The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-31
TO A DEMOCRATIC FIRM
THE COUNTY CONTRACT LET TO SEN
TINEL PRINTING COMPANY.
It's Bid Was Apparently the Lowest
How acquisitions Will
he Made.

The County Commissioners yesterday
awarded the county printing contract for
next year to the Sentinel Printing Company.
Based on the specifications furnished by the
board when the different printings firms
were asked to submit figures, the Sentinel
company's bid is $4,75235. Commissioner
Greer said yesterday evening that the con-
tract had been let to the Sentinel company
because its bid, after the most careful fig
uring, was considered the lowest and best
There were eight bids in all, as follows:
Sentinel Printing Company, $4,752.S5; Has
selman Printing Company, $5,216.2S; Baker
& Thornton, $7,213.79; Levey Bros & Co.,
$9,522.65; w. b. Burford, $7,59OO1; Central
Supply Company, $12s34.51; Mcdaniel Print
ing Company $S,S55.SS w. II. Morrison &
Co., $S,S73.5S. The bid of Levey Bros. q Co.
was among the highest submitted. This
firm has had the printing contract for the
last year.
The eight bids were submitted a week ago,
and since then the commissioners, with
Deputy Auditor Shepard, have gone over
the. figures many times. The county attor-
ney was also called in to assist
in aseertaining who was the best
bidder" In asking for bids for the
work the board furnished each printing
firm set of specifications showing the diff
ferent items that would probably be re-
quired in the way of supplies The specfi-
cations contained about sixty different
items. In preparing the schedule the board
had each county officer submit a list of
what he thought he would need during the
coming year.
The contract which the Sentinel Printing
Company signed yesterday provides that
all articles required not enumerated are to
be furnished at the same rates as similar
work mentioned in the specifications and at
current prices" When the board was ready
to award the contract w. S. Fish, of the
Sentinel Printing Company, was called in
and informed that his company was the
lowest bidder and would be given the con-
offered by the board. Mr.. Fish, after a talk
with the board, said that everything was
satisfactory to him. He then arranged with
the board to give a $4,000 bond. The amount
of LeVey Bros. & Co.'S BID is $4,000.
we think the contract we have made
with the Sentinel Printing Company will
save the county many thousand dollars"
said one of the commissioners. Under the
present contract the commissioners will
know of every article furnished the county.
The printer cannot come in and say he has
furnished such and such an article ordered
by some county officer and demand pay for
it. Hereafter nothing can be oruered in the
plies without a requisition from the county
officer needing the article, and this requisi-
ton must be signed by the president of the
board. When, anything is needed for an
office the head of that office must make
three copies of a requisition, one of which
he will keep for himself; another will be
kept by the board and the third goes to the
printer"
The bids of the Sentinel Printing Com
pany and the Hasselman company were
very close. representative of the latter
concern was present yesterday when the
board awarded the contract He remarked
that his firm had no objection to make 1--WE
have been beaten fairly" he said, and we
are ready to take our medicine. do not
think any of the bidders will have any Sc
rious objection TO Offer
The commissioners say there is no accu-
rate way of ascertaining just what the
printing will cost the county next. year.
They say that in all probability the print
ing bill will run higher than the Sentinel
Companys figures, but they are sure the
expense will not be as high as it has been.
The Sentinel company had the contract for
the county printing three years ago.
One of the principal members of the Sem
tinel Printing Company is John w. Minor,
late candidate for state auditor on the
Democratic ticket and another is Charles
L. Haugh, a local Democrat of prominence.