Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-06-20

4
printing scandal brought to light by tho
report OF special Investigating
committee appointed by the Judge
OF the Arnpahoe county court. The
| matter II one OF general interest,
as the Smith Brooks Printing Com
pany. who do the county printing. are
also printers for the state or Colorado.
The report Indicates great negligence.
To say the least. on the part or the
county commissioners.
Harvey Riddell. attorney: w. III.
kistler. statIoncr and printer. ana
Thomas l.. Bonfiis. clerk OF the county
court. reported on Monday 10 Judge
Ben Il. Lindsey the result Of an in-
vestigation made at his request Into
the moneys paid by Arapahoe county
to the Smith-Brooks Printing Company
for printing and stationery, between
January 7. 1901. aud April 10 last.
The report was transmitted to the
board OF county commissioners by
Judge Lindsey. with request that I'M
mediate action be taken thereon and
thar suit be brought to recover the
overcharEcs oom the smi,h'b.ooks
Company.
The committee finds that more than
$4,000 was paid for printing and sta
tioncry to the Smith. Brooks Company
during tho period named. and that Mt
least nalf OF the amount was IN over
charge.
The report occupies about two col.
umns aud Is accompanied by tables
showing the alleged ovcrchargcs upon
which Its findings are based. II Is. In
part, ax follows:
Denver. June o. 1912.-ion. Ben II.
Lindsey. Judge County Court. City
Dear Sir: In compliance with your CON-
municaiion OF the 9th ulilmo. we here
with submit to you the result OF our In.
vcstigntIons- As you We're particularly
concerned regarding charges against
your own court. We first devoted our
attention tn the bills rendered by the
Sm!th-Brooks Printing Company To the
county commissioners for printing.
supplies and stationery. ordered by
them for your court under the present
contract and specifications for 1907.
Back OF the present year We have
been unable with m! degree OF nbso-
lutte certainty to pursue our invcsiirn-
tons sto all charges made against
your court. The reasons FOR this are.
first. because you have been unable. uii-
| Ill the evening OF this day. to furnish
us with the contract and specifications
| for 1901. and second. because up 10 tile
first OF the present year the bills for
supplies furnished by this company for
| the different branches Of the county
government seem no, to have been sct-
arntcd or satisfactorily itcinlx'i.
"By the specifications each Item
therein bid upon Is designated by what
is known ns form number consisting
OF a letter and number following. ns
for Instance. Item q liz, refers us To
the specifications which points out such
Item. the nature thcrof and the price
bid therefor.
ave have. however. taken ut random
several bills and different Items Of nc.
count for both years 1901 and 1Dp2.
and these demonstrate beyond any
doubt that not only your own court.
but In our opinion. every other brunch
OF the county government has been
charged outrageous and indcfcnsibic
prices for printing and stationery.
I'm the first place the contract prices
| In the great majority OF cases for work
required by the county have been ex-
orbitnnt and beyond all reason. and III
the second place that there has appar-
entity been no prctens. to limit the
charge TO even the contract price.
| ".rhe plain terms and letter of the
contract in nearly every particular
have been violated with apparent I'M
punity. For, as to the contract itself.
| II seems to be sham on mere casual
inspection.
"For instance. take the item of cnvel-
opcs, the specifications on page one. de-.
! tail a great variety OF such envelopes:
| form Az calls for Quantity wanted
2.OOo,. size (No. 10). quality ,NN whiteD.
hid, S1.5o per thousand. while further
| down the column there Is form C-2
Quantity wanted 1000. size tNo. 1oo.
| quality INK white). price per thousand.
S. This system is carried out through
out the bids for envelopes. The only
earthly difference In the specifications
is that the same envelope Is TO be had
at S1.JO In quantities OF 1000 and %
in quantities OF 1000. so that 2.ovp