The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-04-05

opportunity 10 do the Government "oIA
at 50 per cent"
"On the prices now paid?"
eyes, sir.
Gould you not do II at 40 per cent.
on the price now psld?"
"Mr. English and myself offered 10 do
it for Wendell for Il at"
Mr., George w. Bowman, late upper
inendent Of the Public Printing, thus ex.
plains 10 the Committee one source Of
tIese immense profits:
When | was appointed Superintendent
Of the Public Printing discovered that
about $50 600 year was paid for what
is called "dou' lie composition that is to
say, Printer was elected for the Senate
and Printer for the House, and by a
power OF attorney their rights were tians.
ferred TO Mr. Wendell, and he became
the printer, in fact. for both Houses of
Congress; for instance. the message and
documents would he ordered by the Sen
ate, aud certificate would be given by
the Superintendent Of Public Printing 10
Mr.. Sleadman, as Printer of the House,
for the composition and printing of the
message and documents; thus pay would
be drawn FOR the work on account Of the
House Printer, and then bill would be
presented BY Wendell, in the name Of Mr..
Harris, the Senate Printer, for the com,
position and printing Of the message and
documents for the Senate; and thus the
same work would be twice charged and
paid for. This was done on every occa.
sion where tho same documents were or.
dcred by both Houses. end the compost
tion executed but obce; We traced S25..
600 which we found was drawn every
year for doubls composition without 60
ing into the smaller items Of printing,
which would have run the amount up 10
at least $50, 900 year; that was reformed
by nm act al tile close Of the stscss:on oil
Congress; discovered further, on look
ing into what are called the regular doe
ments OF Congress, Of which the lumber
regularly supplied 10 the House is think,
500, aud the Senate, .420, and which
documents are bound in caf-the most
extensive bindlng-and furnished to eve
~ member of the Government entitled t.
receive copy. that $37, sou were expend.
ed every year for duplicating these doc.
umcnts. Think, if YOU would take into
consideration tho paper used about the
packing room, and the twine and other
lmaterials used in putting them up. thai
The cost for duplicating them would ru,
up to $50, 900; but | showed bv an es,i
mat that S37, ,5UO w.re extended alone
for ths paper and printing; ! discover d
that the paper accounts were kept in O
very loose marnor-indeed. extraord;na
riIy so for instance, paper amounting II
some hundreds of thousands of dollar,
had been received by man employed
in the printing Office as n watcL man VIII,
was in the babt of receiving from yess. |,
and from the cars large invoices of papel
sent by the contractors to the Govern
ment, and who would simply tear of ,
small piece of the outside sheet OF IN,
printing paper and write upon it, "receiv
ed by such vessel or such a train o
cars so many rcams of 56, 4S, or 45 poun,
paper" AS the case might be. and ad
dress that note to the Superintendent
Office; found 90 not know how man,
of those notes or pieces Of paper lyinl
around loose in the Office, bui enough t
make scrap.book; collected them al
in a scrap. book which kept in the Office
and which was there when let.
@. Do you know the name of this man
A. think his name was Wallice .hi
, immense amount Of paper, found, wa
IN Tie sole charge Of thin irresponsible
man. who had no connection with tn
Government. but was in the employ of
private individu.l, and found that h
was in the llabit of sending the paper fror
the Government ware room to tho wet
tng,room; this ware room was within
few feet of the printing Office, and wa
owned by Wendell, and by him rented I
the Government; or discovering this fact
| dismissed Wallace, and took the key G
the ware room into my possession.
|, john Hcarit, tic present Sup, rntend
cnt of Public Printing, lestif S belev
this work could be done by The public q
its own expense for fifty cents on the dol
la; | would be wiiling-and this wi
, show my impression ON the subject
wou'd he wiling, asa pr inter-, to CIV
bond and security to exerue the entir
public printing and binding at swim
: to the Government of 100000 year o
, present pri es, and | would then, if re
ceivng all the profits over and above tina
amount, consider myself making a goo
bargain; l believe from 5000 to s &C