Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-04-27

IN one of the most belligerent ses-
sonS in its history, the Board of Ed
ucation last night deadlocked over
the matter of awarding the contracts
for school furniture and for install
ing the heating and sanitary systems
in the proposed courts to be built at
school No. 2. The vote was three to
rhree on both questions and as it was
clearly evident that further persua-
sion could be of no avail in changing
the convictions of any of the COM
missonerS, the matter WAS laid on
the table and an adjournment was
taken A special meeting may be
called to further consider the bids,
although it is possible, but hardly
probable, that the matters will be al
lowed to lay dormant until the next
regular meeting night, Tuesday, May
Sth.
On one side of both of the ques-
tions which agitated the board last
night stood President Walker, Com
missioners Crowell and Peterson; on
the other, Commissioners Sturn, Mas
sopust and Moore. The arguments
waxed very warm from beginning to
end and umbrage was frequently Ia
ken at remarks uttered.
Furniture the Cause.
The matter of furniture came in
for by far the major part of attention
at the meeting, and representatives
were present from both of the con-
Germs and they addressed the board
at some length.
The three members in favor of Civ
ing the contract to the American
School Furniture Company, known
as the trust, at a higher figure than
that submitted by the concern which
bid through ID. Wolff & Company,
the Reedsborough, Vt, Furniture
Company, and the three who favored
the latter remained adamant and inn
movable under the fusilade of ar
guments which flew back and forth.
There were no insinuations or slurs
uttered until the Representative of
the American School Furniture Com
pany, Mr.. Malmer. stamped some of
the statements made just previously
by Mr.. Vail, the representative of the
opposing concern, as fabrications and
asserted that the desks offered for
sale by the concern which bid
through ID. Wolff & Co., were the
left-overs of Il factory in Cleveland
which is about TO cease business.
Messrs. Walker, Crowell and Peter
son gave as their reasons for favor
ing awarding the contract to the
American School Furniture Com
pany that they consider their furni-
ture the better of the two makes, and
worth the excess in cost The other
three commissioners maintained chat
the samples submitted by the oppo-
nents of the trust were just as good
in every particular as the Americans
and that because they bid lower than
the American School Furniture Com
pany, they should be afforded a
chance to show what their goods are
worth in the public schools of this
city, where the American School Fur
niture Company has had, practically,
monopoly in supplying furniture
for the public schools for number
of years.
State School Law.
The state school law states that
any contracts shall be awarded by
school boards to the lowest RESPONSE
Bile bidder who conforms to the speci-
fications. 1t is claimed by the three
members who favor the Wolff bid
that it is forty cents lower per desk
than the American School Furniture
Company's desk of the same grade.
AS there are about 500 desks to be
purchased, that would mean saw
ing of about $240. President Walker
asserted that the American bid was