Evening journal., 1911-10-26
BIG COMMISSION FOR THE
STATE HOUSE CONTRACTS
!. l. Ward, of PhiIadeI-
phis, Gets Twelve Per
Cent for Drawing Plans
and Making Awards TO
Outsiders.

Apparently for drawing some plans
and specifications and persuading the
members of the State House Commis-
sion to give him the privilege OF
awarding contracts Tor furnishing the
enlarged State House to non-residents
OF Delaware. H. l.. Ward, OF Philadel-
phia, is to receive a commission OF
Sl,455.96. AT least, tnat Is the amount
OF his commission based on contracts
already awarded I'm which Della
wareans have been ignored, and It ia
reasonable to presume that there will
be further commissions for him when
additional contracts are awarded.
This adds a new phase to the ig-
noring by the State House Commis-
sion OF the Delaware merchants in
awarding contracts for furnishing the
State House. for not only did the
/ Commission turn down the Delaware
merchants and not give them a pam
/ ised chance 20 bid. but they will pay
Mr.. Ward. a Philadelphian, for his
suggestions and aid to them in giving
the. contracts to merchants who arc
not Delawareans
A member of the State House COM
mission has furnished THE EVENING
/ JOURNAL the figures OF the COIL
f., tracts already awarded. II will be re-
called that five Wilmington merchants
and one Dover merchant were prom
ised that Identical plans and specifies
tions for the State House furnishings
would be drawn and all would be
given chance 70 bid on them. but
this chance was not afforded and the
.4t.a "a
! Philadelphia, without competitive bid
ding.
Here Is how the contracts have been
} distributed through Mr.. Ward to non-
J residents OF Delaware:
Furniture. Palmer and En-
= bury, Of New York. ..... S2,13400
Rugs, Fritz and LaRue,
Philadelphia ......... 2.5S1.05
T Lighting fixtures, Lloyd,
Garrett Co.. Philadelphia 100000
], Phiiadelphia '.'........'' ~ i,sss.oo
It cornices and plaster. Fog
% nariln and Voigt Co.,
= place Of business not an
~ nounced ............r.... l,o1o.V
ol Hangings. contractor NOT
~ announced .............. eoo'o
o' Painting state Offices con- 49,.
tractor not announeed~reRsg' 3 > II
ga / COMMISSION. II. L. Ka
M, Philadelphia ......... .=s-l.455 8
~ Total .................D s13. .5s9. o
,a For drawing plans of the furnitur
"a and placing the contracts, Mr.. War
~ Is to receive twelve per cent. com
mn mission under his contract with thu
State House Commission.
,s The claim has been made by more
ID than one member of the State House
, Commission that under the awards
made through Mr. Ward there would
be a saving of $4,000 Or thereabouts
~ for the state That this claim Is
~ unfounded can be seen from a glance
u at the above figures, for one VIII
r mington contractor submitted a pro-
q posal 70 furnish furniture, rugs. wall
decorations, decorative painting and
20 put down hardwood floors for SASS
y This did not include the lighting fix.
y lures and some other items that have
n been added that the Wilmington
q merchant. Elwood Souder, was ho
"a asked to bid on In the first place
there is no basis Of comparison witt
the Ward contract for there was M
to competitive bidding on those specif
s cations. but the figures previousl,
MI submitted by the Wilmington
re- merchants arranged against the War;
an contract figures raise a serious doub
N as 10 whether there will be any say
m. ing TO the state under the Ward con
m. tracts. The method followed by tn
N State House Commission has cause'
M. much talk among many persons. VIII
,ft feel that Delawareans were discrimi
lis mated against
Isl A meeting Of the State House Com
Id mission will be held either on Mon
i'd day or Tuesday when there will be
ne discusson OF the State House awards
re Whether the contracts will be recalle
and further opportunity given to bi
in a spirit Of fair play TO the Della
X, ware merchants remains 70 be seer
but Il is regarded as doubtful.