Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-18
THE PRINTING CONTRACT
New York Firm Threatens to Appeal to the
President.
The Representative of the Firm Given
Hearing by the COmmissiOn.
ers The Result.

There was a very remarkable hearing be-
fore the Commissioners this morning. and
it ended abruptly by the speaker declar-
ing his intention to lay his case before
the President of the United States for re-
dress.
1t was all about the printing contract.
When the recent bids for doing the. work
were opened it was found that the lowest
bidder for printing the tax list was e New
York firm. the Metropolitan Printing Com
pany. Heretofore the Commissioners have
been handicapped by having this work
Gone away from the city. for the reason
that considerable time was lost in trans
hitting the proof Sheets and mistakes oc-
CURED at the very last moment, when 1t
was too late to rectify them
There are several cases on record where
the District has suffered considerable
financial loss from mistakes of this kind,
and the Commissioners were hopeful that
the lowest bidder for this work would be
District man. They even took the pre-
caution to insert a clause in the specfica-
lions providing that in cases Of exceo-
tional emergency they should have the
right under the contract to award por-
ton of the work to a local firm. but this
was declared to be illegal.
Several Propositions Considered.
Then it was that a proposition was con-
cept the next one, which happened to be
that of a District printer. This also was
reported against by the attorney for the
District, and the Eext proposition consid-
cred was to readvertise for all bids. reserv-
ing for the District printers the tax list.
But, as stated above. this was found to be
unauthorized and all bids have been
thrown out and new ones ordered.
The hearing this morning Was the Gull
rpipa nj
between the Commissioners and the New
York printing house Some OF TINS Cor
respondence, i; is stated, threatened ref
erence of the case to the President IL the
Commissioners Gid not award the contract
to the New York firm.
Mr. J. Frank Mckenra, representing this
firm made application to be heard. and
the hearing granted. 1t took place
this morning, and was opened by Mr.. Nc
Kenna presenting evidence in the shape of
big books. showing the company's facilities
promptly interrupted by Commissioner
Wight, who stated that the Commissioners
did not care to go into that, as they ac-
cepted the statement that the company was
equipped to do the work.
Mr. McKennn's Question.
Mr.. McKenna then asked why it was,
then, his company did not receive the con-
tract. and what were the objections. Com
missioner Ross replied that the Commits
sioners were opposed to awarding a con-
tract for this important work to outside
printers for the reason that it was incon-
venent and dangerous. Copy of great
value to the District might be lost en- route,
and slight mistakes were always liable to
occur. which would cost the District great
financial loss.
Mr.. Mckenna admitted that this might
be the case. but thought it was not liable.
He did not see. anyway. why the Commits
sioners had invited bids. and asked the
question why they had. The Commissions
ers either considered the question imperti-
rent or did not care to answer the gentle
iran. for they replied that it was no argu-
ment.
Has No Appeal.
What are We to do them" he asked.
There is no appeal. it seems. from your
ruling We have gone to considerable ex-
pense in presenting the bids and find that
We cannot even get out an injunction. /
shall be obliged to lay this matter before
President Mckinley If We are not treated
fairly. 1 have been advised at the Depart
ment of Justice that have the right"
he then deprecated the incident, and
thought 1t would not have to come to an
appeal to the chief executive, because his
relations had always been most friendly
with Commissioner Ross. He asked the
Commissioners to hold the matter I'D until
senator Teller could see them and added
as he closed, that his company had not
been treated fairly
When he had gone the Commissioners
rejected all the bids