LAWFUL ENTERPRISE.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 383, 10 September 1903, Page 8

LAWFUL ENTERPRISE.

■lr DoAgt of a Corporatism Aa-ent for Getting; ta the 10w..t Bid om Oontraet Work. Apropos of the methods employed in the franchise grab in Pennsylvania, Sidney W. Curtis, a New York broker, told a story recently, according to the New York Times, of a scheme worked in one of the western cities in the early 'SO's for the purpose of giving the contracts for the building of city waterworks to a favored coneei n. All the bids had to be submitted tk?fore 12 o'clock noon, when the city comptroller's office was closed and the representatives of the various bidders were locked out. A little alley led to a rear window of the office, and here appeared the agent of the company that was to get the contract by hook or by c-r.»ok. Ho had his bids all made out except the figures. When the bids had been opened snd the lowest bid had been found he received a signal and Riled out his bid a few cents below that of the lowest bidd*r. Then h* banded his hid through the window to the clerk, who duly oprn<»d it end awarded him the contract. Then the doors were opened and the waiting representatives were informed of the result. A Sailer Poet Heeded. An English iiterary writer says that the t : me is fuiiy ripe for the advent of b ss'lcr poet and (he marine engineer poet. "Whether they write in tertni of rhyme or not I care not. A virgin field awaits them, a nuble inheritance, maturing for age*. They can, if they come, utterly refute the false and fooli*h : rattle of the arm-chair philosopher?, and prove triumphaut'y that so far from the romance and poetry of the -f* being dead it has hsrdiy y*t been -.riven any adeqiiste expression wh.v. r • er."