The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-16

reports for the other years, and the
vouchers therefor, and upon compari'
son With similar work, they had nc
reason to believe there were any over
charges.
The earlier reports were compare
lively small.
Even as late as 1868 the printing Of
all the reports with the message oilS6s
cost but little more than the legitimate
charge for the Auditors report OF 1871
LETTER HEADS AND ENVELOPES.
Upon examination of the testimony
touching the printing Of letter head:
$500 per ream for whole sheets and
$1,000 per ream for half sheets wer.
fixed upon as correct basis OF calcula'
ton, paper included in both cases. This
estimate is made on the suppositior
that the paper cost a 90 per resm.
The foregoing estimates the commit
tee believe to be quite liberal, for the
evidence discloses that this work can bs
done for something less.
Upon this basis there is an overchargt
by Mr.. Walker, for letter heads, o.
$345 90 See statement No. 33.
For envelopes they report an over.
charge by Mr.. Walker OF $99 IS. See
statement No. "a.
Mr.. .Frew's charges for letter heads
and envelopes are fully up to the rates
above named, and in some Of the years
past exceed them.
For instance, in 1869 he charged
SO. 90 per ream for one or two resms
printed at the same time.
But in the absence OF information as
to the prices Of paper from year to year,
they are not able to say whether or not
there were overcbarges by Mr.. Frew
for letter heads; if there were, the az
gregate amount would be small.
PRINTED BLANKS.
But few blanks, except those printed
by Mr. Walker, were to he found IN the
office, and it seemed at first thought 10
be something of a hardship to him to
enter into an invest aton OF a subject
which. from the circumstances, the
other printers were not liable to.
They report an overcharge BIZ M.
Walker, tor printed blanks, OF $l45. 90.
See statement No IS.
DAILY HOUSE AND SENATE JOURNALS AND
DAILY JOURNAL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
Under the rules of the House OF
Delegates, and also of the Senate, copies
of each daily Journal are printed and
delivered 10 the members
So far as the vouchers show, this rule
remained dead letter until the session
OF 1872 At this session Mr. Walker
printed these Journals until they were
discontinued by order OF the two hou ses
on the Goth % January last. His
charges are So 90 per page, except when
there is figure work, when they are
greater. After an examination of the
testimony and estimates made for com,
position and press work, it was decided
that $l.75 per page would be the pro-
per charge. including all the figure
work that was printed. upon this basis.
For daily House Journal, 1872 H.
s. Walker, Printer, there is an over
charge Of $l4S50. See statement No.
So
Daily Senate Journsl, 1872, H s.
Walker, Printer overcharge, $l0j. 90.
See statement No. 81.
Under the rules adopted nv the Cons
Convention the daily Jour-
nal was printed ard a copy delivered to
each member.
Thus seventy.eight copies were re-
quifed for the Convention.
The House and Senate each ordered
100 copies.
Thus there were 27S comics in all o.
this Journal printed. Mr. Walker
charged the Convention and each House
for this Journal in the came manner he
would for distinct original matter
The question arose whether he had
the legal right thus to make his
charges, and the committee were divi.
ded upon it; the majority holding
that under very strict construction OF
the rules Of the Convention and the
resolution of the two houses that he
had this right, the minority DENYING it.
But the committee all agree that the
charges ought never to have been made.
A proper appreciation OF the duties o.
a public officer ought to have restrained
the exercise OF right not founded in
Justice but resting on a slender techni-
cality.
The House and Senate no doubt sup.
posed that they were merely ordering
additional copies to be printed: il thew
had supposed that the effect o. their
resolution would he to author e the
same charges as for original matter it
is not likely that they would have
adopted them. In the report OF over.
charges Immediately following Mr..
Walkers right to charge in the manner
mentioned is recognized and the over
charges arise from excessive rates onlv
Daily Journal Of the Convention, 100
copies, furnished the House OF Dele
gates, II. S. Walker, Printer, over
charges, $4,000. See statement No. 3S.
Daily journal Of the Convention fur
niahed the Senate, 100 copies. n. s
Walker, Printer, overchsrgea, S29S so.
See statement No. 80.
By way Of explanation. it is proper
to remark that Mr.. Walkers charges
are at the rate OF s. 90 per page, ard
more where there is rule or figure work.
The calculations Of the committee
are based upon the uniform rate OF
$l.75 per page.
The House discontinued this Journal
January 80.
For the printing done for the Con-
vertion, the vouchers do not give the
items either by ems and tokens or by
pages, but the amount Of work was as
cprtained in the manner described in
the memorandum attached 10 statement