Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-14
TITAN
OVER WHITE IN
TRUCK BIDDING
Works Board Members Buy
Ash Haulers Not of of
ficial' Kind.
FOLLOWS WEEKS TEST

The White truck no longer may be
termed the Official truck Of the city Of
indianapolis" following an award by
the board of public works today Of
contract for the purchase Of two hve-
ton tractor trucks for the city ash haul
ing department to the Losey Nash Com
pany on its bid on Titan trucks.
The board received bids on fifteen dif-
fereRt kinds Of trucks and awarded the
contract after n conference held by City
Purchasing Agent Dwight s. Ritter,
Herbert Wasson, superintendent Of the
city garage, and Russell Wilson, presi-
dent OF the council. The board stated
that Mr.. Wilson happened to be In the
city hall and was invited to attend the
bid opening.
The Losey- Nash Company was award
ed the contract on a bid Of 50, $50 for the
two Titan trucks. Several weeks ago
the board awarded contract for equip
ment for the same purpose TO L. II. Col
vim, local agent for the white truck, on
bid OF S0,500. CoIvin's new bid was
the same. The city council refused to
ratify the former contract. some coun-
cihnen stating that they did not like the
circumstances surrounding the negotia-
lions between the purchasing agent, the
board and the automobile statesmen
COUNCIL REFUSED
TO RECONSIDER.
The board announced that It would
send the contract back to the council,
but it Is understood members sent word
that they would refuse 20 consider the
contract again. The board then called
for new bids and invited every truck
sales agency in the city to participate
President George Lemaux Of the board
Is FuA ahe.
Titan trucks because the bid was the
lowest upon any truck which the board
was convinced would do the heavy work
demanded. A number of bids were lower
Statesmen have lent trucks to the city
IN tests during the week.
In this connection IL was learned that
the Packard, sold here by the Citizens
Motor Company, was among those dem
onstrated and that the truck made a
splendid showing at the city dumps,
where the most strenuous service Is
demanded Several days ago, when 1t was
first learned that one OF the ash haul
ing trucks had broken down and that the
department was falling behind IN its
collection schedule the Daily Times suG-
gssted to Purchasing Agent Ritter that
q truck he borrowed, Mr.. Ritter made
arrangements to borrow a truck from a
local manufacturing firm.
KNOCKS TRUCK IN
LETTER TO BOARD.
4 few days later It was learned that
Mr. Ritter had written a letter to the
board OF works IN which he stated that
this truck, a Packard, had been tried
out and got stuck on the dumps and
that a White truck. already In use in the
department. had gone in and pulled the
load out without difficulty. This was
while the board was intending to send
the White truck contract back to the
council for ratification and It was un-
derstood that the letter was to be used
to show the city council that the White
truck was the only kind OF truck which
could render the service needed.
Subsequently 1t was learned that Mr..
Rtters letter did not mention the fact
that the Packard truck, which got stuck
with the heavy load was a three and
one -half-ton truck, and that the White,
which pulled 1t out. was a hye-ton truck.
He insisted. It Is said, that no had
thought t1e White was 4 fye-ton model
when he wrote his letter TO the board
The other bids were a follows: Mack
International Truck Company, Mack
trucks, $9,970S0; Martin Truck Company,
Stewart trucks, SS050 Master Motor
Company, Master trucks, $S0A; Union
Truck Sales Company, Union trucks.
81, $50; J. B. HObson Company, Service
trucks, S9150; General Motors Company.
G. NJ. C. trucks, Ss994 so; Buck Company,
Autocar, S9,560; Diamond 7 with Liberty
motors, $4,000, and Diamond with
Hinkle motors, S9,32O; Citizens Motor
Car Company, Packard trucks, $11 ia;
Oneida Motor Truck Company, Oneida
trucks, $500; Cartinhour- Bowman Com
pany, Federal trucks, s7,4S1, and Federal
trucks with special worm drive, Ss,136.6O.
The board awarded the contract for the
construction of a maiE sewer in Merrill
and Sand streets from the main inter
eeptor to- Kentucky avenue to the Colum-
bia Construction Company on its bid of
1884 per nneal foot; total, s1e,5S640.