Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-12
The Contract Under Discussion.


The Contract Under Discussion.
Asked about the contract for sevety-two
I.anston machines he said the first he
knew about IL was on the 10Th of June. the
contract having been made on the previous
day He was called into the office of the
public printer on June 20 and told that he
wanted an order for those machines. He
EXPRESSED surprise aud disapproval of such
a proceeding. He asked what the public
printer proposed to do with so many ma
chimes and was told that he did not know.
but that that would be determined later.
Mr.. Ricketts, said he told the chief clerk
on that occasion that II unusual to
order machinery and supplies without an
order from the particular division needing
them. and he said he had no requisition
from any head of a division for those ma
chimes When ne expressed these senti-
mcnts to the public printer the latter said
all he wanted then was an order for the
machines.
Asked whether he ever knew of a con-
tract being drawn up outside OF the Office
before. he said the only instance of that
kind he knew of that for the seventy
two Lanston machines He said the pro-
ceeding was entirely unprecedented. far
as his knowledge went.
On Specification Work.
a commissioner asked him if the Mer-
genthalers would be successful on specifica-
ton work. and he replied that. judging
from similar work that had been done by
them. he was satisfied that they would be
successful.
Mr.. Ricketts, based his judgment upon the
merits of the machines from purely a bust
ness point of view. Being practical
printer. he had watched the work of both
machines and had carefully noted the va
rious good and bad points that had been
developed in connection with them
MIR. Ricketts, on the stand during the
morning and again this afternoon.
Refused as Evidence.
The commission refused to admit in evil
dence the contents of the mysterious steam
er trunk. which was described in The Star
yesterday. 1t appears that the contents
are mass of recommendations OF the
Mergenthaler machine. specimens of its
work and other documents
I'VE urged that the contents of the trunk
be admitted" said Lanston man today.
but the commissioners were obdurate and
refused, so the trunk was kept closed and
a Merg. representative sat the lid.
why did the Lanston people desire the
admittance of this Mergenthaler document
airy testimony" queried a Star man.
Because" was the reply. we have sew
eral barrelfuls of similar testimony, and IL
the commission had admitted it 1t could
not have refused to allow ours to go In
Also"
So the steamer trunk and it's contents
were disposed of and the commission gave
Its time and attention to living witnesses.
Foreman Ramsey Heard
Capt. Ramsey. foreman of the specifica-
ton division. was on the stand last night
and was also recalled this morning He
gave his views of the finished product of
the typesetting machines as 1t was turned
into his division from the Lanston and Mer-
genthaler machines He had not had as
much experience with the Mergenthaler
work he had with the Lanston.
Occasionally the Record DIVISION which
uses all Mergs., had helped him out in a
rush. he said. but he had a generous oppor-
tunity of judging of the quantity and quail
ity of the Lanston work.
Capt. Ramsey made IT plain to the inves-
tigators that he is strictly in favor of hand
work as against both machines, but his
testimony leaned toward the Lanston ma
chimes
He said. however that he had not had as
fair an opportunity to judge of the Mer-
genthaler work as he had of the Lanston.
Had he handled more Mergenthaler mat
ter perhaps he would be able to make a
more favorable comparison
An Important Development.
An important matter that came out today
was that when the Lanston people have
their inning they will not call to the wit
ness stand a single foreman or machine
operator. and that they will therefore
quickly close their side of the case.
A Lanston man explained this today by
saying:
oh We are very well satisfied with the
evidence on that score that has been ad-
duced by the Margenthaler representatives.
They played our hand for US and played 1t
we'll
Another important Development today
was that the call for a special melting of
Columbia Typographical Union has been
withdrawn and there will therefore be no
meeting The call had been variously sign
ed. as required by the laws of the union.
but on sober second thought two decisions
We're reached.
The first was that even should the meet
ing be held and representatives of the
union be sent to knock at the door of the
secret chamber. they would be refused adj
mittance by the Keep commission. The
second reason was that according to Of
ficials of the union. the alleged investga-
ton has resolved itself into fight for SUI
premacy between the monotype and limo
type companies, and it is therefore no inn
mediate concern of the journeymen print
ers.
Later" said a printer today I'VE may
have something to say generally on the
matter of typesetting machines. We may
contend thai after all is said and done
handwork is OF far better quality and less
expensive than machine work. and We may
produce facts and figures to prove our con-
tention."
Witnesses at Variance
= Yesterday was field day for the Merg. pro-
printers. expert and otherwise, from outside
the office, seven parties being called during
the morning and afternoon session. Man
ayers OF plants have been brought here
from New York. and in some cases they
have gone to the trouble to bring their
swiftest operators with them.
But the testimony adduced by these dis
interested parties was pie" for the Ians-
ton people, according to a Lanston man.
The difference of statements between the
managers of plants and the operators of
machines (Mergs.) were often seriously at
variance. In one case the manager of
large New York machine declaring that In
his office eight pages of a certain specimen
were turned out in day and an operator
from the same Office declaring. when on
the stand. that ii took an average of seven
and half hours to each page.
Lanston to Be Heard.
1t Is said the Merg. evidence will be all
in today. and then the Lanstons will be
heard. Speaking TO Star reporter a Lam
ston man said this afternoon: