The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-09-04

After considering the three bids
| submitted and discussing the matter
at length, It was decided by the board
OF county commissioners at the regular
| meeting held last night TO award the
contract for the steam heating sys-
tenn Of the new county court and Jail
building to G. c. Hartwell & Co, of
New Orleans, the bid of this firm be-
ing the lowest one submitted. The
| amount of the bid Of this company
was $S,39S.O0.
The three bids were very close, there
being but s1o2 difference between the
highest and the. lowest bidder. while
the highest bidder was only SIS above
| the one next to him
The three firms bidding for the
| contract and the bids submitted by
each were as follows: G. c. Hartwell
& Co., Of New Orleans, Ss.Sss.Oo;
Carr & Scott, of New Orleans.
$3,4s7OO; Chas. A. Born, of this city.
$S,500.00.
THE DISCUSSION.
Chas. a Born, who was the highest
bidder, was present and addressed the
board. He said that inasmuch as
there was such slight difference be-
tween the highest and lowest bidders
he thought he should be awarded
the contract, as he was a local man
and paid the county more taxes each
year than the difference between the
bids amounted to.
He also called attention to the fact
that If the contract were given 20 "A
local firm the money would be spent
in the county, but that IL given to a
foreign one the profits would. natur
ally, be taken away from the city and
county
He said that his bid was as low as
1t was possible to do the work. and
in this statement he was substantiated
by Mr.. Scott, Of the firm Of Carr e.
| Scott, who was also present.
In the course Of the discussion tho
fact was brought out that the success
full bidder had not examined the work
to be done, as requested in the speci-
fications calling for bids, and, on this
ground, Commissioner Mcclellan made
motion that the bid of this firm be
eliminated, but the motion failed to
get second.
Commissioners Mcclellan argued that.
in view of the past experience of the
board, II was inadvisable to award a
! contract to firm which had not made
a careful examination of the premises
and was not thoroughly familiar with
the work to be done.
Other members of the board argued
that this fact could not be considered
and that II was optional with the
bidder as to whether or not he should
examine the work and that IL he failed
to understand the specifications by
reason Of failing to do so it was his
own fault and that his certified check
which accompanied the bid could be
held as a forfeit, II for any reason he
wished to back out Of his trade.
After a considerable amount of de-
bate on this question, Commissioner
A w. Davis made a motion, seconded
by Commissioner NJ. o. Baggett, to ac-
cept the bid of c. c. Hartwell & Co.,
and award the contract to that firm.
The motion was carried, Commissioners
Mcclellan voting against 1t.
ASKS FOR APPROPRIATION.
G. e. Dobson, president OF the Pen
sacola Commercial Association, ad-
dressed the borda, asking for an ap-
preparation Of $3.50 to help secure a
| county agricultural exhibit at the Pen
sacola Interstate Fair next month.
Mr.. Dobson stated that he had been
requested to appear before the board
! by the directors of the Pensacola Com
mercial Association, which organiza-
ton had already spent between $500
and $1,000 for the purpose of gathering
an agricultural exhibit purchasing
(Continued on Second Pagel