St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-13
The COUNTY PRINTING
Commissioners Lavallee and
Martin Make a Report
Of Findings.
Allegations Of Overeh argos
by Mr.. Burns Reported
as Sustained.
Expert Martin Dreis Ordered
Dismissed by the Com
miSsionerS.
The Official Printer and the
Board Agree to Expert
Examination.


to that body in special session yesterday
relative to the charges of J. Ii. Burns,
as county printer, as follows:
To the Honorable Chairman and Members
of the Board Of County Commissioners
Gentlemen: Your committee to whom was
referred the petition of H. d. Brown and
other taxpayers, asking that the county print
ing contract be investigated, beg leave to
make the following report:
The committee. Immediately after adjourn
ment of the county board Monday, the 9Th
inst. called meeting for Tuesday Dec. Q, at
4 u. IA, and notified the petitioners as well as
Martin Dreis, expert printer for Ramsey
county, and j. ii. Burns, county printer.
Present at the meeting OF the committee
were H. ID. Brown, j. d. Ramaley, j. II.
Burns, F. !. Moosbrugger and Martin Dreis
The members of the committee present were
Commissioners Lavallee and Martin. Mr..
Burns appeared before the committee and
objected 10 investigation being made before
there were more specific charges made. II.
ID. Brown, being asked by CommlHxioner
Martin whether the taxpayers charged Mr..
Burns with having. i'll fact overcharged
Ramsey county for the court calendar and
other items. Mr.. Brown answered that he
did. and the chairman held that the charges
were specific enough to warrant an investiga-
ton.
The first item taken up was the charge for
the court calender for November, 1871 The
petitioners showed that Mr.. Burns had
charged Ramsey county for about 344 printed
pages when, i'll reality, there were but 2il
printed pages in such calender Martin
DreiS, the county expert was asked by the
committee to figure up the book in question,
and tell the committee how many printed
pages there were in said book, and he an
swered 24I. He was then asked how many
blank pages there WERE and he answered 100.
The committee asked Alm to produce the
contract between Mr.. Burns and Ramsey
county and the chair referred him 10 the
place in said contract which read court cal
ender per printed page % cents" and asked
the expert how he interpreted the above
words. lie answered it meant % cents per
printed page Tue chhir then asked him why
he allowed the bills for 344 print
ed pages, when in reality there
were but 2H lie answered that it
was customary to figure blank pages in such
work. But on being further questioned
by your committee the expert printer adj
mitted that he had made an error in figuring
blank pages, as WE'LL as ruled pages, and in
weights and quality of paper, and also adj
mittcd that the flgures of petitioners were
practically correct The petitioners produced
figures for the court calender for nine months
during the contract with Mr.. Burns and found
an overcharge OF Sl274 in that item alone.
Your committee is OF the opinion that If
the same overcharge has been made and al
lowed Oh all the court calender during Mr.
Burns contract, the total allowance made
by the county expert printer on the court
calender will be at least 1000. Your COM
mittee therefore recommends that an expert
enced expert printer be employed Without
delay, and figure all bills paid by Ramsey
county during the contract with said Burns
and to take such steps as may be necessary to
compel Mr.. Burns to refund all money
which he has collected i'll excess Of his con-
tract.
The committee also recommends the dis
missal at once of Martin Drels as expert
printer, believing he is totally incompetent
for said position, as we believe if he had
properly performed the duties OF expert
such overcharge could never have passed
this long time unnoticed.
The committee also finds in making com
parison with previous contractors, that Mr..
Burns did without authority and contrary to
custom heretofore, insert the words Court
Cases" i'll pages of the calendar provided for
attorneys memorandum, for which the petit
TONERS made due allowance in their estimate
of excessive charges In adjusting this mat
ter with the said contractor, it is the opinion
of your committee that this charge should
also be disaliOWed, and we estimate that this
item alone will exceed III nine months 500.
Your committee is informed that the pres
ent county printing expert did not figure
blank pages as printed pages when the ST.
Paul Dispatch Company had the county
printing contract just previous to Burns re-
ceiving it. PAUL A. LAvALLE,
Chairman Committee on Printing.
II. +. MARTIN,
After some discussion as to the proper
proceeding to be had with the report it
was received. Mr.. Burns then asked
for and was granted hearing. He
stated that there has been some tai k
about his bills in the papers, and he de-
sired to have competent expert APP
pointed to investigate his bills from
beginning to end. He stated that he
had been trying to get MIR. Dries out Of
the office as expert printer for two
years, because he believed him incOm-
petent. He was willing that any COM
petent expert should be selected to
Inspect his bills and would consent to
the appointment of David Ramaley, the
state expert printer. He further stated
that he would be willing to pay the eX-
pense Of the Investigation in the event
that it should turn out that there is
cause for the investigation.
H. d. Brown, who is the mover IN the
petition to investigate the Burns bills,
volunteered the statement that the firm
of Brown, Treacy & Co. had been found
to be the lowest bidder for the cOunty'S
work by MIR. Dreis, but that the county
board had seen fit to give the contract
to Mr.. Burns. AS the mover in the in
veStigation he did not want the petition
lost sight of. He wanted an inveStIga-
ton. He believed the county able to
pay its own bills without giving Mr..
Burns a chance to do so. Moreover, he
did not want to see the matter passed
over with a WhiteWaSh.
Mayor Wright turned rather sharply
and said: ''Do you believe, Mr.. Brown,
that this board will whitewash?"
Mr.. Brown was taken back for mo-
ment but reiterated that he wants the
matter TO go through.
The mayor responded to the effect
that for once Mr.. Brown and Mr.. Burns
were agreed on one point, and he be-
lieved there will be no whitewash.
After some discussion by members of
the board, in which Mr.. Burns took a
part, asking for a full inspection of
every one of his bills from the time he
took the printing two years ago, it was
agreed that the committee On printing
employ David Ramaley, at a cost not eX-
bills for work done by Mr.. Burns, in
Guiding the quality of work and paper
furnished. 1t is estimated that it will
take two weeks to do this work.
The board then decided to ask the
resignation of Expert Printer Dries,
and the county attorney was instructed
to notify him of the boards desire in
| that regard.
The bill of Hall & McChesney against
| Mr.. Burns was taken up. This firm re-
| ported to the board that Mr.. Burns had
not paid it for work done for the county
amounting to $l66. Mr.. Burns stated
that this was for books furnished by him
to the register of deeds on order of M.
j. Bell; also that Hall q MCChesney
owe him a bill of S275 for commissions
The matter was referred to the commit
tee OH claims for investigation.
Commissioner Lavallee suggested thai
the bill of 5000 allowed Burns at the
! previous meeting for the court calendar
had been stated to be incorrect by the
expert printer, as it was open to The OBJ
| lection i'll part for blank pages. County
Attorney OBrien stated that there haC
been petition presented to him asking
an appeal from the order allowing thai
bill, and he would be compelled TO take
the appeal. The board then decided t
| reconsider the action by which the bill
was passed, and to refer the bill to the
expert. Mr. Ramaley, with instruction!
that it be first investigated.
The county attorney was instructed