Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-19
PUT $23S,OOO
UP TODATESMAN
Changed Specifications Let
Boston Man Drop Gar
bage Contract q
GRILLED BY TRAINER
Works Director Under Fire
at Finance Committee
{. Meeting
CRILLED BY TRAINER

A loss to the city Of s2sS.OOo on tho
1919 garbage collection Contract IL
charged against Public Works Director
Datesman, already under fire in cpnrec-
tion with the 1919 street cleaning con-
tract ..
The garbage affair was made public
last night when the director was put
on the grill by Select Councilman
Trainer. Third Ward, at a meeting OF
Councils Finance Committee 80
Trainer brought out that City solici-
tor Connolly had written to Director
Datesman last July 80 pointing out that
the latter had exceeded his authority and
the award by changing the specifications.
Changed the Award
The whole matter hinged. about the
garbage contract rpon which Edward T.
Murphy. Of Boston, last May offered a
bid Of s4S6. COO for the collections for
the ensuing year. Director Datesman.
in his letter OF award to. Murphy. in-
serted a further clause as supplement
to the specifications upon which MUIR
ply bid. and II was as = result OF this
that Murphy is said to nave subsequent
~ refused the contract The contract
was then awarded to the Penn Rs
duction Company for approximately
$725.O00.
Director Datesman IA his letter Of ao-
ceptance of the Murphy bid conditioned
It upon the fact that the award is made
subject to future appropriations by
Councils, provided suitable progress be
made In preparing installation for next
years use"
Mr.. Datesman admitted that he had
received a communication addressed to
him by the City Solicitor. Its important
paragraph read:
ITO sum UP the entire matter, | be-
lieve that in attaching to the award
the condition in question. you have
gone beyond the specifications and have
attempted to place upon the proposed
ontractor an obligation and risk which
he is not required by his bid and by
the terms of the specifications TO
assume"
Specification May Cost City Dearly
This Is said to mean that " the courts
sustain Mr.. Connolly in his opinion. the
citys suit which he is technically re-
ouired to bring in an effort to recover
from Murphy the difference between his
and the Penn Reduction Company con-
tract. will fail and the Directors post
specification will have cost the city
nearly $25O.OO0
IL lS COnlHUHlN IepDticu, sHlti NsOuN-
Gilman Trainer. In opening the fire Of
questions at Director Datesman, that
you personally are responsible for the city
being compelled to pay $23S,00e more
for next years garbage contract than It
otherwise would have, had to pay"
II am not lawyer. ] am a busin ess
man" the head of the Department OF
public Works declared emphaticaliy.
"lf by some technical Interpretation OF
the law some one attempts to make me
the goat I resent it, ....
We'll, il anything you may say will
give denial TO the rumor that you were
a party to the deal we will be glad to
hear it," Mr.. Trainer replied
Murphy was buffer from the start"
Director Datesman shouted.
"And in order to get rid of Murphy
and HIS low bid you added those words
and thereby let Murphy out and the old
gang in--is that t?" queried the Third
Ward Councilman.
NO. sir; It is not"