New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-22
HOW CITY BUYS PIANOS.
Nets Is Trying One ont in His
Office.

| Melodious playing n plano in the private room
| OF Miss Brennan. Controller Metzs stenographer.
astounded the visitors in the Office yesterday eff
| ternoon.
We have to work so hard here that we must
have diversion for our nerves, otherwise might
! all go to the lunatic asylum" said the Controller
| 10 the first inquirer. winking at or two news
| paper men present at the musical
! But do you have piano music regularly was
asked.
'Weil-er-er-you soc were sort Of trying It
| just 10 see how # works said tho Controller.
| When the door Of the inside office was opened
| there was the piano. enough and at the key
| bonrd was n distinguished looking German who
| was pounding out symphonies and nocturncs-or
| at least Mr.. Metz. who doesn't know much about
| music, said they symphonies and nocturnes.
Here's the story in this bunch Of papers II you
| want TO dig II out" said Mr.. Metz. handing over
| q number OF legal documents
The papers seem TO show that recently the
Board Of Education asked for bids for thirty wo
upright and twelve baby grand pianos. and that
more than a dozen dealers and makers turned IN
bids Most Of the bids were around 5000 for the
uprghts ana $3.50 for the other kind Ludwig &
| co. bid $3.50 for the uprehts and Il looked on
tho face Of the bids Il they would get the
contract large par, Of H. But It IS one thing
to be the lowest bidder for things that YOU want
10 sell the city and quite another 10 get n con-
tract The piano bids began their weary Journey
through the department. getting an 20. X" here
red ink initial there and a written suggestion
J
bids passed added sort OF "a mark or tvpe-
written sheet The bids finally landed IN the Of
fee of Chandler Wilmington. chief engineer Of the
Department Of Finance. 1t appears that Mr.. With
! ington asked for report the bids from one
John J. Dessert. who said the city ought not To-
buy Ludwig pianos AZ the prices stated This
made trouble, as Frank b. RiX, director OF music
in the Board Of Education. already had recon-
mended that the piano was satisfactory and should
be bought
In their travels the bids ran into The bureau OF
c. ". Cameron. whose official position in the city
service is that OF building inspector Of masonry
Just why a building inspector of masonry should
be called on to judge OF the merits Of a musical
! instrument is not explained by the Controller But
Mr.. CamerOns report IS on Ale. sure enough When
the matter came up before the Board Of Estimate
at a recent meeting there angry debate and
the board requested the Controller TO investigate
thoroughly the merits of the instrument furnished
by Ludwig d 60.
In desperation the Controller last week ordered
the manufacturers 70 send piano to his Office so
that he could get acquainted with II close range.
Now il happens that Clement Krudcr Deputy
Controller McCooey's clerk and right hand man Is
an accomplished player. When he saw the piano
carried into the Office he temporarily forgot about
long hours and disproportionate pay and waited
iii he could get his hands on the new piano His
opportunity came Saturday. after working
hours. Now young Mr. Krudcr is sure that he has
a plan for vastly improving the efficiency Of the
work Of the clerical force. He wants the piano
moved into the library, so that when there is extra
work 70 be done he some other musician can
discourse sweet strains and beguie the figures into
balancing and make the clerks forget that they
are working overtime. II tie plan carries it may
be possible TO cut off the allowance for suppcrs for
the clerks who work overtime. the clerks may
forget pain. hunger and salaries II they have the
right kind OF music
Il don't know how long we'll keep it," said the
Controller yesterday. he listened to the German
professor pounding away IF get into q fight
over the award and the matter hangs fire. some
OF the problems do that up here, probably
well wear the piano out. You never tell about
piece Of furniture It passes into the posses
sion Of the city. The only certain thing about Is
that ultimately the poor old city will pay all that il
is worth. with interest. We never get anything
gratiss'