Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-26
FIGHT
OVER OIL AWARD
Contract Given to Standard,
Despite Failure to Meet
Requirements.

A fight is expected when the Board
of Freeholders meets next Thursday
following the action yesterday of the
road committee in awarding a con-
tract for 400, 900 gallons of road oil
to the Standard Oil Company at .059
a gallon, in spite of the fact that
! County Engineer Frederick A. Rel
mer stated that the samples submit
ted by the Standard Oil Company did
not measure up to the specifications
The only sample submitted that
came up to the specification limits
was one from the Sands-Kline Com
pany, whose bid was .06S5 gallon
or $25. 400 for the total supply. Free
holder Amos w. Harrison took de-
cided stand against adopting the
county engineers recommendation.
A question might easily arise, he
said, as to the analysis, Mr.. Reimer
not being a chemist.
But the test was not made by
chemical analysis" Mr.. Reimer re-
sponded. ct was done by an en-
gineer's analysis, which all engineers
understand"
test and Mr.. Reimer, admitting that
he had done so, asked If there was
anybody to verify them. 81 don't see
that a small quantity oil tested should
| be a criterion for the entire 100000
gallons" Mr. Harrison said. There
has been some of this same kind of
oil put on the roads this month, and
I have made inquiries of men who
use the roads and they all assure me
that the oil is equal to or better than
any ever used before. I favor either
giving the contract to the lowest bid
der or throwing out all of the bids"
Chairman Cardwell stated that he
felt as did Mr.. Harrison in the mat
ter, and If the oil was satisfactory
that the 81 800 should be saved.
Director Evans insisted that the en-
gineer should be upheld in his recon-
menda ton. IF the engineers recon-
mendation isn't worth anything then
the engineer isn't worth anything"
he said.
81 haven't had any complaints that
the oil we are using is wrong" re-
marked the chairman.
Engineer Reimer responded that it
was immaterial to him what con-
tractor got the award, except for OBJ
tanning the best results. 1.-THE ques-
ton of saving $1,000 is not to be con-
sidered. You'll save more than that
amount by having good oil. AS for
the oil now being used we haven't
had time to receive complaints as to
the lasting qualities.
Mr. Harrison moved the awarding
of the contract to the Standard Oil
Company. the lowest bidders which
brought from the director the chal-
lenge that he did not consider that
company the lowest bidder
Chairman Cardwell called for an
expression as to the legal phase of
the question from Assistant County
Counsel Harold Miller, who stated that
he did not believe the committee
could legally award the contract to
the Standard Oil Company, because it
was apparent that 1t had not COM
piled with the specifications. you
must give the contract to the lowest
bidder conforming to the require
ments," he said.
To this Chairman Cardwell re-
sponded that he was willing to take
a chance.
In answer to a question by Free
holder Steck, it was brought out that
the oil last year cost eight cents a
gallon, and Mr.. Reimer stated that
this was at a cost of $21, 900 more than
the year before.
Mr.. Harrison and the director again
got into a dispute over the question
of who was the lowest bidder and
Mr.. Harrison finally changed the
wording of his motion so there would
be no confliction on this point. When
put to a vote only Director Evans
opposed the award, Chairman Card
we'll and Freeholders Steek and Har-
rison voting in the affirmative.
IDrs,-
lows:
"There is quite difference in the
results of the analysis, showing that
bidders In many instances did not at
tempt to furnish samples according
to specifications. There We're only
three formal bids submitted those
being by Alden Speares Sons Com
pany, Charles F. Hopwood and the
Sands-Kline Company. In each of
the others the bidders have qualified
their bids by stating that they pro-
pose to furnish oil same as sample.
In no case did these samples meet
with the requirements of the specifi-
cations.
1.-THE lowest of the three formal
bids is that of the Sands Kline Com
pany, at .0635 cents "a gallon. The
analysis of this oil shows it is within
the limitations placed in the speciti-
cations. Alden Speares Sons Com
pany bid, on Sections / and 2, .072;
on Section 8, .074, and Section 4,
OS25. The analysis fails to meet
the specifications or the viscosity test
and on Beaume test, being low in
both cases. 1t tesLeu correct within
the limitations of the specifications
on the flash and burning tests. me
bid of Hopwood on Section only
was .07125 cents a gallon. Analysis
shows it to be within the limitations
of the specifications except in the
Beaume test, that where it was
slightly lower than called for
"The informal bids are the New
York Rosin, Oil and Varnish Com
pany, the Pennsylvania Delaware Oil
Company and the Standard Oil Com
pany. The Standard also failed to
meet the requirements of the specifi-
cations, with the exception of the
flash and burning tests"