The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-22
DIRTY WORK
CHARGE FLUNG
IN BID BATTLE
County Commissions Re-
fuse Demand of Attorney
for Tar Firm.
BITTER FIGHT RACES
Queer Specifications Are
Put Under Lash by
Weiss.

Charges of peculiar and unusual
wording of specifications for tar fol
county highways were hurled today
by Jacob Weiss, state senator anC
attorney representing the Republic
Creosoting Company, at the annua
letting Of supply contracts by coun-
ty commissioners.
Mr.. Weiss demanded that the
commissioners readvertise for tai
bids and eliminate or clarity alleged
Objectionable features in the Speci-
ficatiOns on which contractors bids
are made
At the close Of the session, which
terminated in Mr. Weiss, the COM
missioners and Bruce Short, county
surveyor. exchanging pungent per
sonalities. Thomas Ellis, board presi-
dent, overruled the demand for new
bids.
Based on Sliding Scale
The contract for the yearly tai
supply was awarded to the j. P
johnson Company, on a bid Of 1913!
cents a gallon. The bid of the Re
public company was based on
sliding scale providing for an eighth
of a cent a gallon increase for eacl
mile of area in concentric circles
With the courthouse as the center.
The prices, under this arrange
ment. ranged from 1T cents gal
lon to 1875 cents at the farther
most point of the county. Thu
commissioners entered the Republic
bid at an average price Of 1912;
cents, which is IS Of cent highel
than the Johnson bid.
Mr.. Weiss declared, however, tina
the specifications were worded in {
manner to prevent any but con-
tractor favored by the commission
ers and Surveyor Short being ablt
to meet the requirements.
Flags Specifications
My client, the Republic Creosot.
ing Company, maintains that to un.
dertake such a contract without the
good Will of county officials, would
prevent any contractor from making
money" Mr.. Weiss declared.
He cited that the specification:
call for continued maintenance o.
treated roads for one year after tai
application, and that the roads tt
be treated were not named in tn,
specifications
Such specifications as these neve,
were made before" Mr.. Weiss de-
Clared. Tar bids are claSsed as ma
terial bids. yet you specifically re
quire construction and maintenance
of roads, task which no contractor
could undertake without placin!
himself entirely in the hands o
county officials"
Pleads for New Bids
Mr.. Weiss charged that the John
son company was awarded a con.
tract in June on a high bid, anj
that at the current letting, at leaS
$4,000 could be saved for taxpayer!
if the bids were advertised.
Wipe out the possibility of {
smudge on your good names by ask
ing for new bids. which will remove
the hazards of these specifications,
Mr.. Weiss shouted at the conclu.
sion of his remarks.
Thomas Ellis. board president
answered Mr. Weiss charges Will
the statement:
You ought to know that we have
the right to issue any specification!
we see fit. 1 would like to ask why
the Republic company did not come
in and ask for a change in these
specifications before bidding?"
Brands Conditions Dirty"
The reason is that the company
wanted to bring these dirty, un.
healthy conditions to head" Mr.
Weiss shouted.
Shaking with anger, Commissioner
Dow Vorhies rose from his seat.
'Listen-if you say that once
more -"
He was quoted by the other COM
miSS3oners and the question CLOSED
with Commissioner Ernest Marker
declaring that if any taxpayer
wants to know about previous Speci-
fications and bids, he can go to the
records. which are open to the pub
lie. always
Exhibits Copies of Bids
Mr.. Short exhibited copies of the
June fidS, referred to by Mr.. Weiss
to newspaper men, in refutation OF
the charge that the Johnson COM
pany had been awarded the con-
tract on a high bid.
The bids were j. P. Johnson
Company. 12.5 cents; the Highway
Company. u cents; the Vogel Com
pany. 119e cents, and the Republic
company. los cents.