Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-17
BILL TO AID IN
CITY BUYING IS
NOT PREPARED

Continued From Page 0ne.)
who prepares the city administration
bills. The corporation counsel, being OPP
posed to most changes in city govern
ment Of which he is not the author, it
IS said, is deliberately sidestepping
preparation OF the bill. Meanwhile, Mr..
Ritter. his friends say, has been morally
prevented from having the bill prepared
( outside the administration because Mayor
Jewett has not yet taken back his prom
Use to put the measure through. Mr.
Ritter has been unable to get an appoint
ment with the mayor to discuss the ait
uation, it also is said.
Friends Of the storehouse system and
some people who still believe Mr.. Jewett
meant what he said when he promised
| indianapolis a business administration,
are unable to understand why the legis-
lative plans have been sidetracked. II
the mayor had been seriously inclined to
support the plan he would have seen to
it that the bill was among the other ad-
ministration measures presented in the
Legislature several weeks ago, they say.
WOULD SAVE
$4,000 EACH YEAR.
They are particularly mystifed over
the mayors apparent lack of interest in
view of the fact that It can be easily
demonstrated that the storehouse system
of buying standard materials and equip
ment would save approximately $4,000
per year, over and above the other ma
terial savings which the purchasing de-
partment has been able to effect on big
equipment and material contracts not
falling under the category Of standard
ever since the department was created.
They wonder how the mayor can har-
monte his failure to aid the purchas-
ing agent in this matter with his pre-
election promises Of a business admin
istration.
The additional saving possible under
the storehouse system would amount to
more than the entire cost Of operating
the purchasing department. The 1921
appropriation for this branch IS S13 SEQ
/ By using two vacant rooms in the base
ment OF the city hall for the storehouse
7 at the start installation Of the new sys-
tenn would cost not more than 81 600 ad-
ditional, for it would entail only the ad-
ditiOnal expense Of a clerks salary. As
the system expanded and greater oppor-
tUnitfes for economy developed the cost
naturally would be more, but not out Of
proportion with the extra saving, the
/ purchasing agent says.
Under the present system the purchas-
/ ing agent cannot legally buy standard
articles in quantities sufficient to supply
I all city departments using them. He can
only buy in small lots for each depart
ment as their needs arise and as they
/ reGuisItion for the materials.
sTOREHOUSE SYSTEM
ADVANTAGE.
Under the storehouse system q board
of Standardization and control, composed
Of one member each from the boards
the heads Of the principal departments
and the purchasing agent, would decide
what are standard articles, determine the
amount and quality Of each needed to
run all the divisions Of the city govern
ment, Of which there are thirty nine, for
Specified time and then authorize the
purchasing agent to buy such quantities
The present plan provides that the In
dividual departments pay the business
houses from which the articles arc
/ bought. The storehouse plan would pro-
vide that the standard articles be pur-
chased in the greater quantities out OF
revolving fund to be known as the
"storehouse fund" The purchasing agent
would voucher for these payments. The
departments, as they drew the materials
4
/ imburse the stOrehouse fund.
| Hundreds Of cases In which savings
| could have been effected, had Mt. Ritter
! been able to buy standard materials II
| quantities, develop each year,
! A most striking example occurred In
! December, when q manufacturer OF
/ brooms. who had been compelled to take
1 back from a bankrupt customer a large
/ consignment of his product, offered to
| sell the lot to the city for SO per dozen
] n'he market price at that time was SIZE
per dozen. But, because Mr.. Ritter was
legally unable to buy more than han
/ dozen or dozen brooms at a time, as a
particular department happened to need
| them, h had to pass up the offer.
LACK OF ECONOMY
Is EVIDENT.
| Purchase Of electric light bulbs under
! the present plan is so Uneconomical as
/ to seem extravagant to citizens with any
I business sense whatever. 1t is we'll
known fact that lamp globes are sold
upon a maximum discount basis; that is
{ the greater the quantity bought the
greater the discount. Although the city
| uses hundreds of lamp globes year th'
purchasing agent must buy them In lots
of dozen or two as the departments
J happen 10 ltGu Luelu IL iuN9 wy c
bought In case lots it would be possible
for the purchasing agent to get a dis
count of % per cent from the list price
which he now must pay.
Mnseed oil and white lead for paints
which are used by several departments
could be more cheaply purchased Il
/ bought in greater quantities Sponges
If bought in bales, could be purchased
for 80 cents each, whereas as now bought
in broken lots they cost 70 cents each
The city uses COO sponges year, so 8
material saving could be effected on this
item alone. The chamois skin situation
is similar.
Not long ago the Big Four Railroad
had a consignment Of slightly damaged
cheese cloth. which is used by severa
city departments for polishing metals
| glass, ETC., for sale. 1t was offered tC
| the city at cents per yard, but the
purchasing agent had to 90 on buying
4 I'm small lots as reQuisitiOned for at IL