New Britain herald., 1919-09-04
CURTIS QUESTIONS
 CONTRACT SYSTEM
Says Competitive Bids Were Not
 Asked for Celebration

Another sensation was caused at the special common council meeting last evening when Alderman Orson F. Cur us, discussing the appropriation of $1O,000 for the welcome home cele- bratiCn to the soldiers, said that the contracts for the decorating, etc., had been let to parties without competi- tive bids. He also said that the con- tracts in a number of cases were re- ported to have been given to people connected with the celebration. Mayor George A. QuigleN was unable to an sWer Alderman Curtis charges as he was not the chairman of the general committee. He added that as far as he knew, he believed that only one contract, that of the building of the court of honor at the entrance to Wal nut Hill park, had been let to mem Der of the committee. William H. AL len, he said, was the party concerned. He understood that the bids had been passed on very carefully.
 Alderman Curtis stated that he was heartily in favor of having the city grant $10,000 for the celebration. He would vote in favor of the resolution, he said, but he did not think that it was right that the contracts should have been granted without competitive bidding, as it was reported, and given to people connected with the celebra- tion. This is a matter which the city in it's administration always tried to avoid, he stated The legality of the appropriation was also brought up by Alderman Curtis. Last April, he said several members of the council had been criticized because they voted against an appropriation to welcome the soldiers at Boston. The members who had voted against the resolution have been subjected to severe criti- clsm. The criticism he said, was un- called for as the council in every in- stance voted money for the soldiers. Objections were raised at this time be- cause the measure was illegal and be- cause the money would have benefited but a few soldiers He read an amend ment recently made by the legislature granting communities the power to vote money for soldiers. The law was approved on May 8, a month after the New Britain boys arrived at Boston. The council then passed the appro- priation of $1O,OOO for the celebration.
 Councilman Will reported for the food committee. He stated that II, 900 pounds of bacon was being shipped back to the government by
 
 left over from the municipal sales The committee asked approval of the council for the purchase of blankets and shoes to help reduce the high cost of living. The authority for the purchases was voted, with the under standing that all unsold goods could be returned to the War department.
 By an oversight at the last monthly meeting of the council, the resolution auth orizing the mayor to call a spe- cjal meeting to vote upon an appro- pration of sSOO,OOO for the addition to the Northend school was not pre- scented. The council voted favora bly, upon the resolution last evening.
 Special appropriations were voted upon favorably as follows
 Ten thousand dollars for the sol diers Welcome Home celebrat tion; $4,000 for No. fire station; 5000 for plumbing repairs and fire escapes on city property, and $15,000 for the erection of a municipal garage. All of these matters were before the pre- vious council meeting.