Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-06-20
ARAPAHOE COUNTY ROBBED BY
EXORBITANT PRINTING BILLS.

prize phiu tor i,op' ~ PoPeiy VI
dered.
"Again, the item OF indexes. form c.
li2, oil page l2 OF the specifications. is
for twcnty-six-page index for which
there Is bid Sl2: form GLIB. ls for one
ffty-two-page index. for which there
Is bid 81: the remainder OF the specifi-
cations are identically the same. Yet
In no case have We found an index
charged for under the form GLIB. not
withstanding that for 81 the same In
dex could be had for which there Is
paid Sl2, with the single difference that
II would be just double the size. so that
In one item pointed out herein $500 is
charged for nifty indexes. form G-ll2.
whereas had II been form G-il3, the
same index. double In size. $50 should
have been the price. The Item OF
vouchers might also be mentioned.
Two forms OF specifications are given.
the only difference being as TO the
color OF the paper. II white. the price
bid is $40 per thousand: II tinted green
In color. then 81 per thousand. We ind
charges for white vouchers. but 10 ease
OF green vouchers has been discovered.
In fact. In every cas-. coming under
our observation. advantage has been
taken by the company OF this condition
OF affairs. and where the county might
have gained by IL, II seems to have
been vlctimixcd.
"You will observe that. rs . matter
OF fact, the bills charged against your
court from January to April, inclusive.
1902. foot up Si.2ID.5u. because rs
stated In your letter Of May To the
commissioners you protested against
the item OF $3.50 In the April bill for
LOO sheets OF paper. after which pro-
test the Item seems To have been rc-
duccd 500. The actual value OF the
material received by you during this
time. and for which a total charge OF
81 ,2TOJO was made. and Sl.O.v.5O paid.
Is the sum OF S2s2.25. In making these
estimates We have In every case On.
dcavorcJ TO oycrrstinatc proper
charges rather than underestimate.
AS To the Item OF blanks furnished
your own court and all the depart
mcnis. excepting In case of Justice of
the peace blanks. the contract charges
have been generally from two 10 hvc
tines what they should bc.
''in case OF charges for Justice blanks
the contract Is nasrantly violated In
nearly every Instance. so that prices
from two to i've. and even ten. times In
excess OF the actual bid In the con-
tract seem TO Dc charged In most cases
investigated by u.s."
The report shows similar conditions
In regard To bindings and blank books
and goes ON to say:
"a very large percentage. probably
onc.hnlf. OF the charges for supplies In
these bills. ms to amount. arc not with
In the terms Of the contract nt NIL. yet
the contract specifications distinctly
provides: For any work not herein
specified. the county commissioners
shall agree upon the price with the
printer. or may get the same done
wherever IL can he obtained to the
best advantage Of the county Of Arap-
ahoc.'"
In concluding their report. the men,
bcrs OF the committee announce their
finding rs follows:
AS result OF our investigation and
In answer to the questions asked US
by the court. we are OF the opinion:
According to the vouchers you have
furnished us II appears that the coun-
ty has paid the Smith.Brooks PRINTING
Company. for printing and supplies
since your term In office. beginning
January Z. 1901. down TO April. 1907,
inclusive. the sum OF over $4,000. On
the basis OF the Illegal and improper
charges specified by us, ut least one
half Of said sum would seem to have
been wrongfully paid TO said company,
and steps should be taken " recover
back the same.
"AIr. Riddell. to whom, Of course. the
legal features OF these questions have
been committed. has not been able,
for lack of time. TO thoroughly inves.
tigate whether this contract can he alb
rogatcd by the county commissioners.
But he Is clearly OF the opinion that all
these oycrchargcs can be recovered.
and is also OF opinion that the action
OF the Smith. Brooks Printing Com
pauy indicates SO clearly AN intention
not to stand TO. be bound by or fulfli
this contract as to amount TO an alb
rogaiion thereof. and so ns to justify
the commissioners ia ending It."