Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-21
BOARD Rewards
FIXTURE CONTRACT
FOR STATE SCHOOL
Examiners Reconsider Action
Upon Protest Of Company
With $1,000 Lower Bid.
Special Ia The Tribune.


Helena, Jan. 2O.-After the state
board of examiners, with two members
present, had earlier in the week award
ed contract to the highest bidder
for the furnishing Of book stacks fer
the proposed library building at the
state university at Missoula, the board
Friday rescinded its action and award.
ed the contract to the Hines Desk and
Furniture company Of Denver. at flg,,
ure $1,000 lower than that Of the Snead
Manufacturing company. to which the
contract had originally been let:
1t required strong complaint by
the representative Of the Hines COM
pany to bring about a reconsideration
Of the contract award. in spite Of the
fact that saving Of $1,000 to the
state was involved and in the face OF
the fact that the architects and the
superintendent of construction were
converted to the Snead system and
that the specifications were drawn 50
as to favor that make of stacks.
i. Given Highest Bidder
At the meeting when the contract
was originally awarded only Governor
Dixon and Secretary of State Stewart
were present and the contract was
given to the Snead company on its bid
Of $33,27O, although the two principal
contenders, the Art Metal Constructor
company Of jamestown, n. L., and the
Hines company. had presented blds
several thousand dollars below that OF
the Snead company.
The Art Metal company, the pioneer
manufacturer. Of rolled steel office fix
lures and library shelving, had present
ed two bids, one Of $3O,2So and one
of $4,000, while the bid of the Hines
company called for $26,276, also for
rolled steel construction.
The specifications had been drawn
with q view to the awarding OF con-
tract for Snead material, in fact, the
name Of Snead & Co. was set forth in
the specifications. Upon the advice Of
Billings, and the superintendent OF con.
struction. r. J. Hugenin, the board
gave little consideration to the bids Of
the Art Metal company, which has
equipped many of the libraries Of the
country and which had in the past fur
nished the stacks in the law library
and the historical library in the Mon
tana state capitol, or the Hines COM
pany.
Company Protests
The representative Of the Hines
company protested the action of the
board and enlisted Attorney General
Rankin in his behalf, with the result,
of Thursday afternoon was spent ID
that the matter was reopened and all
q consideration of the merits of the
three leading bidders. No agreement
was reached Thursday but at a meet
ing held Friday. after Governor Dixon
had wired the librarian Of the Denver
public library and had received an an
swer advising him that all three sys-
TENS were Of high order, the board,
upon motion of Attorney General Ran
kin, rescinded its previous action and
awarded the contract to the Hines
company with the understanding that O
bond in the full amount Of the contract
be furnished that the plans be submit
ted to qualified engineer for testing,
and that the stacks be manufactured
by the General Fireproofing company
of Youngstown. Ohio, it being made
known BY the bidder that the Hines
company is owner only Of the patents
and does not operate a manufacturing
plant.
Low Bid Rejected
The Art Metal company. whose low
bid was over $1,000 lower than ever
that Of the Hines company and which
operates one of the largest plants il
the country, did not receive any sup
port at the hands Of the board when il
finally acted The vote to award tht
contract TO- Hines was supported By
Governor Dixon and Attorney Genera
Rankin and was opposed by Secrctar,
of 70 owl