The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-29
SPENCER GETS IT..
Topeka Contractor Will Build
State Printing Plant.
Lowest Bid for the Work Is
S2S 900.
TO BEGIN AT ONCE.
Brick Will Come From the
State Penitentiary.
Deal With State Printer Clark
Not Yet Closed.

With a bid of $4,000 "even
money" Frank M. Spencer. of Topeka,
went under the wire a winner in the
race for the job of building the state
printing plant.
Competition for the work was very
keen, and of the eight bids submitted
the highest was only $31,245.
Mr.. Spencer said today: 81 am
ready to begin work at once; as soon
as the state can get that old building
off the ground I will start in. I am
anxious to get started in a hurry be-
cause the building must be completed
by November l. The bidding for the
building was very close, and while
will make a little money on my bid,
there is not much in it at the figures
I submitted. The contractors were all
anxious to get this job
The bids for building the plant were
opened about o'clock Saturday at
ternoon. All three of the printing
commissioners were present. In spite
of the fact that the law provides that
the Letting shall be in public, the
chairman of the commission, Charles
S. GIeed, requested all outsiders to
withdraw from the room after the
bids had been opened. The commits
sion was in secret session for some
little time after which the doors were
again opened, and the name of the
successful bidder announced
Under the terms of the contract
which will be entered into with Mr..
Spencer, the state will furnish, from
the state penitentiary, all the brick
necessary for the construction OF the
building, and deliver it f. o. b. Topeka
The appropriation for the DullolIlg
under the state law, is S3O,OOO. 50 the
commission has a margin OF 5000 to
pay the expense of getting the Drink
from Lansing to Topeka.
Owing to the fact that the cost OF
an elevator, and some extra plaster
ing, which were optional portions OF
the bids. would have increased the
expense to over $4,000, these items
were dispensed with, and only the
absolutely necessary portions of the
| building will be constructed Some
subsequent legislature will probably
be asked for an appropriation to pay
for the installation of an elevator The
bids on an elevator for the building
varied from S1,045 by F. M. Spencer
to $500 by the Morse Contracting
company. Various kinds of elevators
were offered.
Reinforced concrete will be used
| largely in the construction of the
building. This work is done by a
| Kansas City firm which will take a
sub-contract under Mr.. Spencer for
the work, paying him a certain per
| centage of the receipts. Reinforced
concrete consists of concrete with
steel beams imbedded in it.
/ The following were the bids, exclu-
sive of the bids on elevator, special
plastering, tin roof and few other
/ options, all of which were eliminated:
| F. NJ Spencer, Topeka ................$2S.0 900
I NJ Heery Topeka Observation-Disclosures. Is, I22
! Cuthbert & Sergeant, Topeka .......- ,74C
Henry Bennett, Topeka -....-.-.-..... 9,40
! Ez4~c17 IA
/ H. A. Douglass. Topeka -.-...-....-.-. 30.2lS
4 Bowers Contracting CO., Topeka 1925
Morse Contracting Co., Topeka pa
Deal With George Clark.
After disposing of the contract for
the building, the printing commission
talked over the deal with Geo. Clark
for the purchase of the state printing
1 plant. Mr. CIark's first price on the
/ plant was $4,000. Later he came
4 down to S22,500. The commission had
the plant inventoried, and offered
/ $4,000. Mr.. Clark refused to con-
slider such an offer.
The negotiations are hung up just
at this point. The printing commits
sion is willing to come up some or
their price, but they say that Mr.
Clark has an exaggerated notion Of
what his equipment is worth The
| commission thinks it has Clark Where
he will have to sell. sooner OF later
rather than have the commission star
in and buy a new equipment through
out. On the other hand, Mr.. CLARK
contends that he has a right to the
office for two years more and ne
might cause the new printer greai
deal of trouble, though he has showT
a disposition to submit without
night. The state has $50, 900 to spene
4 on equipment. If the state pays ClarI
$4,000 it will leave $4,000 for new
equipment, of which So,OOO viii %
spent for two new typesetung ma
Achfnes