The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-26

TOT period ot tlVe years and no longer and that no bid for a longer period will be considered said bid shall state spe- officially and definitely the price at which the books will be furnished, and shall
 be accompanied by one or more specimen copies of each and every book proposed To be furnished and 1t shah be required of each bidder to deposit with the Treas urer of the State a sum of money such as the Commission may require, not less than five hundred dollars, nor more than twenty-five hundred dollars. according
 to the number of books each bidder may propose to supply, and notice shall fur ther be given in said advertisement that such deposits shall be forfeited absolute ly to the State if the bidder making the deposit shall fail or refuse. to make and execute such contract and bond as is hereinafter required. within such time as the Commission may require, which time shall also be stated in said advertisement All bids shall be sealed and deposited with the Secretary of State. to be by him de- lfvered to the commission when they are In executive session, for the purpose of considering the same, when they shall be opened in the presence of the Commis- sion.
 Sec. 6. Be 1t further enacted. That it shall be the duty of the said Text Book Commission to meet at the time and place designated in such notice or advertise ment and take out the sample or specl- men copies submitted, upon which the bids are based and refer and submit these to the sub-Commission as provided for and directed in previous Section of this act, with instructions to said sub-Com- mission to report back 10 them at a time specified, with their report, classification and recommendation as provided in pre- rio
 said report Is submitted it shall be the duty of the said Text Book Commission to meet in executive session to open and examine all sealed proposals submitted and received in pursuance of the mo- tice or advertisement provided for in Section of this act It shall then be the duty of said commission to examine and consider carefully ell such bids or pro- posals, together with the report and recommendation of the sub-commission and determine in the manner provided In Section of this act what book or books, shall be consi 1ered for adoption taking into consideration the size. quality as to subject matter, material printing. binding and the mechanical execution and price, and the general suitability for the purpose desired and intended; Provided, however, That all books selected or adopted shall be written or printed in English. After their selection for adap- ton shall have been made the said com mission shall, by registered letter, notify the publishers or pHoposers, to whom the contracts have been awarded, and it shall be the duty of the Attorney General of the State to prepare the said contract contracts In accordance with the terms and provisions of this act, and the said contract shall be executed by the Gov ernor and Secretary of State, with the saal of the State attached upon the part of the State of Alabama and the said contract shall be executed triplicate, one copy to he kept. by the contractor, one copy by the secretary of the text book commission, and copied in full in the minute book of said commission, and one copy to be filed in the office of the Sec retary of State, at the time of the execu- tioh of the contract aforesaid the con- tractors shall enter into a bond in the sum of not less than ten thousand dol lars nor moro than thirty thousand dol lars, payable to the State of Alabama the amount of said bond within said limits, to be fixed by said commission, cond- toned for the faithful, honest and exact performance of his contract, and shall further provide for the payment of reasonable attorneys fees In case of re- covery in any suit upon the same, with three or more good and solvent suretes, actual citizens and residents of the State of Alabama, or any guarantee company authorized to do business in the State of Alabama may become the surety on the said bond and it shall be the duty of the Attorney General to prepare said bond and approve the same; Provided however That said bond shall not be exhausted by single recovery, but may be sued on from time to time, until the full amount thereof shall be recovered and the said commission may at any time, by giving thirty days notice. re- quire additional security or additional bond within the limits prescribed. And when any person, firm, or corporation shall have been awarded contract and submitted herewith the bond as required hereunder the commission through It's secretary shall so inform the treasurer of the State and 1t shall then be the duty of the Treasurer to return to such contractor the cash deposit made by him, and the said commission, through It's sec retary, shall Inform the treasurer of the names of the unsuccessful bidders or proposers, and the treasurer shall upon receipt of this notice return to them the amount deposited in cash by them at the time of the submission of their bids, but should any person. firm, company or cor poratlon fail or refuse to execute the contract and submit herewith his bond as required by thls act within thirty days of the awarding of the contract to him and the mailing of the registered letter containing the notice, provided the mailing of the registered letter shall be sufficient evidence that the notice was given and received. the said cash deposit will be deemed and Is hereby, declared forfeited to the State of Alabama, and it shall be the duty of the treasurer to place said cash deposit in the treasury of the State to the credit of the general school fund, and provided, further, that any re- covery had on any bond, given by any contractor, shall enure to the benefit of the said fund of the State, and when col lected shall be placed in the treasury to the credit of the said fund and be prorat- ed among the several counties of the State.
 Sec. r. Be it further enacted. That the books furnished under any contract shall at all times during the existence of the contract be equal to, in all respects the specimens or sample copies furnished with bids; and it shaU be the duty of the Secretary of State to carefully pre- serve in his office as the standard of quality and excellence to be maintained in such books during the continuance of such contracts the specimen or sample copies of all books which have been the basis of any contract together with the original bid or proposal, and the con tractor shall also furnish each County Superintendent of Education like speci- men or sample copies which shall be pre- served by him in like manner and the same shall always be open to inspection of the public. It shall be the duty of all contractors to print plainly on the back of each book the contract price, as well as the exchange price at which it Is