The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-22
BIDDING BATTLE
WINDS UP WITH
EVERYBODY MAD
And 1t Looks as If We
Needed Mr.. CuIbertSOn
to Help Out.
Continued From Page One

o. Mr. Frvs Office IN a minute he
emerged. Vas surrounded by the en-
tire group. and the war was on
The four bidders first asked i the
quotation could be unsealed IN their
presence ~ that time The request
met sharp denial
They repeated their desire 20 have
a list % the bids already IN. but
with uo more success than az first.
We have done our part by getting
our bids on time Mr.. Fry. We only
ask that sou CO yours Dy telling US
who has bid said some one.
SIR FrF was getting more irri-
tated be- the second His retorts were
sprink.ed literally with profanity.
Wen Make No Exception
Why should We 20 10 that bother
for sou" he snapped. We don't
have n do u and we won't. You
men always are causing trouble
only the bids that are in now viii
be considered. They viii be tabu-
lated when We have time for u and
then they vii b. open 10 the public.
We handle thousands Of other bids
and We couldn't possibly have a
public opening on an Of them. Wen
make no exception for You"
Bur what assurance have We
that other bids VIII not come in
after the deadline2" was the next
query
You heard me say that no more
bids would be considered Mr.. Fry
answered. What is this. anyhow
You cant tell me how % run this
Office. If YOU don't like our meth
eds why do YOU try 70 do business
with us. Don't you trust us?"
No" chorused the four.
He Changes His Mind
After a few more heated ex-
changes Mr.. Fry left the building. A
reporter followed him and asked
him if ne would not reconsider in
tins one case. pointing out that it
should be a simple matter TO get the
names Of the bidders as there were
probably less than a dozen. and
adding that 10 would clear Up the
matter to the satisfaction of every
body
Mr. Fry replied that it could not
be done AZ once. but that If the re-
pOrters would be on hand at they
could have the list. He said that he
did rot care what the bidders
thought. that he was only doing it
for reporters.
Back al the Office the siege still
held. Some men were sent out to
rustic food and the others were
posted in strategic positions.
Two reporters went 10 Mr. Meal
pms Office and seeing that his sec
rotary was there. asked if It would
be possible to get the list Of bidders
from her
Mr.. McAlpin denied that he had
said that his secretary would give
the information and said that he
would have 10 await orders from
Mr.. Fry.
Aha, Another on Scene
The reporters withdrew IN fair
order and reiOlned their detachment.
In the meanwhile, The Times re-
porter had been informed on good
authority that only one bid had been
received by Mr. McAlpin'S Office prl-
or 10 the four that came in at noon.
This was the bid of the Aetna Cabi-
net Company, according to the in
fOrmant
At exactly seven minutes after l,
an alarm ripped down the sentry
line and George B. Morrison. a fire.
Quent bidder on Office equipment,
walked into the Office.
Mr.. Morrison Is president of the
indianapolis Office Furniture Com
pany. OF which ". A. Barney is sec
rotary and Bowman Elder is treas
urer.
Mr.. Morrison asked to see Mr.. Nc
Alpin and passed into the rear of
the waiting room. followed by the
reporter. He waited for a few mo-
mentS and then went into an office
across the ante-rOOm from Mr.. Nc
Alpin's. After a few more minutes
he came out into the ante-rOom
where reporters asked him II he had
submitted a bid on state employment
equipment.
"Thi-Yesterday Afternoon"
eyes. my bid is in" said Mr..
Morrison.
When was It submitted?" he was
asked.
~Thi-yesterday afternoon" said
Mr.. Morrison. heSitating slightly.
zone Of the bows brought 1t over. -
he added
Then ne left without entering Mr..
McAIpin'S Office.
The sentry line was reformed.
many persons entered Nj. NIcAlpin's
SanCtum. both from the outside and
from other inner offices. but none
whom the guards recognized as
potential bidders on the state en-
ployment office JOB.
Al the stroke Of ?. reporters asked
TO see Mr.. McAlpin He was Oc-
Cupied Five minutes later Mr.. Fly
entered and escorted the press into
Air McAipinS room.
He opened a drawer and produced
SIX BIDS. the four that had been
handed IN at noon. one from the
Aetna Cabinet Company and one
from the indianapolis Office Fur
n.tllre Company.
open Them If You Wish"
There they are. open them If
you wish. said Mr.. Fly.
I know when four Of them were
brought II. said a reporter. but
ID Ike 70 make sure OF the others.
nTH3TH