Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-25
TWILL BE HEARD TOMORROW
Claim They Were Not Given
Enough Time.
R. C. BALLANTYNE'S PROTEST
Asserts That His Proposal Was the
Lowest and Criticises Rejec-
ton Of All Bids.

dealing, Kenny Brothers Il Watkins OF
Boston will make an effort before the
Commissioners tomorrow to reopen the
controversy over bids for supplying school
desks for the current fiscal year and will
ask that the two sets of proposals al
ready received be rejected and the bids be
again invited.
This action is tho sequel to letter Of
protest fled by the local agent Of the
Boston firm, r. Carter Ballantyne, In
lieu Of q bid when the second set Of pro-
posals were received.
Two years ago l was the lowest bid
der" explained Mr.. Ballantyne in his let
ter Of protest. and my Did was approved
by your committee. but all bids were
thrown out. following the same custom as
you have this year. Last year l did not
hesitate to say that would not bid on
account of this unfair treatment. and
accordingly my competitor received the
award at much higher prices without any
question being raised.
This year 1 was the lowest bidder after
fair competition and yet you deem it wise
to reject all bids. 1t seems to me to be
a waste Of time for me or any other fair
minded bidder to again enter such COM
petition
Claim Of the Boston Firm.
The protest to be presented to the Com
missioners tomorrow, it Is understood, ia
to be made not only along this line. but
also on the assertion that the Boston firm
did not have time to prepare and submit 4
bid when the second set of proposals was
called for q few days ago. It will be
pointed out to the Commissioners that on
tnn <rut at ne In
firm, through it's local agent, put In the
lowest bid. When the second proposals
were called for the Boston firm did not
receive a blank proposal form until Tues
day afternoon. July IL, at It's Boston Of
flee and the bids were to be opened the
following day about noon in the District
building at Washington. The blank pro-
posal form. it is explained. was sent from
Washington with One-cent stamp and.
going as secOnd-class matter. did not
reach Boston without a delay that would
not happen to first-class matter.
The Boston firm will tell the Commits
sioners that it desires to bid and that pro-
posals should again be asked to give it
that opportunity.
Although the competitors In the bidding
for school desks appear to be two local
firms. w. B. Noses & Sons and r. Carter
Ballantyne, 1t Is understood that the real
competitors are the American Seating
Company, represented by the Moses firm,
and Kenny Bros. & Watkins, represented
by Mr.. Ballantyne. For the past three
years there has been keen competition be-
tween these two desk manufacturing con-
Germs,
Origin Of the Controversy.
The present controversy had it's start
when bids were received for school furni-
ture for the fiscal year Of 1908. In that
year, according to the official records. the
first bid of the American Seating Com
pany. through the Moses firm, was A.25
for seats for primary grades. $3.50 for
seats for intermediate grades, $40 for
seats for the grammar grades and 1856
for seats for high schools. The CORE
spending bid of the Boston Arm, through
seats. $40 for intermediate seats, 4.25
for grammar seats and $50 for high
school seats.
The first bids were rejected by the Com
bidder. the Boston firm. Upon the OPEN
ing Of the second bids it was found that
the American Seating Company had cut
its prices to $3.50 for primary grade seats,
1886 for intermediate grade seats. 1886
for grammar grade seats and $40 for
high school seats. This bid was accepted,
although the type of desk was not exact
~ the same as that heretofore put into
the schools.
For the fiscal year 1909 the only bidder
proved by the school authorities was the
American Seating Company. The prices,
which were higher than those on the
first bids of the year before. which were
rejected: were A.85 for primary grade
seats. $3.50 for intermediate grade seats.
S465 for grammar grade seats and IS. s.
for high school seats. 1t is explained that
these were the prices of little different
type of schoolroom seats.
According to the letter of Mr.. Ballan-
70 20.
nrm to supply desks in the fiscal year
| 1909 because of what he regarded as un-
fair treatment the previous year.
Course Taken This Year.
This year. however. when the first
proposals were opened 1t was found that
the Old rivals were pitted against each
other again. The prices for the four
grades. submitted by the American Seat
ing Company, were $780, s4.O5, $42O and
$500. and those of the Boston firm were
1916. 1885. s405 and $50. The prices
submitted by the Boston firm. 1t is
pointed out. are practically the same as
those on the second bid of the American
Seating Company in the fiscal year 1905,
firm. through its local agent, claimed the
contract for supplying school desks be-
cause 1t was the lowest bidder. All
bids were submitted to the board OF
desks offered by the Boston firm were
satisfactory to the school authorities, It
was found. and as the prices were prac-
tically the same as those paid in 1898
and much lower than those paid in 1909
the board, through Secretary Hine. rec
omended the acceptance of the Ballan-
tyne bid. The Commissioners requested
| the recommendation Of the president Of
the board Of education. and Capt. James
F. Oyster approved the Recommendation
of Mr.. Hine.
Then the Commissioners announced
that all bids had been rejected and that
new bids would be asked for. The ex
PLANTATION. which came some days later,
was that the Commissioners were in
$500 If the bids were readvertised.
The second set of bids. submitted
through the Moses firm. were lower than
its former bid by a large margin. but
also the Ballantyne bid. The prices were
$315. $3.50, s3.45 and $3.50 for the sew
eral sizes. Mr.. Ballantyne submitted
letter Of protest in lieu Of a second bid.
and the firm he represents claims 1t did
not receive the blank proposal form in
time to submit a bid. The bids have
been in the hands of the school authori-
ties for their recommendation for ten
days, but no recommendation has been
made to the Commissioners.
The school officials, it is said. are con-
sidering whether it would be proper for
asked for to give the Boston firm q
chance to put in a proposal.
A representative of the Boston firm is
in the city and will present the protest
and request for reimbursement OF the
bids tomorrow.
Baltimore Duckpin Tourney.