The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-27
VERBAL BATTLE
STIRS HIGHWAY
BOARD MEETING
Commissioners Ashley and Moe
'Tangle' Over Department
Truck Purchase
BUYING POLICY SCORED
Moe Vigorously Denies In.
sinuation' He Had Not Been
Playing Square
BUYING POLICY SCORED
(By The Associated Press)

(By The Associated Press)
Purchase yesterday by the state
highway commission of motor
trucks, snowplows and grading ma
chinery at cost of $99,5Ol.77 was
preceded by thorough discussion
of the commissions policy in pur-
chasing such equipment.
The discussion developed into an
apparently open break between
Commissioners Ray Ashley of Plaza
and I. J. Moe of Valley City. Gov
ernor Walter Maddox, also of
Plaza, joined with Ashley in pur-
chasing certain list Of trucks. Moe
opposed the motion favoring the
purchase Of other trucks.
Ashley's objection to the past
policy OF the commission was based
on his contention that the policy of
purchasing equipment from firms
whose bids were presented by men
in the employ of the highway de-
! partment but who had other busi-
ness connections.
He said that State Automobile
Registrar Fred lngstad, who also
operates garage here, had been
interested in the sale to the COM
mission of FWD trucks, on which
bids were submitted yesterday.
Several days ago, and before the
bids were opened, Ashley said, a
friend from Minneapolis had called
him on the telephone saying he had
been given to understand that the
deal was all fixed' and the COM
mission would purchase all one kind
of truck and those FWD trucks.
Changes His Mind
In order to demonstrate the un-
truth of this assertion, Ashley said,
he opposed the purchase of any
TWD trucks, although he admitted
that they were good machine
Later he added two FWD trucks to
HI; list, saying he did not want to
penalize. the FWD, company although
he did want to discourage that
method of doing business.
The sales manager for the FWD
company told the commission that
he had dropped the price of his
truck from $4,000 to $1,000 after a
talk with Ashley in which the latter
attacked the sales policy which his
company had adopted. He denied
any connection with Ingstad except
that the latter was to furnish parts
for the trucks and perform other
services to keep them in operation
Moe, a close friend of Ingstad,
asserted that Ashley's statements
indicated that the latter believed
that Moe had mot been playing
square" in previous purchases by
the department.
Ashley's answer was blunt. 81
thought SO but I may have mis-
judged you."
! Again when Moe remarked that
Ashley appeared to be insinuating
that he had been connected with
questionable machinery purchases,
Ashley responded: ITO tell you the
truth / think you have"
Moe Denies Insinuation
Moe vigorously denied any insin-
uation of this character, saying he
had been careful to avoid such stu
ations and that when truck sales
men called on him he had sent them
to the truck repair foreman of the
highway commission in order that
their trucks might be examined by
him.
~ All of the trucks are of the four.
Wheel drive design and will be used
to operate snowplows this winter
Moe contendcd for the purchase OF
FWD trucks, saying they offered the
most for the money and were the
best purchase on the basis Of the
bids presented. He complimented
Ashley for forcing a reduction in
their price by his attack on the sales
system.
Ashley said he had lacked the
time to investigate all phases of the
machinery selling system but that
he knew there was no SHADY" bust
ness connected with the trucks
which he proposed to purchase.
J The sales manager Of the FWD
company, appearing before the
commission, said he had withdrawn
the sales contract from the IngstaG
garage and pointed out that his bic
was submitted direct from the fac.
tory. Ashley said that was as il
should be but contended that the
change in policy had been forced.
The FWD sales manager said he
thought he had seen some ''undel
cover men" for other truck compa.
nies in Bismarck but declined te
give their names. He made no ex.
PLANTATION of the business Of an "un.
der cover man" in connection with
truck sales.
Maddox Asks Advice
n Governor Maddox, saying it was
ali new to him, urged = full discus.
sion Of the whole business and callei
in the truck repair foreman for thu
commission and the maintenance
engineer. The foreman favored thu
purchase Of FWD trucks and thu
maintenance engineer favored thu
more powerful and costlier ma
chimes recommended by Ashley
saying the additional power woult
be useful.
A snowplow expert said his com
pany favored no particular truck
bus that more plows were used OF
FWD trucks than o.. all other makes
combined.
In voting on Ashley's motto,
each Of the three commissioners ex
planned his vote. Maddox said HI
was favoring Ashley's motion rather
than one by Moe to purchase 81,
FWD's and sig Of other makes, be
fEonfsva,{Sd ~ vAaOn %wni