The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-02
Wichita Jeweler and His Pull
Get the Plum.
Will Furnish Silver Service for
the Kansas.
TT WILL COST $4,000.
Weight of the 35 Pieces to Be
1000 Ounces.
Punch Bowl Is Included in the
List.

The contract for the furnishing of
the silver service for the battleship
Kansas was carried off by Ed Vail, of
Wichita. After inspecting all the bids,
the governor and his council, which
he called in to help him, selected the
one presented by the man from the
Windy City. 1t contains 35 pieces,
and will cost $4,000. Upon its COM
pletion it will be shipped to Topeka
and exhibited in the state house for
a time. Then it will be displayed in
Wallis store at Wichita, from which
place it will be forwarded to the bat
Sleship Kansas.
The service will weigh about 1000
ounces when completed. It will be
one of the finest in the navy. Mr.. Vail
made a special trip to the seaboard to
talk with naval Officers and md out
from them just exactly what they
deem the most appropriate. He got
their views before he submitted his
bid, and yesterday he told the gov
srnor about some of the information
which he had obtained.
The service will contain the follow
ing pieces,
Punch bowl, with base, twelve cups
and ladle.
Four bonbon dishes
Two f1ve-branch candelabra.
Tea service, consisting of coffee, tea,
sugar and creamer.
One large waiter for the tea service,
embossed with picture of the state
capitol.
Two covered vegetable dishes.
One large meat dish.
One large fish dish.
One entire dish.
Soup tureen.
Water pitcher and tray
Mahogany cigar box, trimmed with
silver.
1t viii be noticed that punch bowl
is included in the list of pieces. Gov
ernor Hoch did not shy at the intro
ductton of this piece in the set. st
have no objections to punch bowl"
he said when some of the state officers
5ollted him about 1t. Every one of
the sets has a punch bowl. 1t seems
TO be the greatest of all the designs
and I must say that it is very beauti-
full. All of this work is great. 1t is
very, very beautiful indeed. 1 only
wish I knew more about it than 1 do
Right after O'Clock the display
began. Six different bidders were
present: Tiffany. of New York; the
Gorham Manufacturing company. of
New York, represented by Ed Vail, of
Wichita; the International Silverware
company, of New York; Caldwell &,
card, of st. Louis; Charles E. Wardin,
OF Topeka. They ranged their water
color drawings of the designs about
three of the rooms in the governors
private office, until the place looked
like the Manual Training school on
visitors day in the drawing depart
mentS. The governor started to look
them all over. and then sent for his
different state officers, who came and
helped.
Only one of the bidders offered
many small pieces. All the rest offer
ed simply a few large designs. Naval
officers say that visitors on board of
the ships carry away small pieces like
spoons, knives. forks, cigar holders
and such things as souvenirs. Mermod
& Jaccard was the only firm which ex-
hibited a full line. They offered 24O
pieces to their set.
The designs which were accepted
will be on exhibition IN the governors
ONCE for a few days where people may
see them. They will then be sent back
TO the factory where the set will be
made 1t may be a year before they
are completed. at cannot tell when
the set will be DONE" said Mr.. Vail
s'Fhere is no hurry about making it,
because the battleship, though launch
ed next week, will not be ready for
1t for still year, about which time l
understand the vessel is to be ready for
service
While Governor Hoch was busy de-
termining on the set which was to be
accepted yesterday afternoon, a tele-
gram from the Galveston Commercial
club was handed him. asking that the
service be presented to the battleship
at that point. The matter will, how
ever not be settled for some time vet.
Mr. Vail and his company may have
TO wait a year for their money. He
will get a voucher for the amount as
quickly as the set is delivered Aud
itor Wells has announced that he
would refuse to approve the voucher
because of the obscurity of the law in
that it did not specify what officer
shall draw the money. None of the
bidders were worried on that point
however. All of them were willing to
take their chances.