The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-12
Total overcharge ...L..........

!
The above total. $3.11751. repre-
| sentS within very few dollars the
| actual overcharges made by the To-
! peka Daily Capital for city printing,
| not deducting for loaded council pro-
ceedings, during the time which the
Capital has been owned by the present
company composed of Arthur Capper
Harold It. Chase, r. L. Thomas and
| w. B. Robey. There are still two or
three small items which the commit
their inability to get a copy of the
original publication. These items
however. could increase the total
| overcharge by only two or three dol
lars.
Last nights session of the ways and
means committee was a battle with
bugs, and the bugs finally won. They
drove the committee. out of the coun-
merely question whether the COM
mittee will keep the windows closed
and roast, or keep them open and be
pestered by bugs.
I'm not going to work in this bug
house any longer" declared Chairman
William Green when the committee
had completed the work of CHI ecking
back the accounts to the beginning of
the administration of the present Cap
ital company. The other members of
the committee seconded this motion.
Mr. Green supplied the committee
with an electric fan last night, and
committee viii be able to work behind
closed windows this evening.
After considerable discussion, it was
finally decided by a formal vote last
night to allow only the contract price
for the publication of election tables. !
The Capital wanted double pay for
such publications, though the city or
dinance and their contract both for
bid any such extras. When the COM |
mittee came across the first election |
table in checking the 1903 accounts, |
it allowed only the contract price. The |
next night it came to the 1902 table, t
and as r. l.. Thomas was present to /
represent the Capital, the committee
yielded to his representations and de- |
cided to allow double for the table. |
Monday night the committee came
across its third election table pub
lished in 1901, it became necessary to
settle the question of double or single |
charge one way or the other. The |
committee got out the contract and |
city ordinance No. S33 regulating city
printing and read them both. DR..
Ryder then made a motion to follow
the contract price. Councilman
Hughes seconded the motion. Council
men Ryder, NelliS and Hughes voted
for it. Councilman Howe against it.
Mr.. Howe said he believed that the
Capital had no claim under its con-
tract or the ordinance for double pay,
but he thought that as the city had |
allowed the claim to run along I'M
contested for four years. the Capital
had an equity in the case which
should be respected. The council will
of course be called upon to act upon
the committees report.
The work of checking w the cleo
ton commissioners printing bills for
the period from April, 1901. to June,
1904, was completed quite rapidly, as
the items on the bills were not nu
merous. 1t was found as expected, !
that overcharges prevailed on the
election commissioners bills the same
as on those which bear the .. X of
the city clerk. The total contract
price for the election commissioners
printing for the period mentioned was
$3O0S0; the Capitals charge was
S51S,74, an overcharge of S217.94- The
following is a summary by months.