76 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



now expend approximately $1,000,000 for such commodities, at 

 least $100,000 might be saved annually in this way. It is prob- 

 able that the amount saved would exceed this sum. 



II. PURCHASE OF COAL 



The purchase of coal constitutes one of the largest items of 

 supply expense incurred by the Park Boards. The expendi- 

 tures for this purpose for the year ending June 30, 1911, were 

 as follows: 



South Park Commissioners $49,971.87 



West Chicago Park Commissioners 15,831.69 



Lincoln Park Commissioners 36,685.17 



Total $102,488.73 



Coal is used by the South Park Board for heating purposes 

 and production of power for lighting buildings, parks and boule- 

 vards and for operating machinery in the shops. It is used by 

 the West Park Board for heating purposes only, and by the 

 Lincoln Park Board for heating purposes and the production 

 of steam power for the dredge, tug boats, derricks, etc., in con- 

 nection with the park extension work. 



The Bureau's investigation has been confined to analyses 

 of the specifications under which the coal has been purchased, 

 examination of the physical equipment of the lighting and heat- 

 ing plants, and interviews with the superintendents of the parks 

 in regard to the purposes for which the various kinds of coal 

 purchased were used and the methods employed in weighing, 

 sampling and testing. For many years the South Park Board 

 has purchased coal under specifications. The West Park Board, 

 however, purchased coal under specifications in 1910 for the first 

 time. For the five years preceding, this Board had purchased 

 coal without any contract whatever. The Lincoln Park Board 

 first used specifications in 1908. The specifications of the South 

 and West Park Boards which the Bureau has analyzed are those 

 under which contracts were let for the year ending June 30, 1912. 

 These specifications as a whole are good. Coal is purchased and 

 paid for upon a basis of its heat value, the contracts being 



