MT. Campbell and MT. Bradley argued that, as the board had reserved the right to reject any and all bids, it was a question as to whether the county should make S25,- GOO more or not They maintained that the board under it's advertisement had perfect right to reopen the matter and that they were at liberty to do the best they could for the interests of the county
 When they had concluded Mir. Percy arose and began to resist the motion to reopen the matter and allow new bids. As he talked he grew more interested and in a few minutes his voice was pitched to a high key and he was evil dently attempting to keep back his feel ings.
 'rhe county has no moral right to throw out bid after we have entered into a fair competition" said MT. Percy, "and if the board decides to allow new bids to come in it will probably be pro- ductive of conspiracy among the bid ders. No railroad company or any other large concern ever acts this way on let ting contract We submitted our bid in all fairness, and as it was the best one, I think the contract should be awarded to the Tennessee company
 Intimates a Combination.
 Continuing MT. Percy intimated that the Sloss company and the Pratt company were in a combination, and he warned the board that if such practice was al- lowed they would in the future be at the mercy of a conspiracy of bidders.
 When MT. Percy had concluded MT. Bradley addressed the board again. He maintained, as before that the county had the moral right to reject any and all bids and that he thought it the duty of the members of the board to get as much money as possible for the county. He denied emphatically that there was any combination between the Sloss com pazg and the Pratt company. { X& Campbell then answered the argu-
 kbf MT. Percy and denied any knowl- Rszg6Aof a combination. He said that as a matter of fact he did not know that the Sloss company had any amended bill to submit until MT. Bradley had submit ted it.
 Solicitor Heflin.
 MT. Hef1in, county solicitor, was the last speaker to address the board, and he urged the board to accept the highest