Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-29
PRINTING BIDS A SURPRISE
Big Firms Who Usually Nonopoliss the
Work Out in the Cold.
LINCOLN JOURNAL COMPANY GETS ONE JOB
Omaha Firms Secure Nothing, while
Fremont Tribune and Several
Small Concerns Take the
Remainder.


Nhrom Stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, April ESPECIAL. when
the State Printing board met today to let
the contract for printing state supplies to
last during the year and for the prindng
of biennial reports, the Omaha and Lin
coin printers who usually get this work
ran onto a new proposition. and II the
board lets the contracts to the lowest
bidders these big firms will not get a look
in on the big jobs. with the exception Of
the supreme court reports, which will go to
the State Journal company. the printing
OF biennial reports all go to the Hammond
Printing company Of Fremont, j. L. Clafiin
of University Place and to Lee ]. Howard
Of Belmont. The bids filed by these firms
were in many instances from 80 to 100 per
cent lower than the bids of the big con-
cerns while the latter firms had bids only
q few cents apart The board today tab
ulated the bids and will meet again
Wednesday to pass upon them.
At one stage of the game today Claim,
who IS a printer in a small way at Uni
versity Place, got cold feet when he saw
how much lower he was than the big CON
Germs and he asked permission TO with
draw his bids. The representatives OF the
big concerns promptly fled protest and
after the noon recess Clafin withdrew his
request for Withdrawing his bids and asked
that they be tabulRted. He filed the fol-
lowing letter with the board:
At the time Of your opening bids for
printing reports this morning I requested
that the bids made by myself on certain
reports be withdrawn and be not con-
sidered. Since that time II appears that a
number of bidders who might otherwise
have received contracts, should my bid
be withdrawn, in their earnest desire to
save money for the state, have objected to
my request being granted. Therefore ]
SSSsr to wit6d5sg that tt The
its place among the bids submitted by
others. In doing this 1 desire to call at
tention OF the board and of the public
that my bids are enough higher than the
same work was let for two years ago to
insure a fair profit, while a portion of the
nearly 100 per cent higher than the con-
tract price two years ago. With the ear
nest cooperation OF the different depart.
ments, of which am sure / will have, all
contracts will be faithfully carried out.
Tho following signed the protest against
the Withdrawals: North & Co., T. e. sedg-
wick, Benton Bros. Gillespie g. Phillips,
woodruff Collins. and the Klopp- Bartlett
company.
Clahin VIII receive the following con-
tracts; Auditors reports, 1000 at $40 a
page. Two years ago this report cost S1.2I
and II was printed by T. e. Sedgwick
state treasurer's reports, $325 a page. Last
was printed by Gillespie 81 Phillips. Re
ports Of the bureau OF labor. 1000 copies
AOs a page. Two years ago this report
cost az and was printed or rather is
now being printed by T. z. Sedgwick Food
commission reports, 1000 at SO cents a
page; report OF attorney general S1.42 a
page Two years ago this contract was
let to T. Z. Sedgwick for $1,H a page
adJutant generals report, 300, $1.42 page
Two years ago this contract was let TO
6edgwick for Sl17 a page. Labor bureau
bulletins. 10000. Clalin. 1888 a page. Two
years ago Sedgwick got this contract for
HoS a page.
No reason has been given why the prices
+ fled for this letting are so much in ex-
cess Of the prices charged for the same
work two years ago.
Bids Vary Little.
The following are the bids filed, showing
that the Lincoln and Omaha printers. with
Tim sedgwicl. had minds peculiarly the
same:
One thousand auditors biennial reports:
State Journal, $3.50; North & Co, &.35;
Woodruff. Collins, $S.S; J. L. Clehin, 81; 40;
company. s.; Rees Printing company,
SO; Omaha Printing company, SO t!9
Kd aTp Hart ess ii0mgs IS "" Lowest bid
one thousand biennial reports secretary
OF state: state Journal company, %56;
Gillespie g Phillips, Sass; J. L; Clafin,
500; T. p Sedgwick, $46O Hammond
company, $3.50; Omaha Printing company,
$3.50: ISiopp- Bartlett company, $4.6O; West
ern Publishing company Sass. Lowest bid
der, Western Publishing company
One thousand state treasurer's reports:
State Journal company, 1875; North g.
Co.. $685. Woodruff Collins, So Gillespie a.
Phillips, S.72; Lee Howard, 1875; ], l..
Claim, 1875; Hammond Printing company,
t4.75; Rees Printing company, $3.50; Omaha
Printing company. $3.50; Klopp- Bartlett
company, s.; 50. j: L. Clafiin won the tie
q and got contract for 1875.
One thousand commissioner of public
lands and buildings reports: State Journal
S326; North q Co, S243; Woodruff Collins
Sa 10: ]. L. Clafin. eS cents; T. f. SedgwicI
$26: Hammond Printing company. N.10;
Rees Printing company, 2.22; Omaha
Printing company. 1891; Klopp- Bartlett
company 81 Lowest bidder, ]. L. Claln
eS cents.
One thousand superintendent OF public
instruction reports: State Journal s. IS
North & Co.. Sass; Woodruff Collins, 81 IS
T. u. Sedgwick. $780, Hammond Printing
company, S.95; Rees Printing company,
S271; Omaha Printing company, $269i