The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-05
NO AWARD MADE YET
PRINTING CONTRACT IN ABEYANCE
TILL GOVERNOR RETURNS.
significant Remark of the Governor
the Day the Bids Were
Received.

Ill with typnOld FEVER. IL is probable that
Governor Matthews will return in a few
days. although Mrs. Matthews may remain
for some time. The board met yesterday
morning. but found that all the bids had
not been properly extended and more time
was necessary. There had also been some
misunderstanding on the part of Clerk Car
ter in regard to the bids for printing the
Supreme and Appellate Court reports. The
may be placed in shape so they can
be considered by the board Immediately on
Governor Matthews's return.
Behind the whole matter there is a story
that would make interesting reading if it
could all be secured, but, as ii is, some de-
velopments are expected on the day the
contract is awarded. 1t has been arranged
that all the bidders are to be notified so
they can be present when the final award
is made. AS stated in yesterdays Journal.
it is not always the bidder whose figures
on the basis of the bus are the lowest
that will really do the cheapest work for
the State. On the day the bids were re-
ceived and just as they were about to be
opened one of the bidders asked If the con-
tract was to be let to the bidder whose bid
was the lowest on the basis" of the bid.
or if 1t was to go to the firm that made
the bid that, after all figures were ex-
tended. proved TO be the lowest. Governor
Matthews spoke up Immediately and said it
would be let TO the one that was the low
est on the face of the bid. Governor Mat
thews has considered printing contracts
several times while the other members of
the board were not very familiar with the
work and did not really understand what
the import of the answer was until they
hn1 fnnH Soma nj thu rannrtpf0afin thnf
were sent with the bids. One bidder filed
with his bid two sample bids, showing how
he could raise the amount of the bid and,
psradoxiealIy as it may seem. actually de-
crease the cost to the State. while the 9TH
er sample bid showed how the amount of the
bid could be materially reduced but i'm
crease the cost TO the State by several
thousand dollars. When the members OF the
board saw these they Immediately under
stood the full meaning of the remark OF
Governor Matthews in answer TO the ques-
ton of the bidder, and made up their minds
that the matter would be sifted TO the bot
tom and a contract made with the firm that
would give the State its printing. for the
matter has stood ever since.
The members of the board nave all agreed
that they VIII not talk about what takes
place at their private meet.ngs, and little
can be learned in regard to the position OF
the various members, except that 1t is un-
derstood that Governor Matthews still de-
sires that the contract be let to the bidder
whose bid was the lowest or the face, re-
gardless of all manipuiations; Tine bids as
Carton & Hollenbeck. Indianapolis-(Su-
preme and Appellate Court reports only,
$3.50.
Sentinel Printing Company. Indianapolis
First class, S6.275; second class, So. SS0.15
third class, $,65S.55. Total, $i3.Sl3.IO. Su-
preme and Appellate Court reports, 49,
235. sc.
Levey Bros. & Co.. Indianapolis-FTirst
class, IS. 100: second class, $~4,056.20; third
class, S4,937. SO. Total, SIT, 1874. Supreme and
Appellate Court reports, A,l3.
Wilson, Humphrey x Co., Logansport-
Supreme and Appellate Court reports oniy),
S,S3l.10.
lis-First class. S.475.50; second class. 81
339. 64; third class, s., 1850. Total, $lS,0ll.6i.
No bid on Supreme and Appellate Court
reports.
Baker & Thornton. Indianapolts-First
class, 1850 30; second class, s., 80; third
class. s4,15l.50. Total, ST., 30; Supreme and
William H.. Burford present state prin-
ter, Indianapolis-First class. $7,652; second
class. ~$3,29i.05: third class, S,22o-5l- Total,
sl4, lila Supreme and Appellate Court re-
ports. $i,177.J0.
Baker-Randolph Lithographing and En-
craving Company, ndianapoiisIf1rs class,
So, 576; second class, 1854; third class, w.
93l 81. Total, $1i.141.S7. Supreme and Appel
late Court reports, $3,s3i25-
The bids contemplate two separate con-
tracts, the court reports being one and the
rest of the work the other. In the order
of amount the bids and the general work
are as follows:
Sentinel Printing Company..........sls.si3 $40
Baker-Randolph Company .......... 14,14lSl
William b. Burford ................. l4,ln.o6
Baker & Thornton ................... !4sfo-oo
Levey Bros. q ia,dyiUv
Journal Job Printing C~ompany....... h,ol.of
For printing the court reports the bids
in order of amount are;
Sentinel Printing Company...........S.2S.y0
Baker X Thornton :..:..-....... S'feo'zo
Wilson, Humphrey & Co., Logans-
Baker-Randolph Company ........-... 3,gs4.zo
/ evey Bros. a. Co .-...-..........-.. 4,I32-W
william b. Burford .......-.......... 4Iatoo
Carbon a Hollenbeck ...............-.. o,Voo.W
The Sentinel Printing Company is the low
est on the face of the bid. but, as shown
yesterday, it does not necessarily FOLLOW
that it is the owest bid, for the hignest pid
may be one that will really cost the state
less than the lowest. Ii is not believed that
the lowest bid IN this case will prove TO be
the cheapest for the state, aitnougn II Is
ii that shows that IL has been MADE WITH a
view os reducing its face TO the lowest
point possible. For typesetting the oeni.nei
sand ems for plain work and q cents FOR
rule work. The scale of wages paid for this
to the compositors Is 40 cents a thousand
for main Work and for rule work the price
varies according to the kind of work. Some
of II is paid at the same rate as plain mat
ter. and. according to the difficulty in set
ring il. the price increases to double the
Main matter scale. This does not include
ANYTHING but the actual labor employed IN
setting the type. all other expenses, such
as proiit. interest on the investment, wear
and tear. etc, not being Included. rms,
added 10 the plain matter rate. MAKES the
a thousand. This would show an actuai loss
on the bid of at least % cents on each thou
sand ems set. The plain matter might be
set on machines, and thus reduce the price
some from these figures, but then II Wouiu
not come down TO the amount Dii. Inc rule
work. however. could not pc set on ma,
chimes at all. There is also a question
whether machine work would be acceptable
under the terms of the specifications, which
require that all work shall be OF the stand
ard for frst-class book work., ana macnlne
work has not yet been looked upon as ful-
filling these specifications
Although Governor Matthews expressed
himself on the day the bids were opened
as fayoring letting the contract TO the bid
der who was lowest on the face or the bids,
which is the Sentinel Printing Company,
there js doubt as TO whether he would openly
favor such a thing after the matter has
gone as far as IL has and most or the bids
actually the cheapest for the state. III ne
could have carried his point at tnat time
there would never have been an opportunity
for anyone TO know whether the state was
M wing more for it's work than some other
biider ofered TO do 1t for, and now that the
other members of the board prevailed anu
nostponed the letting of the contract until
me figures could be ~extendeA, II Is not con-
sidered probable that he vii. insist on let
tine the contract to any but the actual low
est bidder. The mouths or all the members
Of the board are sealed by their agreement
not to talk about the matter until after the
contract has been let. but the direct ques-
- tha Dopuhlican membcrS Of tho