Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-04
THE SILVER SERVICE CONTRACT
Side Lights on the competitive" Dis
play of Designs.

P'"y W CcSl9nS.
Editor of the Daily Press
Pursuant to the awarding by The
legislative commission OF the contract
for the battleship Virginia silver sery.
ice To Philadelphia concern, i may
be able to throw a little light on the
matter.
The legislature appropriated $4,000
lor 'hc purchase Of suitable service
ana the commission appointed To re.
lect designs consisted of Governor
swanson, Lieutenant Governor ELY.
son, Mr.. Cadwell, speaker OF the
House; Atiorney-General William A.
emerson and Adintant General
Charles j. Anderson This commits
sion asked for bids for a silver sery.
ice not to cost over $4,000 ($j00 be-
ing SCI aside for The expense of pie
| senlation. etc }. each bidder lei inc M.
lowed perfect freedom as to ;lesisn,
number OF pieces. etc. In other
words, the commission said. 'Gnr.
tlemen, we have 81 800; yhat can YOU
| give us for it?".
Now this was dminen.,y fair com.
petition. and but for c..c incident
| would have proved tile wisdom of the
l
| The unfortunate inaiden: was as
follows: Some time aao The colon,al
Danes of Virginia decided TO give The
| battlcship a token IN siiva! am. fixed
upon center piece for flowers and
pair Of candelabra to match.
| For some reason or other, possibly
because Of the human feeling that
anything coming from away off some
where else is bettar--the can;rac. for
making this silver waY awarded 10 n
Philadelphia concern without ccpsnl..
Ing any Virginia ,llvcrsmitn.
This concern althoirgn doing l:usi
ness in Il town lIsnaly alluded Ia as
slow. was not slo~ III perreiylpg The
}oLportunity 10 60 another stroke CT
business. Accordingly. these picccs
Tor the Colonial DANES were finished
up ahead OF schedule time and Two of
the concerns bris'l'.,i, saleanicn tno.;
them In charge anI carried them TO
Richmond. rhen cama The TASK Of
working up the attn ,.iGhcre 4 :sjte
OF rooms was employed ut The .Jctfrr
son and with u little julir!ous al.
vertising the t.oIonirl Danes s.lyrr
was placed on display
Befor> Leaving nhi!a.lclnliia half
tone cuts of the pieces had been made
ara the itlcia'3ni papers were IL.
ncsted to publish the pictures tosctl.t +
with well wor,ie4 ,lescrp' .on
Saturday mOrGi.:g, April FIST, had
been set by the commission as the
date on which the various designs
Tor the silver service for The Vir.
sinia would be considered
Twelve more or less elaborate sci.
or drawings were presented and all
placed on display in larg, room IN
the capitol building. Practicable ev
cry design was OF high degree of
merit and scarcely one could have
been chosen which wopll not nave
been credit to tile State.
But here was where The trouble he.
gan. The Colonial Danes silver vas
displayed ON nice mahoguny table
in conspicuous place aud around II
were grouped a number Of drawings
Tor battleship service designed 10
match in every detail the coIonia!
Danes center piece and candelahra.
The writer saw the lilmor II he
situation and called the attention 81
some of the other bidders TO the dis.
play. "Oh. that's all righ;." was the
response Of a Richmond silversmith.
lei have positive assurances that the
contract will not 90 outside Of the