Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-25
ELDRIDGE TO FACE
PROBERS TODAY IN
TRAFFIC SCANDAL

signals, which had been certified as
having been received in the first ship
ment, and thereby balanced" the
first contract.
Moller stanchly contends that every
item listed as having been received
is now in the hands of the District.
despite the fact that some items may
not have been on hand at the time he
certified them. Friends of Moller, as
a result, today pointed emphatically
to the fact that thereby the District
had not lost cent by his cutting of
red tape"
Other Bids Opened.
Less than two weeks ago, on Feb
ruary -, the bids were opened on
what was to be the third lot of traffic
signal lights here. Already. these bids
have been inspected by the purchas-
ing office. and they had been placed
in Moller's hands for further analysis
when thes sensational disclosures para
lived activities in the office of the
traffic director.
There were seven hidders-the
Grouse Kinds Co. the General Elec-
trio Co. the Tokheim Oil Tank and
Pump Co. of Fort Wayne. Ind; the
American Gas Accommodating Co. OF
Elizabeth. n. J.; w. RI. Lowell & co.
of Arlington n. j.: the Terminal Sup
ply Co of New York City. and Donald
Walter of New York State.
The selection of the lowest bid 70
be accepted had not been made. Bids
had been invited from y firms and
the above listed were the only ones
received.
A total of approximately S350,o0O,
py far the largest amount thus far
authorized would be available TO pay
for the installation OF the 500 lights
called for in this contract. Director
Eldridge said today. Thus far the
cost of installa ton and the cost of the
apparatus for local traffic signal de-
vices has run close to $4,000, he es-
timated. The checking of operations
in the office of the director of traffic
at the present time. therefore. it is
pointed out, has come just at the time
when the city was on the verge OF its
largest installation Of these traffic sig
nal devices.
The paragraph which Chairman
Gibson pointed out was believed high
ly discriminatory against bidders
other than the Grouse Kinds Co. in
the original specifications was found
today to have been worded as follows:
mo bids will be considered from
bidders not having installations in 10
different cities. each such installation
to be of automatic interlOcked type.
controlling not less than. 10 intersec-
tons"
1t is the understanding of the COM
mittee, Mr.. Gibson said. that this eX-
Guided many smaller companies than
Grouse Kinds and other large com
panies not yet expanded in the new
work Of installing traffic signals.
This point. however. Mr.. Gibson
stated. was only one Of more than
dozen incidents in the specifications
giving more leeway to the Grouse
Kinds Co. than to other prospective
bidders. The wording and punctu-
alton of the specifications, he said, at
times conveyed ambiguous impressions
which advance information t. the
Grouse Kinds Co. had rendered clear.
None of the vouchers for payment
of the traffic lights bought from
Grouse Kinds has reached the general
accounting office, 1t was learned to.
day.
Search of the records was instituted
yesterday by Controller General Nc
Carl. and a report submitted toda,
showed that so far none of the Moller
vouchers had appeared there.
Firm Welcomes Inquiry.
The Grouse Kinds Co. of Syracuse
n. Y, which has furnished all of
Washington's automatic traffic sig
mails, advised the Commissioners today
that it welcomed a thorough probe of