The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-29
DEADLOCK OVER
 SILVER SERVICE Mississippi BattIeShip Commits sion In a Little 1angle MRS. LOCKWOOD'S WORK Commission Is Divided Upon Question of Giving Contract for Service to
 Philadelphia or Jack
 son Firm.

Jackson, Miss, January 28.-(Special.)- The Mississippi battleship commission is deadlocked over the silver service 1t is proposed to purchase for the great warship that is named in honor of the state the vote standing to 2. Governor Noel and Dr. Dunbar Rowland of the department of archives and history being in favor of the bid made by a Philadel- phia concern, and ex-Governor Varda- man and State Superintendent of Educa- tion Powers voting to award the con tract to Carl J. V. Seutter, a Jackson jew eler, the bids of these two houses being exactly the same.
 The bidders represented before the com mission were as follows:
 C. J. V. Seutter, Jackson, $6700.
 J. E. Caldwell & Co.,, Philadelphia, sS7OO
 Carl Lehman & Son, Natchez, s6i5s.
 Meyer & Schamber, Meridian, s6231.
 Each firm bidding had large drawings, showing the designs of the several ar ticles called for in the specifications viz: ]: One punch bowl, two dozen cups, one ladle, one pitcher and tray, one center piece and platter, one tea service with kettle, sugar, cream, spoonholder, choco- late pot, one soup tureen, one large wait CT, salad bowl. ice bowl, two bread trays, two cake baskets, two bon-bon dishes and one vase.
 The larger pieces are engraved with historic scenes, incidents in the life of the state, the new capitol, the old capitol, the battleship. etc., and all are very handsome, so that no matter which design is chosen the battleship that bears the name of the state will have no cause to be ashamed to show it to visitors at home or abroad.
 The representatives of the firms bidding were admitted to the governors office one at time and given opportunity to explain their work. This having been done a vote was taken, resulting as above stated, but not without some fric- tion. Mrs Eunice Lockwood, the special representative of the commission, who has travelled all about over the state to raise the money with which to purchase the silver service was present, and on the first ballot voted for the Philadelphia house, giving that firm the contract. But Governor Vardaman made the point of order that Mrs. Lockwood was not a member of the commission and had no right to vote.I Dr. Rowland thereupon offered a resolution to the effect that Mrs. Lockwood should be allowed to vote, but that was lost to 2, Messrs. Varda- man and Powers voting in the negative.
 At the beginning of the meeting ex- Governor Vardaman stated to his asso- ciates on the commission that he had been made to suffer considerable annoy ance by newspaper reports to the enect that he had not turned over the sum or money he had collected while governor of the state for the silver service fund, that he considered that money was placed in his hands as a public trust, and he was going to keep 1t until the silver service was purchased, when he would turn It over to the firm that secured the con- tract He declined very positively to place the money in the hands of the com mission or In the bank. The sum in his keeping he stated to be $1704. 80, and which he would pay to the firm that se- cured the contract to furnish the silver service.
 pr. Rowland offered resolution to the effect that all funds collected for the bat tieship fund be placed in bank where they would draw interest till needed. The res olution was voted down to 2, Messrs. Noel and Rowland voting aye, Messrs. Vardaman and Powers voting nay.
 The following resolutions were adopted l:
 Resolved. That the diligence, energy, good Judgment and tact which have in a marked degree been displayed by Mrs. Eunice Miller Lockwood, as the represen- tative of the committee charged with the duty of raising the necessary funds, by public subscription. for the purchase of a silver service for the battleship Missis- sippi are most satisfactory and pleasing to the committee and to the people of the state. Her success in difficult undertak-