Milford chronicle., 1907-04-05
HUGE PROFITS ON
CAPITOL WORK
Contractor Made Over 400 Per Cent.
on Furnishings.
SAMPLES OF HIS OvERCHARGEs

Harrisburg. Pa, March 20. - The
enormous profits of John H. Sandersou
& Co., of Philadelphia, contractor for
the furnishings of the new capitol
were disclosed in detail at the sessions
of the capitol investigating commits.
sion. The sub-contractors for the fur.
niture and interior woodwork supplied
by Sanderson upon his contract with
the board of public grounds and build.
inge testified to the prices they were
paid by the contractor.
Their testimony showed that some of
the work was done through Payne &.
Co., contractors for the construction
Of the building, as sub-contractors for
Sanderson, who supplied all the fur
nishings except the metallic filing
cases. After the sub-contractors had
been called and testified to the prices
they received from Sanderson or Payne
the official records were produced by
James Cameron, auditor for the COM
mission, to show what Sanderson re-
ceived for the furnishings.
No attempt was made to show that
the schedule upon which Sanderson
was awarded the capitol furnishing
contract was so arranged as to make
intelligent bidding impossible. This
has already been brought out by the
testimony of several bidders, who said
they could get no information from
Architect Joseph NJ Huston upon
which to make an intelligent bid.
It was shown that the state paid
Sanderson S94,2O8 for the woodwork
in the governors suite, exclusive Of
the grand reception room, for which
the sub-contractor was paid S16,0S9.75. |
Sanderson collected from the state
S62.4S for the woodwork in the |
senate postohice, telegraph room and /
other rooms about the senate cham /
Der, for which the sub-conractor was /
paid S6145.
The testimony also showed that the .
state paid SandersOn $3256.S0 for
mahogany case in the senate barber
shop for which the sub-contractor re-
ceived only 1925. Sanderson collected
S1619.20 for a mahogany bootblack
stand in the senate lavatory which
was supplied to him by a sub-con-
tractor for $50, exclusive of two chairs,
which cost $25 each, and the foot rests,
the cost of which did not exceed $25.
For 38 mahogany clothes trees San
derson collected $3.50 each and paid
the sub-contractor who supplied them
s12 each. For 81 umbrella stands the
contractor received from the state
1880 each and paid the sub-contractor
b14 each. For a desk in the lieutenant
governors room Sanderson collected
b3496O and paid the sub-contractor
$3.50. The auditors report shows that
L47 additional clothes trees were fur
lished by Sanderson at $27.60 each
md 100 additional umbrella stands az
1890 each.
The commission made a futile at
empt to show by Stephen DeKonsen-
70, of New York, that there was col
usion between Architect Huston and
ohm H. Sanderson. Mr.. DeKonsenko is
onnected with the Sterling Bronze
which absorbed the Pennsyl-
ania Bronze company, organized by
anderson to supply him with the
lectrical fixtures for the capitol after :
he latter concern had completed its :
{
The witness admitted that three
lonths before Sanderson was given
ne contract he prepared designs for
ertain chandeliers in the building
nd that he expected to get half of the
0ntract. He denied having told Har-
ey M. Watts, managing editor of the :
Press, in the presence of
witness at the University CLUB, Phil
ielphia, some time ago that there :,
as collusion between Huston and
anderson and that he, DeKonsenkO, -
as to get the entire sub-contract with :
anderson for the chandeliers, and a
at the entire job would be worth !
10000.
He said that after he had furnished >,
,signs to Sanderson for the chande- :.
ITS he went south for his health, and !,
as then asked by Mr.. Scarlet attor -
" for the commission, if he had not
Id Mr.. Watts that his designs were
turned to him and that Huston stole
) ideas. Mr.. Konsenko replied in ~