Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-17


the sum they did receive:
/ Sprague owen & Nash, State Printers,
J charged aud were paid from the state
Treasury for printing 900 copies OF
the Governors Address, for use of ..
House and Senate, for the wear ls's, Slio 20
What they should have received under
the terms of the contract for that year
OT per pi iooo s2l 81
Press work, 1900 impressions, at $500
| per 1000 10 ~
Paper. u rcams, at 500 per rcam, % 80
Paper, for covers II reams, at 500 per
Press Work, for covers. $500 impress
sOns, at $500 per 1000, . on
Time hours changes
'''''' sio3 ~
oyercharre si3 II
State and we invite any fair-minded man. who has
any knowledge of printing, TO estimate on the Joba
see if our figures not correct, aud that the state
printers have been ovcrpaid si3l3, HIS per cent.
above what they had agreed to do the work for. The
Governors Address is pamphlet OF A page, two OF
them blank these have not reckoncd, because the
contract provides that blank pages shall not be- count
ed. We trust the genial editors of esteemed con
temporary will be satisfied with the facts and figures
which have presented In answer to Tia ir call. We
are able to substantiate every charge we have made
and If desired can furnish "some more interesting
reading"
The State printers make offer TO open their books
for tho inspection of any experienced printer in the
state. This offer amounts to nothing. Any one VINO
wishes ascertain facts should examine the bills on
file In the Office of the Secretary of sae audited
with the amounts called for under the contract. The
results will be surprising, for have previously
stated scarcely job has beea done for the state that
has not been charged NJ an eXtortionate rate in
some instances POO per cent above the contract price
The journal ref'rs TO critical and conscientious
Gov ernors and Co Incils. from Chamberlain 10 ton.
nor" who have audited their accounts. Our
teemed contemporary must have forgotten the contn
ual chickering's the firm of Sprague, owen Nash had
with Governor Dngley. Dngley is publisher him
self, and very well knew, rs any one might who
scanned the bills closely, that the charges were too
high TO this day the individual members OF the firm
of Sprague, owen Nash regard Nelson Dingley with
contempt, because he cndcayo red to prevent them
from taking more from the state treasury than prop
erly belonged to them Another gentleman, formerly
Il member Of the Council Sc 'ured the enmity of the
State printers because he refused to audit bill until
it had been largely reduced
The above statement in regard to the
cost of printing the Governors Address of
1873. is partial. garbled and false. The
different items entering into the account
are So stated rs to show an ignorance of
the contract under which the work was
done, also ignorance of the art of book
printing, and of the rules for computing
work under any contract. which is really
amazing. The tollowing-without vast
Ing much time and space--will show some
of the points in which the statement is in
correct and false.
/. The amount of composition required
for the two pamphlets is falsely stated
that is, under-stated; rs any book compos
itor worthy of the name, who has ever set
up type by the thousand will say.
,. The quantity of paper actually used
in the work is likewise under-stated, as
any practical book press-man will likewise
say.
3. The difference in cost of the four DIFF
ierent qualities of paper used in the pam
phlets is purposely suppressed, or through
Ignorance of the fact that there was differ
ence in quality. is not stated at all.
A. The time employed by the compost
tors in making alterations in the three
forms oftype, on account of changes made
in the matter after it was put in type, ac-
cording to the original copy, is not given.
The many necessary alterations in the
proofs of documents hastily written are
items of actual cost recognized by the con-
; tract, and the proofs on file containing the
? alterations will demonstrate the fact of
/, cost.
P >. One term in the contract itself is ac-
: tually mis-quoted by the Democrat in its
zeal to make the contractors appear dis
/ honest and the Governor and Council in
league with them to defraud the State
6. As Ex-Governor Dingley's name is
used by the Democrat in its article above,
: we call upon it while it is examining the
records, to tell the public how much or
how little, Ex-Governor Dingley, practi-
cal printer and conscientious Chief Mag
Magistrate, who scanned every item of
State expenses with careful and critical
: attention-and especially the item of State
printing-we say, will the Democrat tell
us how much he, or his Council, or both
; cut down the printing bills ? Not one cent!'
Every item charged was allowed and paid
after the closest scrutiny. And we
/ may add that Governors Chamberlain.
Perham and Connor and their Councils
were full as rigid in their Examination and
, auditing of our bills for State printing as
Governor Dingley was.
If the Democrat means to apply to MS
, what it says about "a member of the Coun-
cil' having secured the enmity of the
! State printers &c, we brand the state
ment as absolutely false. We challenge
5 it to name that member of the Council =
! The assertion has not the least particle of
truth to stand upon. 1t is base lie, and
the editor of the Democrat knows it to be
such.
, The offer heretofore made to exhibit our
' books for the examination of any far-mind-
ed, practical and employing book printer
= in this State Cor any other), of any politi-
cal party, is here and now repeated, to
= stand henceforth and forever, to the end
+ that the charges of the National Demo
: crat against our business integrity, and the
c honesty and integrity of the Governors and