The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-06
BAD FAITH CHARGED TO THE FIRE BOARD RIDING CHATTER PROVISION
 RELATIVE TO PUTTING
 CONTRACTS TO BID
Arraigned in Sharp Letter
Author is O. N. Richardson, Proprietor of Combination Ladder Company, Who Performs 3Duty to Public and to Other Business Men,"

Who Performs srDuty to Public and to Other Business Men,,
 Editor of the Farmer: Sir:- -'If we are not mistaken there is 8
 clause in the charter of the City of Bridgeport very like 6 similar clause in the charters of the ma jority of American cities in which it is provid- ed that when supplies or commodities | in value more than two hundred C$2o0) dollars are to be purchased for the use of the City at one time that the pro- posal for the same shall be advertised and contract hereunder awarded to the lowest bidder.
 This being the rule in almost uni versal employment in the cities of the country and a rule so apparently just both to those with commodities to fur nish and to the public who pays the
 bills, the writer feels that he has not only just cause of complaint against the Board of Fire Commissioners of the City of Bridgeport but a duty to the public and to other businessmen to perform.
 We refer to the purchase of another aerial fire truck which the Board of Fire Commissioners of your city we are advised, have recently purchased without allowing competition or giving to us any opportunity to bid though our representative visited Bridgeport before this contract and earnestly be- sought of President Bullard the privi- lege to come before the Board with a proposal and bid.
 Both verbally and by written in. vitation also your full Board was in- vited to visit the city of Worcester to witness the delivery test and exhibi- ton Of the later aerial fire truck to come into the New England territory, with improvements and value far be- yond that Of any other aerial truck built and although nearly fifty cities and towns attended that test. includ- ing the Commissioner and Fire Chief of the City of Boston and the other principal New England cities. both the Mayor of your City and the Board of Commissioners of your City did not accept our invitation and did not go to the test and delivery of this valu-i able aerial truck, and in spite of our earnest solIcitation ignored this great event in the fire circles of New Eng land and ignored our requests for privilege to bid upon the truck at Bridgeport. and to our amazement we learn that, without advertising or giv- ing us any hearing, have executed a contract with another company for an aerial truck which we submit is far less vaIua ble to the City of Bridgeport than the one we desired them to in- spect and to receive bids upon from this company.
 We have a letter dated February 1s from the President of the Board stat ing that when they needed anything in our line they would communicate with us. We submit this letter and would like to ask if in all fairness we were not. after the receipt of said let ter. entitled to believe that it was written in good faith and that we would be allowed to compete for the business at Bridgeport.
 We respectfully state that we have furnished the City Fire Department of Bridgeport several pieces of fire ap- paratus and they have given service worthy of the respect and approval of but of all citizens and taxpayers; that three-fourths of all that class of ap- paratus in New England for the past l fifteen years has been purchased from | this company because of the value of the special features incorporated there | in controlled by no other company. |
 We believe that as a representative | house furnishing this class of appara- l tus we had every right to come to the | City of Bridgeport and to be given fair | treatment and now that we apparently l are wasting our time and money by | sending our salaried men to cater to the trade, we desire the taxpayers to know the conditions.
 eff it is satisfactory to the people of | Bridgeport we have no more to say
 Thanking you in advance for your kindness in giving publicity to this statement, we venture to hope that it | may serve a useful purpose in inform ing the taxpayers of Bridgeport how some of the affairs of their city are | sometimes conducted and it may be of some benefit at some future time to all concerned.
 Respectfully yours,
 COMBINATION LADDER CO,
 "C N Richardson Prop"