New Britain herald., 1915-09-20
DISCRIMINATION IS
 JOHNS7ON'SCHA
Head of City Coal and Wood Co.
 RapS Public Works Board
SHOWS WHERE HE'S RIGHT
Commission Refuses to Consider His Two Per Cent. Cash Discount Offer Which Would Save Money on Elm Street Contract.

WHICH "ouuu odNC VlohNy OAh ~0AihA
 Street Contract.
 Discrimination by the board of public works against the City Coal and Wood company and loss or money to the city through awarding the contract for the Elm street sub- way material to the w. L. Damon company, is charged in an interview today by Frank H. Johnston, presi- dent of the City Coal and Wood com lany MT. Johnston, by facts and figures, shows where he could save the city money if his concern were allowed the same advantages as the Damon company.
 When the board of public works recommended to the council that con- Guits for wires be laid in Elm street, the council asked that the board learn whether it would be cheaper to do the work by contract or city labor. As the difference in the estimated cost was so small it was decided to have the conduits laid by the city and bids were asked for material. The bidders were the w. l.. Damon company, the City Coal and Wood company and the New Britain Lum- Der and Coal company. These bids were received by the board of public works last Tuesday night and were referred to City Engineer w. H. Hall, who was directed to go over the figures and inform the board which bidder was the lowest. special meeting of the board was held We'd ifxy EtJ1Cy informed the commissioners that the bid of the w. l.. Damon company was lowest It is said none of the com missioners in attendance at the meet ing scrutinized the figures but ac- cented Mr. Halls word as being cor rect. It was intended to report the figures and the action of the board in awarding the contract to the w. l.. Damon company at the September meeting of the common council that night.
 Johnston Discovers Mistake.
 Late in the afternoon, President Johnston of the City Coal and Wood company stepped into the board of public works office and asked re- garding the contract. He was ln- formed that it had been awarded to the w. L. Damon company, the low est bidder. At his request he was shown the bids and he was surprised to learn that the board had not taken cognizance of two per cent. discount offer he had made on some Of the ma aterial. H. A. Emmett, clerk or the board said he had not noticed the two per cent, discount offer ana he expressed the opinion that it had been overlooked by City Engineer Hall. The latter was out of town but he was reached by telephone me ssage and is believed to have told the, clerk that he, too, did not notice the two per cent. discount. MT. Johnston did some figuring and showed that with his two per cent. offer he was the lowest bidder. The clerk was then instructed by the city engineer to hold up the bids and not present them at the council meeting.
 Secret Meeting Held.
 A special meeting of the board was held Friday noon although no word of the meeting was mentioned to the MT. Johnston's two per cent discount was discussed ana it is understood that City Engineer Hall objected to it's acceptance. The offer was for two per cent. discount on the price of ducts and plastic wrappers for payment within ten days nfter shipment. City Engineer Hall Is said to have objected to this on the ground that the, material might not arrive in this city within ten days after shipment and on that account he did not believe it should be con- sidered. Later MT. Johnston is said to have guaranteed that the material would arrive in this city within ten days but this is said to have made no impression on the city engineer.
 What strengthens MT. Johnstons belief that his concern has been dls- criminated against is the fact that one and one-half cash discount offer from the w. l.. Damon company for payment within ten days after the Q rrival of the material was accept able vet his two per. cent offer was rejected.
 The board asked for bids on ducts, | plastic. wrapper, wrought iron pipe, l wrought iron elbows and spruce lum- Der. On the first three items the bid | of the City Coal and Wood company | was s37.5O. $37.5C and $34.50 lower | respectiyelv. The Damon company | was STE lower on the elbows and the i New Britain Lumber and Coal com ] panv was $56 lower on the lumber. l The aggregate bid of the Damon com l panv was $5,43S and the aggregate ] hid of the City Coal and Wood com | panv was $5,397.25. The board of | public works accepted the F per | cent. discount offer of the former, l which made it's bid $5,356.43 but it 1 reflected the two per cent. bid of the | latter. which would have brought its 1 figures down to $5,316.50. It can be | seen that the bid of the City Coal and | Wood company was lower if no dis