The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-06-26

Tor bids for furnishing wood, for main
talnance OF the county poor, for lanitor
work, for county printing, county ply
sician. blanks, blank books, stationery.
and office supplies generally. On open
ing the bids we found that Gossage's bid
was an immense one, containing thirty
six pages, closely type written. A few
moments glance at a few of the pages
and items revealed the fact that the
matter was Intentionally over done that
1T completely out-Gossaged Gossage in
the past and was intended as usual for
nicely laid trap and the further the
boa rd proceeded the more fully they be-
| came convinced that their first impress
sion was correct one. say the board
for it is a fact that every members was
unanimous in their verdict, that the
bid was not what it should be until
nearly the time for official action came.
when much to my surprise one OF the
members began to express himself in ia
vor 81 awarding the contract to Gossage
and this alta time too when we finding
at every step some new evidence OF dis
honest motive. Now since the Journal
has kindly informed it's readers that
the bids are open for inspection and in
evidence | will give you an illustration
OF the evidence that said bid furnishes.
7,,4 49, i L. 7
quotations Or prices on supplies for the
different offices, some 10 or is pages
which is a copy verbatim of articles
given in catalogue OF Perkins Bros. and
agreeing m price as regards the rate per
dozen on articles quoted
2nd In some 400 or more OF above
articles said Gossage quotes blanks at
higher rate bv the 100 than thev are
quoted by the dozen, varying from
l6 2-3 to- 166 2-3 higher if ordered by
the 100 than by the dozen; for instance,
marriage certificates, per dozen, 81, per
hundred $40.
3. We find the SAME article often ac-
~ iA'6 ~ WV piiCSS auu SClleU!1IeS IN
three at different prices, varying from
81. 40 to So 65 on one single book. In
proof OF this | refer to page 81 where a
certain book is scheduled at $15.35.
while on page. "a the identical book is
quoted under the caption Of auditors
supplies, at SIS.
4th. On page Is, we find among other
things adroitly slipped in with treas
urer's blanks the following: Delinquent
Tax List, 3 insertions, 5 cents a dis
cription," an item that has no more re-
latlon to the work advert,zed for than
would the item: one cord Of four foot
wood at SIS per cord. Then to cap the
climax this shrewd bidder after deyotln
two or three pages to giving advice both
IN regard to the political and official
duty OF the county board, attached the
usual binding clause: "That these pri-
ces are made with the explicit under
standing that all the blank books,
blanks, and supplies generally for the
county shall be furnished by me under
the contract of which this bid is made a
| part"
| Now in regard to the mandatory in
junction obtained the facts are, that af-
ter appearing to show cause in obedience
to the courts mandate and after draw
ing the attention of the court particu-
larly to these irregularities as we'll as
others IiUrs gross even than the iiiustra-
tlons gwen the court after delibe1 ating
for several days, caused new writ to
be served on the board making the man
datory Injunction perpetual and
commanding the board to enter into a
contract with ]. B. Gossage, for every
thing in sight (the wood, janitor work,
etc., having been already contracted for)
it could only include the county print
| ing, with the blank books, etc. Now the
county printing bids had never up to
this time been examined or compared
nor have the board up to the pre- sent
time on account Of this Injunction ever
taken anv action on the county print
ing, consea uently the claim Of the Jour
nal that the board was undertaking to
give the county printing to party out
side of the state Ii deliberate falsehood
done only to create sympathy among
it's readers. The blanks, blank books,
etc. have always been purchased out.
side of the county and for the most part
outside OF the state. The very firm to