Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-07

legal right to make. II further claims to
have.found one bin for III yards OF Wilton
velvet. carpet at $L65 a yard. but reports itA
inability TO find the carpet. Mr.. Marsh adj
mits that he contracted these bills without
legal authority, but iustihes his course by
saying that he followed the precedent set
by former secretaries Of state. Later in
the day. however, the carpet said to have
been missing was found in the third story
Of the capitol building.
The text OF the committees report is;
what the Bills Are.
Your committee on accounts and expendi-
lures has been handed the following bills
for legislative supplies:
Omaha Printing company, twelve
bills, aggregating ;$l'oSl %
Hardy Furniture company, carpet
and carpet lining. tyO 70
Harley Drug company...".......... 40 %
These bills are all certified to by Secre-
tary Of State Marsh as being correct and
as having been purchased by him for &C
count Of the legislature. Your committee
was unable to find any authority vested in
the secretary Of state for making such pur-
chases, other than that found in section 4
OF article II. chapter l~xxxiii. of the Com
piled Statutes, which provides that he
shall furnish the legislature and the officers
thereof all necessary fuel and stationery
when so directed by resolution Of the leg
i~slature, or either branch thereof" Your
committee called on the secretary OF state
and Informed him that II was unable to
find other authority, . and as no resolutions
had been directed to him authorizing the
purchases, he was requested to cite his
authority for contracting the bills above
named. In reply he stated that there was
no authority of law-that he. had simply
followed the custom OF his predecessors.
Being asked II he had invited bids on the
supplies contained in the bills, he stated
that, he had not. 81 .y.a#
The blu Of. the Hardy Furniture company
ia for: =
III yards Wilton velvet carpet at SIS
Ps sSo Yards velvet. carpet at $40 per yard.
$50 yards carpet lining at 10 cents per
i0 yards terry at IS cents per yard.
Your committee was unable to find any
new Wilton carpet In the building: When
{, asked as to this item the secretary Of state,
notwithstanding the fact that he had certi-
fed this DILL as. being correct, said that no
such carpet had been purchased or was in
the building; that he had not agreed to
pay more than $3.50 per yard for any car
pet. As to the other carpets designated
10 NSANNhT yShA NohhiiNNSS 20
them and finds them to be of the poorest
quality OF velvet and plush carpets. Sam
pies we're taken and sent by different par
ties to three firms handling carpets in the
city Of Lincoln. one Of them being the
Hardy Furniture company. Each Of the
firms stated that the samples were Of the
poorest quality, being poorer than they
usually carried in stock. Being asked to
name a price at which they would furnish
same for a residence, a price of 80 cents per
yard was made by each of the three Arms.
Terry was quoted at 80 cents to SO cents,
and carpet lining at 3 cents to 8 cents.
The prices charged by the Omaha Print
ing company are without doubt excessive.
In the various bills are found rubber bands,
typewriter ribbons, library paste, sheare,
pencils wire letter trays, typewriter car
bon paper. pens and one typewriter desk,
so marked that 1t has been possible to ge;
prices on the lame articles from otheS
firms. Articles so mentioned are charged
In the bills at S7Os.74. Prices made by
another Arm to your committee on these
same items would make them cost but
t4O4.57. and his IL bought in small guam
titles. II the sam rate of overcharge holds
good for the entire amount of the bills, the
charge OF s1,6s1.ss would scale down to
t1.009.02.
Marsh Makes Statement. F..