The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-06-21
COMMON COUNCIL
tcousilusd from PAGE SIX,

the question OF adopting a Purchas-
Ing Agent plan was sure 10 come up
near future.
In appraising the various plans, the
viewpoint adopted was that Of com.
agency 10 an added expense and It's
results must be judged In the light OF
whether IL Will produce savings sur
aries. once expense and book keeping.
Purchasing conditions are different In
every city and these conditions had
TO be INQUIRED into In connection with
any advisability OF altering our own
methods.
In every city In which the purchas-
Ing agent system has been adopted
we found the nscal officers In tavor
OF IL, Even In the City OF Philadelphia
In which our limited investigation de-
veloped no particle OF evidence " I'M
through the plan. IL was recommended.
The advantages claimed were these
(a) Capitalization OF responsible
lily.
Oh Standardization OF purchases
(c) Economy through purchasing In
larger quantities.
(d) Prompt following up OF orders
and larger discounts through quick
payments.
(el Greater competition among
merchants.
co Better inspection.
tg) A wider range OF market In
In no city did we find all OF these
advantages utilized. In none. appar-
emily, had the purchase methods,
previous to the Installation OF the sys-
TEN. been as economical as Is now the
case with the various departments OF
ularly the case with Pittsburg whers
A saving OF 500. 900 per year Is cia,mea
after deducting the expenses OF szo.Uov
per year for the cost OF purchasing
department
plies, Philadelphia Department OF
Supplies. New York has departmental
purchasing agents checked by an IN
spection force In the comptroller's Of
fee, Washington, ID. c., has spppiies .
Bureau Pittsburg has purchasing
Agent, Chicago Business Agent and
Cleveland and Milwaukee have Pur,
chasing Agents who are e9nneStsd
Vice. and and the Department Of Public
Works respectively. Other cities nave
a central purchasing system In some
The purchasing agent In each OF
these cities like the auditor In the
Controller OF Detroit's ofnce. keeps
trade publications and quotations. ana
he invites bids from number or nrms
on each order and compares prices ana
quotations to get the best buying mar
ket Savings are also achieved by
lessening the variety OF articles pur-
chased through standardizing, thus Sc
curing purchases In larger quantities
improved specifications and inspection
are also possible results OF the sys-
tenn.
Where a city maintains a store room
I'm connection with It's purchasing ue
partment, II Is possible 10 take adyan-
tage OF bargains and occasional buy
ing opportunities For this purpose
Cleveland allows the PURCHASING agent
an Investment fund OF s2o.ooV. Ih h
city also has shoppers" so-called VINO
look for the best prices AND Solicit
In both Cleveland and Pittsburg the
purchasing agent IL limited TO $500 In
open market purchases. but In the
former city the amounts purchased
in supplies less than $500 was In eN-
of TSn o. 1877 ss sSS last ia discounts
There are certain bookkeeping ad-
vantages in the purchasing agent sys
tenn, all purchases being cleared
through one office. although vouchers
later come from the city departments
Ii Is also the experience OF cities nav
ing the system that the Purchasing
Agent and the departments act as
mutual checks upon each other. the
purchasing agent stopping fayoriusm
and lack OF energy. In purchases. and
the departments jealousy scanning
the prices paid out OF their approprta-
lions for their supplies
After considering all these advan-
tages. however. and observing the sys-
tenn In operation under the guidance
OF men as able. public-spirited and en-
thusiastic as Mr.. oursler OF Pittspurs
the opinion that Detroit can secure
such OF the beneficial results OF the
system as II may now be lacking.
without going To the expense OF Great
ing a new department.
The city now purchases most o. Its
major supplies. such as brick, cement
creosoted block. etc, by annual con-
tract and at a very low price The
most conspicuous example OF possible
saving in a single large supply ~ that
OF coal which Is now purchased by the
departments separately under varying
specifications and In differing quanu-
ties IL should be possible TO consoli-
date all OF these coal purchases IN one
be let at the same time. thus invitinE
the widest competition. The City OF
Pittsburg has made It's greatest single
saving under the purchasing agent
plan In connection with Its coal con-
tracts. better price and quality having
resulted.
present annual contracts. the prices
quoted TO the Department OF Public
Works are not available for the other
S Sspin9 ne cement eontraet for In
stance, may be compelled 10 pay
much higher price for cement In small
quantities than does the -, a w rhs
able TO give other departments the
advantage OF its large quantity pur-
chase prices 4 change IN the w9rd dnn
tracts allowing II to furnish supplies
to other city departments and action
by the Common Council requiring the
other departments TO buy such sup
plies as the Department OF Public
Works contracts for In large quaint.
ties through that department would
result, In considerable saving.
II should also be possible for the
Common Council or for the city depart
ments at the request OF the CouncH,
TO devise a plan for standardizng their
requirements for tools and such other
supplies and equipment as several de-
partments use for the same purpose.
plies through one department or
through the Controllers office at a
uniform price While the Department
OF Public Works, the Park Department,
the Public Lighting Commission and
other departments use, different brands
OF shovels. for instance, and purchase
separately In small order. II Is obvious
that none OF them will get the low
price that could be had by adopting
several standard types OF shoveIs and
purchasing these Jointly.
In this connection. i append n paper
on Standardization" prepared by
Deputy Controller Fisher of New 1 DIRK
II will be noted that New York has a
Standardization Commission OF en-
perts working on this matter.
In the purchase of supplies peculiar
to one department. the City OF Detroit
10 now In all probability receivin q
prices almost as low as would be had
the savings which might accrue from
the creation OF a new department
would hardly pay for the cost OF such
rtp