Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-10-05
COUNCIL WILL MAKE
ANOTHER ATTEMPT
AT LETTING
POOL y IS SCENTED
CITIZENS COMMITTEE RECON-.
hGNDS ACTION TAKEN LAST
NIGHT IN RESOLUTION SIGNED
BY ALL MEM BERS WHO
SERVED.

Acting on the recommendation Of
their advisory committee Of business
men appointed to investigate bids
submitted for the new fire truck, that
all proposals submitted two weeks ago
be thrown out and a new ATTEMPT be
made to secure more favorable terms.
the mayor and commissioners last
night voted unanimously TO realver,
tise for bids, returnable Monday. Oct.
10, at o'clock.
The citizens committee made rs
recommendation IN the form Of a res.
ClutiOn signed by all but two mem.
bcrs one OF whom was oct OF the city
ana the other did not serve. The
resolution was presented by Jason r.
Richardson, who in q brio. statement
explained that the committee had
gone into the situation very thor
ouehly and deemed the course they
recommended the only one to pursue
IN the matter to insure a square deal
TO the city.
hiic II was not mertioned in a
formal way, informally members Of
the committee claimed to have gar
nered enough evidence to warrant
their belief tat a pool" existed and
. that ii the cotnci went ahead on the
basis Of the bids submitted there
would be an oyercharge for truck
running in eXcess of 5000 and maybe
$1,000. This was occasion enough
they considered, to throw cut the bids
ard realyertise for new ones. The
cCmmitte claims to have learned from
authentic sources that within the past
TWO weeks one truck offered for S12..
800 was sold in other cities as low as
$500
Because Of this discrepancy and in
view OF the fact that three companies.
all making different type machines
and all that goes with that variance
~ cost prolfercd their machines for
that same figure St2,500 the com
mittee, which was comprised IN part
ct cid aud experienced automobile
men, scented out the possibilities of
a pool and after launching an investi-
cation learned othar details which al.
most convinced them that y scheme
was on to 'gyp' Ottawa out Of a nice
little bunch of money.
In their resolution the committee
@immered down the possibilities -
three makes OF trucks. and virtually
eliminated one make because it was
n worm drive The recommendation
was that 4 chain drive be purchased
The resolution was debated briefly
in the council, but when vote was
called on its adoption the verdict was
unanimous in It's favor. Tho rcsOlu.
ton follows
Whereas, Your advist0rv committee
appointod for the purpose Of investi
bhfing tho relative merits Of q fire
pumper and the purchase Cf Cnc, after
careful inveGtpation and from in
formation received by some cf the
members of the committee (by per-
sonal visits to other cities and by
correspondence with reliable parties)
are Of the opinon that tho City Of
Ottawa would mako no mistake in
purchasing any of the following ma
chimes
American La France,
Sceerave3.
Ahrens-Fox.
as they are standard, time tcStod aud
whore in use have each given entire
satisfaction.
However, your committee would
strongly recommend that the pumper
have chain drive and solid rubber
tires on cushion wheels, but they are
also firmly of the opinion that the
bids presented to your honorable
commission, each of them being for
the sum Of Twelve Thousand Five
Hundred Dollars (St2,500)00), and no
two engines being alike in length,
weight, size, construction or finish,
taking into consideration what other
cities have paid for similar bumpers
within the past few months, are too
high.
Therefore, we recommend to your
honorable mayor and commissioners
that all the bids be rejected and that
the city readvertise for new bids, OF
ii it is possible to authorize a special
committee to make purshase. We
further recommend to your honorable
body that in the advertising for new
bids. each bidder be requested tC
make two bids; one bid for cash, one
bid making an allowance for the pres
ent fire truck.
Respectfully submitted by the com
mittee,
CARL J. METZGER.
III. G. COOK.
II