Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-07

hDA anu CAclAAASg Vi 6OONaGt 5ANSSS
clothing, ETC., soaps, ETC., hardware
and household goods, laundry sup
plies, farm supplies and drugs and
surgical supplies. Soho covered about
the same specifications, except that
many different sorts of medical sup
plies were needed while the peniten-
tiary supplies were on the same line
as needed at Overlook. So that 1t
can be seen no one firm is in a posi-
ton to bid for all the supplies needed
by the county.
Some of the estimate clerks of the
different houses competing for coun-
ty business must have put a few
gray hairs in their heads computing
the bids as in many instances the
bids are extended to four and five
decimal points, so keen were the diff
ferent firms after the business of the
county. The decimal figures were
used on staples, such as sugar, tapio-
ca and other articles selling for Ave
cents a pound or less.
Take graduated sugar, for in
stance You would naturally suppose
that for a staple like that the bid
prices even though expressed in deci-
mails, would be the same for the diff
ferent institutions; but sue his not the
fact. Four bids were submitted for
supplying granulated sugar at Over
brook and five at Soho. The Over
brook figures were as follows per
pound: .0407, ,04144, .0419 and .0420. At
Soho the figures were: .0410, 0415, .0423,
.0424 and .0428. 1t will be noticed that
the difference between the top and
bottom bids at both institutions is
less than two mills, or one-tifth of a
cent.
Even on large and higher priced
articles the same keen bidding was
INDUCED in by the different concerns,
all of which Is the greatest proof in
the world that the competitive bid
ding system is one of the best plans
of saving money for the county ever
devised by the Board OF Freeholders.
Even though the saving may be but
one or two mills or even the infinitisi-
may II hundred thousandths of q mill
as on the sal soda item, 1t all counts
up In the end and means @ saving of
very considerable sum to the coun-
ty at the end of each year. Take the
small item of a fifth of a mill on each
pound of granulated sugar. If 10000
pounds are used in a year the saving
is $40.
And it must be remembered that
the same keen competition applies to
hardware, dry goods, drugs and
everything else bought by the county.
and in some of the articles the saw
ing under the competitive bid plan Is
not limited to mills. Instead it goes
into cents and in the case of some of
the higher priced articles, surgical in
struments and large farm machines.
even into dollars.
The work Of tabulating the bids has
not yet been completed by County
Superintendent of Purchases George
e. Bergen and staff of clerks, so it
would be unfair at this time to give
the names of any of the successful
bidders. But it can safely be said
that since the installation of the COM
petitive system the county has been
buying it's supplies at from 20 to %
per cent. cheaper than under the old
open market plan.
On printing and stationery it Is esti-
mated that the saving has been fully
30 Ia per cent. Superintendent of
Purchases Bergen has in his possess
sion figures that show the latter
statement to be true. The competi-
tive system has been in effect only
about two years. but in that time it
has been demonstrated that the cost
of the purchasing departmet more
than comes back to the county each
year IN the lessening of cost of sup
plies.
In addition to this. the department
keeps careful check on all articles fur
nished the county institutions see
that they are up to quality required
by the specifications and to see that
all deliveries are full weight and
quantity.
Last Monday, when street car traf-
fic was torn all to pieces by the bliz-
Yard. Howard MacSherry. of the Pub
lie Service legal staff. had a damage
suit to try before Judge Frederic
South Orange, and may be one of the
next trustees of that village it Is un.
derstood.
Just before time for court to con
vene last Monday. Clerk George w.
Joerschke, of Judge Adams's court,
was called to the telephone. He
recognized the deep matinee idol-like
voice of MacSherry.
"Will you please tell Judge Adams
for me-" doomed the deep voice of
MacSherry over the telephone wire,
that | am not as young as l once
was, and that 1t Is impossible for me
to get over the young Alps" that fill
the streets of our beautiful village
this morning."
The message was delivered and the
case in winch Mr.. MacSherfy was IN
terested duly postponed.
John A. Bernhard was defending
John Hanna, acquitted of Illegal vot-
ing before Judge Clarence l. Cole,
last Monday. Mr.. Bernhard's mind
temporarily slipped a cog for a mo-
ment In his cross-examination of a
witness and went back dozen years
to the man who made Mckinley
president. He meant to askthe wit
ness If he was personally acquainted
with John Hanna, the man on trial.
Instead he asked: Were you ac-
quainted with Mark Hanna"
mot personally" responded the
witness with smile that became a
laugh when those present in the court
room gathered in the import of the
answer.