Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-01
Hearing Before the Con- .
mittee, Yesterday.
0. H. Rersey Esq. Appears for
Frank B. Nichols.
Facts About the Work Brought Out
in Testimony.

r. "N'iNai ~ ~
ihgs before the committee on print
ing.-Edl
Inc Joint select committee on State
printing held its second meeting for
business in the Senate chamber at the
Ht2te House, yesterday afternoon. be-
ginning al 4 O'clock The committee
consists OF Messrs. Heselton Of Kenne-
Dec. Potter OF Cumberland, and Knowl-
ION OF PenoDscot, OF the Senate: and
Messrs. Sewall of Bath. Kimball of
| ltochland. MORRISON of Eden. I.ibbey of
south BERWICK. Smith of Madison. Poor
OF Eelfast. ana Newcomb OF Eastpo-t.
of the House
.. III. Jersey, Esq, of Portland. who
IT the meeting had appeared as ;irst
counsel for F. +. Nichols of Bath. the
defeated candidate for State Printer.
was Informed by Chairman Heselton
that he could appear there as a citizen
With no more rights than possessed Ly
any other citizen.
Mr.. Hersey replied that this was all
he claimed.
Mr.. G. r. BurleiSh, State Printer was
on the stand for two hours. answering
all questions frankly. not being always
the craft. not beng Il printer. He was
closely questioned by Mr.. Sevall Of
Bath. Mr.. Potter of Brunswick, Mi
H"rsey. and Joseph Williamson. Esq.
He said the detailed Statement rela-
tive to the manner iii which the sums
paid for printing in 1904 were expended
had not been completed. but would be
produced ut the next meeting. The
prices charged for work are those fixed
by the statutes of the State: sometimes
the conditions are such that Il less price
| is charged When asked if the apnro-
pr;aiion for printing $4,000. would
cover all the bills Mr. Burleigh re-
piled that il would. There would be no
deficiency this year. neither has there
been amy deficiency for the past four
ears.
In answer to questions BY Mr.. SeWall
and Mr.. HerSey Mr.. Burleigh stated
+ that. while not Il technical printer he
understood it TO be Il general rule of
printing offices that tyue taken from
I he press at the completion of q job and
unlocked from the chases became the
property Of the printer. II did not al
ways follow, however. that type Corld
nearly al of the Revised Statutes
had been tied up III type for several
nnnths, and afterwards it was
found that there were so many changes
and iliterlineationS it could not be used
The entire work had to he reset. All
the printing for the various institutions
of the state are paid for out of the
State printing fund. In fixing the low
p'ice for printing. A. cents per thou
sand. the committee took Into consider
alton the Improvement in machinery.
and the certainty of pay. But Sir"e
then the price of mat cri,l has steadily
advanced, as well as the wages Of
Workm"n. the nine hour day being
adopted. making Il reduction in the
product Of the Office of at least 10 per
cent. We are paying practically the
same wages they are in Portland. and
some of our men who went to Boston
to work. have drifted back to us. 1t
WIS impossible to tell the actual cost
of certain classes of printing. as often.
in 4 rush. all three departments of the
office are m:,ssed in doing the job
Mr.. Burleigh was asked If there could
hc any .'ut down in the amount ANA
number Of the reports from the differ
cnt d, Dartments. He said that tina be-
longcd to the Governor and Council.
and he didn't deem ii his duty to inter
tere in the matter. He simply took the
work that WAS put into his hands. and
executed ii according to the contract.
Mr.. BurleiSh explained the method of
making ont bills against the State.
Receipts are obtained for the work de-
IN ri, ,ytn nd these
with specimen Of the work done are
sent to Mr.. Stephen Berry Of Portland.
auditor for the State who measures all
the work carefully. according to tn"
statutes and the contract. and corrects
vhat errors may have been made in tn"
first computation. Payment is then
authorized by the Governor and COun-
Gil. I'VE do no commercial printing for
outside parties at less price than we
get for the State printing.
At the close of Mr.. Burleighs testi
mony Joseph Williamson. Esq. stated
that at the meeting Of the Maine Press
Association in Portland year ago q
committee of which Thomas ID. Sale.
one Of the leading printers of Portland.
was chairman. was appointed to report
Il list of prices for book and job print
ing. This committee made its report
at the annual meeting of the Maine
Press Association held in the Senate
chamber. last week. and the report was
unanimously accepted. Mr.. William
son read from Mr.. Sales report and
showed by comparison that the prices
thus endorsed by the Maine Press AS |
ISOLATION were fully 30 per cent. higher |
than were paid for the State printing |
The prices reported by Mr.. Sale for the |
were az follows:
Nov in regard to prices. We think |
that for ordinary plain composition |
like straight hook work that sixty |
cents per thousand eIrs is as low as |
such work can I've done with profit. and |
any matter set in typ" larger than H. |
Point should be reckoned IS 11-Point. |
For work whore it is necessary to set |
names and ditto or TO have columns |
line on page - cents per thousand. |
For rule work here there are two or
more columns like a list Of names. 10 |
cation. and address. double price. For
ts bular work, triple Price. In setting |
M a letter head, or bill head. an envel- |
one corner or business card nothing |