The Park Governments of Chicago 75 



a large quantity of black soil already on the site. He reported 

 this fact to the Board and a supplementary agreement was en- 

 tered into whereby he was to use the black soil found on the 

 site. For this soil he was to allow the Park Board 45 cents per 

 cubic yard on his bid of 74 cents. The price of handling this 

 black soil filling was thus 29 cents per cubic yard. The actual 

 cost to the contractor need not have been over 14 cents per 

 cubic yard and he was therefore allowed a profit of over 100 

 per cent. 



No payments had yet been made to the contractor when this 

 was written (November 28, 1911) but the contractor had used 

 black soil found on the site as a filling in sections where clay 

 should have been used. His contract price for clay filling is 15 

 cents per cubic yard and if payment is made him for all black 

 soil removed he will be overpaid 14 cents per cubic yard on the 

 portion which should have been filled with clay. 



Another phase of this undertaking is that prior to advertis- 

 ment and letting of the contract the park engineers should have 

 ascertained that black soil already existed on the site. 



It is suggested that hereafter payments for deliveries of 

 soil be based only on calculations made by the park engineers. 

 By running "cross sections" where the filling is to be made it 

 is possible to compute accurately the quantity of soil necessary 

 for filling. 



A $100,000 ANNUAL SAVING 



After a careful study of the present methods of purchas- 

 ing supplies and materials for park purposes, supplemented by 

 the opinions of purchasing agents of large private corporations 

 in Chicago, the Bureau concludes that if all the Park Boards were 

 consolidated with the city government the additional buying 

 power thus given the city purchasing agent, if supplemented by 

 proper standardization and efficient methods of purchase and in- 

 spection, would enable an average saving of not less than 10 

 per cent, to be made each year on all purchases of supplies and 

 materials now made by the Park Boards. Since the several Boards 



