Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-24
METHODS CRITICISED
Complaint Regarding Award Of
District Contract.
MEETING HELD LAST NIGHT
Jobbers and Shippers Discuss Circulars
on Smoke Law.
REFERENCE TO COMMISSIONERS
Executive Session Of Board Held, at
Which Matters Concerning organi-
zation Were Considered.


Some Of the methods of the District gov
eminent were vigorously discussed and to
some extent criticized at a meeting Of the
board Of directors Of the Jobbers and Ship
pers Association last night. The discussion
was brought about by q letter written by
the Thomas Somerville Company to Mr..
E. p. May, chairman Of the committee on
manufactures
In his communication Mr.. Someryille
called attention to the recent award Of q
contract to furnish plumbing fixtures to
the Mueller Manufacturing Company Of
Decatur, ILL., It appears from the letter
that the bid of the Illinois firm was 81
less than the local firm. and was assumedly
awarded on the ground of price. After
stating the facts relative to the contract,
Mr.. Somerville says:
1t seems to US that 1t is useless for you
or your committee to try to induce manu-
Iacturers or 1obbers to locate in Washing
ton under existing conditions. We think
IN Justice to the taxpayers of the District,
we should have been given the preference"
His Experience as Bidder.
Chairman May spoke Of his experience
as bidder for District supplies, and how
on one occasion gang Of District laborers
were delayed for several hours in their
work because the Commissioners had
awarded a contract for picks to his firm
while another company had received the
contract to supply the handles for the
picks.
A member of the board of directors called
attention to the practice of the authorities
at the District building In sending out
to fnquiring manufacturers copies Of the
smoke law, and other regulations which
practically serve as notice to persons
seeking to establish factories that they are
not wanted at the capital of the nation.
1t was suggested that the Commissioners
or their subOrdinates ought to be impelled
by better public spirit.
It was the sense Of the meeting that the
Somerville letter should be referred to the
Commissioners and this will be done by
Mr.. c. ]. Bell. president of the association.
It was thought that a more conciliatory
attitude by the municipal authorities in
this matter, as well as in the award of
contracts to worthy local firms, might have
a good effect.
report was made by Mr.. Monroe Luchs,
secretary of the association, as to the act
ual establishment Of two small factories
as the result of the Greater Washington
movement. One Of these Is the Price box
factory. on Hanover street. in Southwest
Washington, and the other Is a shop for
the manufacture Of mems trousers.
G. G. Cornwell & Son and William Knabe
& Co. were elected members OF the asso-
citation. =. =
which followed, It Is said organizationa1
matters were considered.
Col. Biddle Makes Statement.
In speaking Of the criticism Of the Dis
trict Commissioners by the members of the
Jobbers and Shippers. Association regard
ing the awarding of contracts to out-of-
town manufacturers instead Of local firms,
COL Biddle, Engineer Commissioner. said
the laws of the District specifically pro-
vide that the Commissioners shall award
all contracts to the lowest responsible bid
der. 1t also provides that when the work
to be contracted for win amount to more
than 5000 proposals shall be advertised
out Of town as we'll as in the District
In the case of Thomas Somervflle sons
the washington firm whose bid was only
81 more than that of the Mueller Manufac-
turing Company of Decatur, ILL.,. the sue
cessful bidder, the contract was for cor
mains, and Supt Mcfarland of the District
water department said today that the con-
tract was not only awarded the Mueller
company because their bid was the lowest
but because their responsibility was well
known to him, as they had done much
work for the District on previous occa-
sions. Their work. he stated, was always
satisfactory and delivered on time, and he
did not know the Somerville company Of
Washington was in a position to manu-
factufe their own goods, and II they haA
| been the lowest bsdders he would have had
to compel them, to prove their RESPONSE
bility.
This law governing the District contracts
| Is likely to call for an effort on the part OF
the Commissioners. at the coming session
of Congress. to have IL amended In order
that they may use more discretion In
awarding bids in the future. and can there
fore give more encouragement to the local
manufa cturers, according to officials Of the
engineer department The law was adopt
ed by the organic act Of 1875 when the per-
manent form of government was estab-
| lished. with a view Of ending an abuse
| which. 1t is alleged. existed in the awarding
Of contracts at that time.
Intimation Resented.
That the Commissioners were responsible
for keeping foreign firms and manufacture
ers from locating in Washington as re-
suit of the present business boom was de-
MED by the Commissioners this morning.
Commissioner mcfarland made the follow
ing announcement upon this subject:
Certainly District contracts should be
given to District bidders wherever that is
possible under the law and circumstances
and certainly that il the rule and practice
I-of the District government. The legal re-
quirement, binding upon the Commissioners
as upon all concerned. Is that contracts
promised by the Commissioners proposals
for bids to the lowest responsible bidder
must be given to the lowest responsible
bidder This is intended to give competi-
| ton In bids and to prevent favoritism. II
we should disregard the bids of the lowest
responsible bidders contractors would not
bid. The details of the case referred to. an
engineer department contract, I do not
know since 1t did not come under my i'm
mediate supervision, but 1 have no doubt
the general custom was followed In that
particular case. Certainly the Commission
ers want to do everything that they legally
can do to encourage Washington bidders"
Charge Not Warranted.
In speaking of the statement that District
officials We're sending out statements likely
| to discourage manufacturers from coming
here. Commissioner Mcfarland said there
was no warrant for it. All information sent
| to inquring manufacturers had been sim
| ply copies of such laws and regulations as
they had asked for.
Mr.. mcfarland reminded the reporter