102 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



Purchase of Coal. 



The adoption of defective specifications by each of the three 

 park boards and the failure to purchase cheaper grades of coal, 

 due in some instances to the use of furnaces in which it was 

 not practicable to burn such coal, has resulted in large losses. 

 The loss due to the failure to use cheaper grades of coal is 

 estimated at $8,400 for the year 1910. To avoid these losses in 

 the future, the following suggestions are made: 



The Three Park Boards: 



(a) Facilities for weighing should be stated definitely. 



(b) Storage capacity of bins and locations of scales should be 

 given. 



(c) Contractors should be required to furnish bills of lading 

 covering all coal delivered in car lots, or from cars on tracks. 



(d) Provision for occasional screening tests should be made. 



(e) Contracts for bituminous coal should be let the first of July, 

 Bids should be opened not later than June 25, so that deliveries 

 may begin under new contracts promptly upon expiration of the 

 old contracts. 



South Park Commissioners'- 



(a) Penalty for excess of fine coal should be increased. 



(b) If the furnace settings in the buildings of the small parks 

 were changed so as to furnish more air for combustion, it would 

 cost only about $150 for each furnace and would enable Illinois 

 or Indiana lump coal to be substituted for anthracite and Poca- 

 hontas at those plants. Based on the coal used in 1910 this would 

 enable a saving of about $6,200 to be made on the annual coal bill. 



West Chicago Park Commissioners: 



(a) Provision for weighing by representatives of the Park 

 Board should be made, payments to be based on their weights. 



(b) Bond required should be reduced from 50 to 25 per cent 

 of estimated amount of contract in order not to discourage small 

 dealers from bidding. 



(c) Separate bids should be requested for the different parks. 



(d) Pocahontas coal should be substituted for anthracite in 

 Union, Douglas and Garfield Parks. Due to the failure to use the 

 cheaper coal in 1910, the West Park Board lost approximately $700. 

 The Bureau recommends that when new buildings are constructed, 

 furnaces of a smokeless type be installed in which Illinois or Indiana 

 coal can be burned. 



Lincoln Park Commissioners: 



Little care appears to have been exercised in the preparation of 

 the 1910-11 specifications. They did not operate to invite competi- 

 tion. In fact, in response to requests for bids in April, 1910, only 

 three proposals were received, two of which were from affiliated 

 corporations that bid only on Pocahontas and anthracite; the other 

 bid only on Illinois washed nut and pea. In addition to the above 

 mentioned suggestions, the following are offered : 



