El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-27

pOlces street. engineering PARKS,
health, city hall. etc, $42,60s.57.
Water department, including mer-
chandise, supplies, etc, but not in
GLIDING heavy machinery, S9S,S2s.14.
Warehouse department. including
principally purchases Of hay, grain.
pipe, fittings and general supplies
for the use and convenience Of the
corral departments, etc. S2s,s514s.
Free From Politics.
The office Of the purchasing agent
! is now on strictly competitive basis
and all politics, if any ever entered
the department, have been eliminated,
il was said at the city hall Com
menting on the savings effected by
the competitive plan as opposed to
the personal plan, Mr.. Johnson re-
ported to the council as follows:
In my report Ato the council some
time ago I reported a saving for a
single month Of s1,19S.52, and the
following percentages of savings.
which percentages I feel sure have
been maintained throughout the Pc
Rod OF seven months ending Deem
Der 81. 1917:
Printing. stationery and office
supplies, ~ 3-5 percent; lumber,
% ITO percent; hardware, fittings
and foundry supplies, 9 "a percent.
drugs, chemicals. etc, 50 percent; au-
etc, Is 5-5 percent: feed, including
hay, grain, etc, II 1-2 percent; fuel.
including coal. wood, etc, percent;
engineers supplies. stakes, etc,
% 3-5 percent; paints, oils. supplies.
etc. 1918 percent"
The method Of purchasing supplies
for the city follows;
Secures Previous Approval.
The heads OF departments make
rnrsrf efffnmG ~ tho
who. before making the purchase, Sc
cures the approval Of the alderman
who IS chairman Of the committee
controlling the particular depart
ments. If the purchase is a large
or unusual one, the council as
whole authorizes il.
When a requisition is properly au-
thorized. it is stamped with a quota
ton form in which is recorded the
bids of the different firms figuring
on the item or items. When the sue
cessful bidder is established, an order
is issued.
Checks Back Every Invoice.
When the invoice is received It is
first checked against the purchasing
agents record to verify price. ouan-
tity, etc, after which it is audited
and entered and sent out to the de-
partmental head for his o. X as to
receipt Of goods. When the invoice
Is again received by the purchasing
agent it is recorded and dated and
delivered to the accounting depart
ment for voucher.
After the vouchers have been pre-
pared by the accounting department
and before the warrants are finally
issued the bills are gone over by the
chairman Of the finance department.
who places a final o. K. on the
vouchers. after which the payment is
authorized by the council as a whole.
Rather Buy Mt Home.
All materials and supplies are pur-
chased locally, except in cases where
they cannot be obtained, or where
local prices are too much out of line.
In many cases 10 percent and even
more has been paid to local mer-
chants in order to keep the business
at home, il is said
In addition to purchasing the SUD-
plies and materials for the CITY of
FL Paso, another duty Of the purchas- |
ing agent is to dispose Of to the best /
and at the best possible !
price anything which the CITY might /
have to offer for sale from time to |
time, such as second hand machinery |
and other items.
Carries Warehouse Stock.
All items. wherever possible. are /
bought at wholesale prices, and in 1
order to buy in sufficient quantities /
to secure the proper prices, a stock
is carried at the city warehouse. com
posed principally Of hay and grain
and feedstuffs for the corral. Dipe,
fittings meters, machinery parts for
the water department. implements
for the street and parks departments
sewer pipe and fittings for the sewer
and building departments, and a gen
eral stock OF items for the use and
convenience principally OF the above
departments.