The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-02
each book, and afterward the following re
capitulatinn:



The retail price OF McGufeys Second Readers
The retail price of McGuffey's Third Readers
The retail price of RobinsOn's Complete Arith-
meIc was only % cents , ,,,.,,ou Co...
Tho retail cost OF Reed heIogs Hlgher ofaih-
mar was only 70 cents.
As no mention is made in the resolution OF
geography l. have excluded that book from my
estimates. Yet as the common school course
would not be complete without II, Will say that
an acceptable geography could be gotten up at
In the above enumeration Nonieitlrs Compre-
hensive Geography costs at retail III ms Saie
81 90 per copy; The proportion therefore would
be- taking The highest cost book in The above
table, 80 cents against 81 80.
MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.
In arriving at the cost 10 the State OF publish
ing school, books, have made 10 allowance for
the waste OF capital in The wear aud tear oil ma
teilal and machinery for the printing of the
books nor for Tie original capital devoted TO the
purchase OF such material ana machinery; nor
have / touched upon the cost OF distributions;
but all the expenses would be more than covered
by adding 20 per cent 10 The actual cost of the
represent a fund equal TO S22,4S5 81, II would
only increase the cost OF the series 10 81 1884,
leaving even then, difference OF 50 ooh2 IN
favor OF the State.
He then states that by increasing the facii-
ties of the State Bindery, at cost of $4,000,
the cost of the books could be reduced from
his estimate by 10 per cent
As fan as the setting up and printing OF the
notebooks Is concerned, the Stale Printing
Office is now nearly capable OF doing the WORK.
The only additional machinery required would
be Two more Hoe stOp-cylnder presses or one
OF the latest improved Hoe perfection presses.
The additional type required would be only such
as is necessary TO "sort up" the cases to meet the
exigencies OF special matter In the arlthmetlc-a
mere TITLE. Signed JAMES }. AYREs,
Superintendent OF Public Printing.
In this document the State Printer, by
making an estimate OF cost of manufacture
which is simply absurd, ignoring all other
items of expense and comparing his as
sumed cost of manufacture with Ar exag-
gerated statement of the retail prices of
books in use, figures out very large ap-
parent saving to the people. The only in
vestment of capital which he required was
$50, 49, 81.
THE ESTIMATE GROWS FoUR-FoLD LARGER.
The absurdity of this estimate cam
not be fully appreciated until we come
to the actual results which have been
reached under the legislation which was ef-
fected, but one idea of the matter may be
gathered from the fact that the same State
Printer, James j. Ayres, two years later,
when the State had become definitely COM
mltted to the scheme, made the following
estimate for the same purpose as appears by
the Governors message of 1885:
Alterations and Improvement of building. $1,000
Two large book presses. 1900
New boiler and engine. shaft!ng, puileyS
and running gear throughout the entire
pip s, etc .......,..........,.. 5000
Large blndery outfit .,............ ..... 10000
EIeCtroty ping apparatus complete. ......... 900
Two fonts of $500
Engraving ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5000
Total S43,50O
Payroll for bindery. 10000
Stock. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 43,5U0
other expenses. 1900