The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-12
DISCREPANCY SOMEWHERE
The Law in Relation to Supplies for
County Officers,

By turning to the record of the board of
supervisors. on the 10th of July, we find
the following:
Supervisor KreI moved that the county clerk be
authorized to procure 1000 blank bill heads, with
affidavit attached, for the use Of the county. Car
ried.
And the very next business done was as
follows:
Supervisor Daley moved that the county officers
be requested to get their printing done wherever
can be done cheapest, Carried
At the last meeting of the board the
Union presented bill for printing 5000 |
blank bills, etc., when Sup'r. Kerr asked
who it was that contracted for the job, and
who ordered the 5000 extra bills. Nobody
seemed to know. But Webster, the de-i
putty clerk, stated that he did not know
who ordered the 5000 extra,-he adding
that the Union Office did pretty much as it
pleased, anyway; the meaning of which
seemed to be that the Union printed
them without any order from anybody.
The job is miserable affair; it is not
bill head at all; a bill head was ordered,
but the job, as executed. is merely wrap
per, having printed fling, and an imper.
feet form of oath, and on paper which is
unfit to write upon. But the board swal-
lowed the insult and allowed the bill
During the discussion. Krell said he had
been accused, by THE ARGUS, with order
ing the job. and he wanted to say that he
had nothing whatever to do with it and
knew nothing about it. We are now in
possession of some facts that show that
krell did know something about it, or else
he has been misrepresented by the Res
possible editor having seven years expert
ence." We are now enabled to state that
just before the blanks were printed Walter
johnson, one of the editors of the Union,
went into the county clerks office and said
MIR. Cook, Mr.. Krell says that we (the
Union Co.. can print those blank bills. u
) 'All right said Mr.. Cook, IN make out
the FORM" Lets see," said johnson,
) the board ordered 10000 didn't it?'
> No, l think not-only 2,O00," said Cook.
mo it wasn't. it was 5000. l guess
= know" said johnson. Two or three days
after this, when boy brought proof Of
the blank to the county clerk, the latter
sent word to johnson to print only 1000
: as ne had exami ned the record and thai
D was all the board ordered. No notice wa:
taken of the order, but 5000 utterly insult
able blanks were charged and the board
. allowed the bill.
: Now, did johnson tell the truth when
a he said Krell told him he could have thu
s job? If so, then Krell did not tell thu
truth when he stated before the board tina
), he knew nothing about the job and haC
# nothing to do with it.
r Nobody paid any attention to the reques
n of the board to get that work or any othe
s work done where it could be done cheapest
g Nobody made any contract at all for tn
II job. The truth seems to be that Krell toll
johnson he could have the Job, and Coo
e submitted to Krell's dictation.
:, Mr.. Cook should have made out pre-
It per form and asked proposals from bot
IF offices, with samples of paper and ruling
3. and given the job to the best proposal.
( The board of supervisors makes
): "stoughten bottle" of itself by permittin
/, any one to disobey its order, or allowin
a cent on bill not in accordance with il
order,
. The board of supervisors has the abs
:, lutte right to control everythlugin regar
- to county expenses. No county officer ha
= the right to contract for anything unle:
- :, the board neglects its duty. Here is tt
law:
=. Page SO, Vol III. Gross's Statutes of Ill
nois:
~ SECTION &c. 1t shall be the duty of the coun
board of each county,(3) to provide suitable boo
and stationery for the Of the county boar
county clerk, county treasurer, recorder sheriff
NJ oner, and the clerks of said courts.
= Page 81, same volume:
- SECTION 10. The several clerks of the circuit al
county courts of the the respective counties, sha
. from time to time, as may be necessary, procure
10 proper books and stationery for their respo cti
~ Offices unless the same are pFO0ided by the cOun
" board, as proUided by tato.
1t will thus be seen that the supervise
81 have the absolute right to purchase or co
We troll or order the purchase of everythir
&C needed by any county officer, and no count
In officer has the right to contract any
q I'll bha 80,