The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-09
THE CITY PRINTING.
The Work of Listing Overcharges Still
Goes On.

The ways and means committee of
the council continued its sessions Fri
day night checking up the bills for
city printing
Because it was City Clerk Squires
whose o. K appears on nearly all the
Capitals Illegal bills, some bur-
den of responsibility for long contin-
ued holdup viii probable fall on his
his shoulders Mr.. Squires says he
measured all the legal publications and
found that they tailed with the bills as
rendered. But Mr.. Squires admits that
he did his measuring with an ordinary
foot-rule, figuring on basis OF about
so cents an inch or about $40 col
per column of ncnpariel type.
The bills themselves show that
any checking, was rather lax, be-
cause in several instances the investi-
eating committee finds that the foot
ings as made at the Capital office Were
incorrect, and that the bills were pass
ed and paid in this incorrect form
Election Commissioner T. S. Will
Jams will find himself in similar posi-
ton to that of City Clerk Squires, so
far as the checking of bills is concern
ed. All of the bills for legal publica-
tiOnS of matter originating in the cleo
ed to the election commissioner by the
Daily Capital, and were given an o. K.
by him. Mr.. Squires did not o. h.
these bills. The investigating commit
y
election commissioner bills, but when
it does, it will probably find the same
excessive Overcharge which character
ICES all the other printing bills Mr..
Williams understands that he is likely
to come in for a share of the blame,
and says:
When I first came into office, and
the first bill for printing was presented
to me by the Capital, L asked one of
the Capital managers whether 1 was
supposed to measure the stuff and see
that the bill was correct. He told me
that this was not my business; that Mr..
Squires measured all the printed mat
ter. So I simply saw to it that the
publication was legally made, and
placed my o. K. accordingly"
TOTAL IS NOW $1,655.20.
The investigating committee last
night completed the investigation of the
"a months preceding July, 1904, with the
exception of a couple of small items
which were laid over for further con-
sideration. The total overcharge' found
in the "A months is 81, $500.
Out of the compassion of its heart,
the committee decided last night to
allow the Capital to charge double for
election tables. This action was pure
ly illegal, being in direct conflict with
ing, and also directly contrary to the
Capitals contract. r. L. Thomas of the
Capital was present at the meeting,
and told the committee that it cost
twice as mucn 10
as solid stuff, and that it had been
customary ever since the time of City
Clerk McFadden to charge the city
double for such matter. This is not
true as to any custom except what
may have been the custom of
the Capital He did not ex-
plain how the city law the subject
had been evaded. Mr.. Thomas frankly
admitted that such a charge was con-
trary to the law and the contract. But
we would appreciate it very much if
you would allow US double" he added.
Councilman Nellis was wildly enthusi-
astic in favor of giving the Capital
what it wanted. and the other men,
bers of the committee seemed to think
that the city could afford to be generous
and donate the extra amount claimed
-S2S. 32-to the unfortunate. The COM
mittee was very much like Mr.. Thomas;
it did not try to explain how it had
succeeded in putting out of business
city ordinance No. 1913, which says:
-. shall receive as full COM
therefor not to exceed the fol-
lowing sums, to wit: Twenty-Five cents
per square of $50 ems for the first in
sertion, and twenty-five cents per
square of two hundred and fifty ems
for each subsequent insertion thereof"
The following are the total over
charges by months so far as the work
Of the committee has progressed: