Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-30

Office, and are as follows:
City printing from April 20, 1903,
to April 20, 1909. 81
Times proceedings. ..$615 55
Times printing ordinance books$22O 90
......... ....'.-.....- -
Total Times. ............... S835. 55
Weltburger proceedings. .s486. 16
Gazette miscellaneous. ..... .S100. 80
The Leader miscellaneous. . .$48. Al
..................- -..............-
IOtal. ....-...... .....sS Sl, 4fU- AZ
We have reliable information that
the above work could be done for
approximately one half or $735. 21 less,
in fact, it has been done for great
discriminate in this one particular
case when all other contracts must
be let to the lowest bidder where the
estimated cost exceeds $20O.OO? /
said at the council meeting this is
not treating our tax payers fairly,
not is it treating othar newspapers in
our city fairly, as everybody knows
that the paper which is declared the
official paper of the city to pL blish
proceedings and other official notices,
has great advantage over all the
others az everybody must consult the
Official paper occasionally. this nautu-
rally brings with 1T great prestige
and city job work. There are cases
on record where paper paid bonus
to the city for this special privilege.
You will notice, that there were
1920. 0U paid the Times for printing
ordinance books. Will the editor of
the Times plea . explain Why this was
not let to the lowest bidder among the
responsible printers in our city? If
you could not figure this out at so
much per foliu, l can show you respon-
sible printers who would have printed
the same job for much less money
and it is the swoIn duty of every
alderman to see chat the business
of our city is economically, as well
as legitimately conducted. Where is
the economy in this case? The mai
ority of aldermen who voted to table
my resolution which is printed below,
evidently were afraid of being
slurred throug the columns of the
Times for daring to do their duty.
the same as l was. or the resolution
should have been adopted without a
descending vote.
Our city ranks as one of the fourth
class, and our present daily paper,
If one might judge from its recent
editorials and news items, will find
it difficult to be ranked among respect
able papers at all. Then why shuuld
we pay second class price for our
printing? The law only allows $50
per folio in first class cities and this
is the limit for first class papers.
Why not give an equal chance to all
and special fsvors to none.
Following Is the resolution whi ch
was tabled On motion of alderman
Ryan:
By alderman HartwIg:
Resolved, That before designating
an official paper for the ensuing year,
sealed bids be advertised for, by the
city clerk, for the printing and puG-
fishing, per folio, of all ordinances,
notices, council proceedings. job work
and other proceedings of the common
council or officers of the city of
Watertown, Wisconsin, required by
law to be published.
Resolved further, that the clerk -e-
port such bids to this common council
at it's next regular meeting.
Alderman Rysn's motion TO lay it
on the tabe was adopted.
Let the public judge for themselves
whether or not it should have been
adopted, and if rot, why not?
II the printing we're let To the
lowest bidder, council proceedings,
etc., could appear in our German paper
at the same contract price, but an
additional ten cents per folio might
be added for translating from the
English to the German language, and
there would still be a gret saving
over the present unfair practice.
The present ordinance which pro-
vides for the payment of thirty five
cents per folio should be repealed and
another introduced which provides
letting the work to the lowest bidder,
but limiting the price to set reason
able amount, 80 that a possible com.
bination of our printers could no,
get another advantage of this city.
Respectfully,
A. Fl. Hartwig.