The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-23

Inc awarding Of 1000 contract Tor
the lighting OF the book stacks in the
Library OF Congress to a local concern by
the Federal government without adver-
Using icr proposals was the subject Of
formal Protest fled yesterday by John J.
Purcell, representing the organized cleo
trical workers Of the District
" Purcell filed his protest with Ber-
ma r. Green. superintendent Of build
In and grounds for the Library OF Con-
e. IS: Librarian Putnam. Senator Wet
more. chairman OF the Senate Committee
on the Library OF Congress. and Repre-
sentative Tawney chairman OF the Hoise
Appropriations Committee.
Mr.. Purcell contends that great in
Justice has been done the electrical
contractors and workers Of the District
or Columbia by the means adopted by
Superintendent Green. in not advertising
for proposals.
Instead Of advertising for proposals
In the daily and trade papers" aaid Mr.
Purcell, proposals were asked for from
few by forwarding specifications with
the request that bids be submitted
There are not two electrical contractors
IN Washington who knew that this work
was to be let The bids from the con-
tractors were opened yesterday.
VIII Urge Their Case.
AS soon as the information leaked out
there was a howl from contractors all
over the city, and justly So I have made
a formal protest against this unjust
method Of handling such a large contract.
and unless The library authorities see tit
70 throw out all bids received and legally
advertise for proposals, the matter VIII
be carried 70 the highest authority. 10 the
President.
"Supt Green received proposals from
the Lord Electric Company. OF New
York. who agreed 10 do the work in
eighty-fve days for the sum OF SO 965; the
ComstOCk Staley Electric Company. OF
New York. IN forty days, for $1,000. Rice
& O'Donnel. OF New York, In 100 days,
for $3.50. and the National Electric
Supply Company. OF Washington, IN
eighty-fve days for S1As0L The last
named company. being the lowest bidder.
in all probability Will be awarded the
contract.
Under an act OF Congress approved
May 2. 1905. and which was available
July l. l90s. the appropriation for this
work was made. No explanation Of the
delay IN starting the work Is obtainable"
said Mr.. Purcell. 'and the reason offered
by Superintendent Green. for not adver-
Using for bids that he did not have the
urle 20 do so and that IL Is customary
to let such work 10 contract without ad-
veTtising. does not meet the conditions.
There are over seventy-fve electrical con-
tractors doing business in Washington.
So far have been able 20 learn. only
one Of these firms was advised that this
big contract was 10 be let"
Supt. Green Talks.
Supt Green said TO a representative
OF the Washington Herald yesterday
afternoon that The four proposals had
been received, that they came from
three out OF town firms and one local
firm, who had been invited to send IN
proposals in accordance with specihca-
lions he had sent out. Asked If IL was
not required bys law 20 advertise for pro-
posals, he said that such q procedure
was not necessary. that Il had been the
custom TO invite bids and not ask for pro-
posals by advertising and that there was
nothing irregular in this case. He said
that he had received the protest Of Mr..
pyTCel but that ne had not given the
protest any consideration. and intimated
that 1t was a matter OF small Importance.
The representative Of The Washington
Herald interviewed a number Of the lead
ing and representative electrical con-
tractors Of the city among them the Car
roll Electrical Company, the Capital
Electrical Company. c. SCHNEIDER Sons,
the Chapman Electric Company, the Elec-
trical Contracting Company. Kluckhuhn
Bros. and others. none OF whom had been
advised OF this $4,000 contract, nor had
they been invited TO send IN proposals.
All Of the representatives OF the cleo
trical contractors seen by The Washing
ton Herald representative said that had
they known OF the contract they would
have been glad 10 have offered bids.