The Park Governments of Chicago 123 



cash. Of this amount $5,111-27 was for supplies and parts. The 

 reason given the Bureau representatives for allowing him to 

 make such purchases was that being in business for himself as 

 an automobile expert, he could obtain a larger discount than the 

 Park Board could. It was stated that an arrangement had been 

 made with Holliday whereby he was to allow the Board one-half 

 the discount he himself received. Through the courtesy of sev- 

 eral automobile dealers from whom Holliday purchased supplies 

 the Bureau has examined their books. So far as it was possible 

 from the meagre description of articles set forth on the docu- 

 ments in the files of the Park Board, the prices which he charged 

 the Board have been checked to the prices actually charged 

 Holliday by the dealers. Many instances were found where he 

 obtained 20 per cent, discount and charged the Board full price. 

 He several times billed the Board more than the list prices in 

 the printed catalogues of the dealers. In fact he charged the 

 Board $30 for a cylinder which an auto company furnished him 

 free of charge. 



The books of one company showed that on several occasions 

 Holliday had subsequently returned his purchases unused. These 

 aggregated $207.18. He had been given checks for $185.34 and 

 allowed $21.84 credit on other purchases. The park records show 

 no evidence of either the refunds or credits on purchases. 



The transactions of the West Park Board with Holliday 

 during the two years of his employment up to September 1, 1911, 

 (the date the Bureau completed the inquiry), amounted to over 

 $9,000 and afford a striking example of waste of public funds. 



III. HORSE SERVICE 



SOUTH PARK COMMISSIONERS 

 Methods of Purchase and Sale. 



For many years all horses required in the parks and on the 

 boulevards of the South Park system have been purchased by 

 the superintendent of stables, upon approval by the Board of 

 his requisitions. With the exception of a few light drivers and 

 police mounts, the requirements are all for heavy work horses. 



