The Lamar register., 1902-06-18
ARAPAHOE COUNTY ROBBED BY
EXORBITANT PRINTING BILLS.

could be bought for 81 less than the
price paid for 1000, II properly Or
dercd.
Again. the item of indexes, form G.
112, on page u Of the specifications. is
for twentysix-page index for which
there is bid Sl2; form GLIB, is for one
hfty-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 S12, with the single difference that
it would be Just double the size. SO that
in one item pointed ont herein 5000 Is
charged for fifty indexes, form G-112,
whereas had il been form GLIB, the
same index, double in size. 500 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. If white, the price
bid is SIG per thousand; II tinted green
in color, then 81 per thousand. We find
charges for white vouchers, but no case
of green vouchers has been discovered.
In fact, in every caseScoming under
our observation, advantage has been
taken by the company OF this condition
Of affairs. and where the county might
have gained By 1t, it seems to have
been victimiZed.
You will observe that, as a matter
OF fact, the bills charged against your
court from January to April, inclusive,
1902, foot up S1.2T9.50,. because as
stated in your letter of May 8 to the
commissioners you protested against
the item of $3.50 in the April bill for
1000 sheets of paper, after which pro-
test the item seems to have been rS~
duced $500. The actual value Of the
material received by you during this
time. and for which total charge Of
$1,2T9.5O was made, and $1,OT9.5O paid,
is the sum OF $2S2.25. In making these
estimates We have in every case en-
deavored to overestimate proper
charges rather than underestimate.
"As to the Item of blanks furnished
your own court and all the depart
ments, excepting in case of justice Of
the peace blanks, the contract charges
have been generally from two to tve
times what they should be.
I'm case of charges for Justice blanks
the contract is hagrantly violated in
nearly every instance. so that prices
from two to five, and even ten, times in
excess of the actual bid in the con-
tract seem to be 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
one-half. of the charges for supplies in
these bills, as to amount, are not with
in the terms of the contract at all, 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 1t can be obtained to the
best advantage Of the county of Arap-
ahoe.'"
In concluding their report, the mem-
bers of the committee announce their
finding as follows:
las a 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 1t 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, 1902,
inclusive, the sum of over SIS,OOO. On
the basis of the Illegal and improper
charges specified by us, at least one
half of said sum would seem to have
DteH WTOurlully phiu " suiu Company
and steps should be taken to recover
back the same.
Mr.. Widdell, 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 be alb
rogated by the county commissioners.
But he is clearly of the opinion that all
these overcharges can be recovered,
and is also of opinion that the action
of the Smith-Brooks Printing Com
pany indicates SO clearly an intention
not to stand to, be bound by or fulfill
this contract as to amount to an alb
rogation thereof, and so as to justify
the commissioners in ending it
retreating Yaquis. The latter left
eighty dead on the field.
The Iaquis had taken up what they
believed to be an impregnable position
at Santa Rosa ranch, in the foothills
of MaZotan' Mountains, thirty miles
.n,,tb ,f ITra, rrhav yyarn STRANGELY in