The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-04
STATE GETS GOOD
PRINTING FIGURES
Commission Succeeds In At
tempt TO Reduce Prices of
Former Years


terday awarded printing contracts for
the state printing at the lowest fig
ures in the history of the state. This
was made possible by the action of
the commission. which some months
ago fixed maximum prices at which
the work would be awarded. Contrary
to expectations, the commissions de-
cision to keep the prices for the print
ing at low figures did not operate
against the number of competitors for
the work
The printing commission, consisting
of State Treasurer H, c. Block, State
Auditor S. G. Iverson and Secretary of
State p. E. Hanson, yesterday opened
sealed bids for the printing for the
fiscal year beginning Aug. 1, and which
will cost approximately $4,000 The
state printing is divided into five
classes, and bids were received sep
aFately for each class. A field of sew
enteen bidders entered the competition,
and one firm, which is said to have
lost $4,000 on it's contracts during the
last year, was one of those most active
in attempting to secure new con-
tract. The figures. in every class were
remarkably low, and in one class were
so close that the commission was in
session nearly all day in making final
awards.
Work Is Well Divided
On classes l and 2, which are known
as legislative printing, the McGill-
Warner company, st. Paul, was lowest.
It's bid was 25 and 80 cents per thou
sand for composition; 60 cents per first
hundred and 10 cents per additional
hundreds for first class and 81 per
thousand second class for press work.
Class 8, which includes reports of
state officers, and this year will con-
tain a number of bulky biennial re-
ports, was awarded to the Great West
ern Printing company, of Minneapolis.
It's bid was 1917 cents per thousand
for compositions; so cents for first hun
dred, 10 cents for additional hundreds
and 80 cents for additional thousands
for press work.
The state session laws constitute
the fourth class, and c. ]. Buckley, of
.Delano, was the lowest in this class.
Composition will cost 25 cents per
thousand, and presswork so cents for
first 100 and Is cents for additional
thousands.
In the fifth class, which is all print
ing not included in the other four speci-
ified classes, it is probable that the
work will go to the Great Western
company, though the Harrison Smith
company bid is so close that the COM
mission did not definitely decide yes
terday.
Prices Too High for Commission
1.-THE commission met last April"
said State Printer Dare yesterday, in
discussing the awards, "and came to
the conclusion that the state was pay
ing too high prices for its printing.
After going over the matter very thor
oughly, the commission decided to fix
the maximum price it would pay for
composition which had run from SO
cents to rs cents at 40 cents per thou
sand, and would reduce the cost of
presswork. There were proportionate
reductions in binding, ruling, etc, in
the commissions notice to the print
ers.
Instead Of frightening out the bid
ders, there were seventeen today, and
the figures at which the work was
awarded are very satisfactory to the
commission. The commission this
fiscal year will make a good showing.
1t has paid it's printing bills as they
came due each month, and expects no,
deficit next year. It began the last
fiscal year with debt of $4,000 from
a previous year-deSpite an appropria-
ton for that year of $85, ,0O0-and it has
T0uuC0Q us QGICIL SzV,UVV dilO udS pdlO
its bills to May / from its appropria- 4
tion for the year of $4,000"
The printing firms which bid yester-
day We're: r. j. MaybeH Printing
company, st. Paul; Miller-Davis COM
pany, Minneapolis; G. J. Buckley, Del
ano; McGill- Warner company, st.
Paul; Great Western Printing compa
nv. Minneapolis; Harrison Smith COM
pany, Minneapolis; G. w. Cunningham
and J. w. Cunningham, St. Paul;
Frank E. Elickson, Blue Earth City:
Pioneer Press company, St. Paul; III.
A. Blodgett, st. Paul; Rich & Clymer,
ST. Paul; Brown-Treacy-Spe COM
pany, st. Paul; E. w. Hunt, Mankato;
Jones & Kroeger, Winona; George r.
Morrissey, Minneapolis; Tribune Print
ing company, Minneapolis; Edward
st. Paul.