The Forrest City times., 1913-05-16
Taxpayer" Cites Another Matter.
the Editors of the Forrest City Times.

 To the Editors of the Forrest City Times:
 In the letting of public contracts. county officials should act with per feet fairness and impartiality other wise the time will come when only the favored ones will make bids on such contracts. and contracts will go to the highest, instead of to the low est, bidders.
 It is a common expression, now, that it is useless for anyone except certain ones to make bids, for the county de- pository, for handling the public funds of the county and schools, for the reason that the county judge has d. ways found a way to land such funds in the Bank of Forrest City, of which he is the president.
 It is also beginning to dawn upon a few of us, who occasionally take the trouble to make inquiry, and to look into county affairs, that only the fa- vored ones need to bid for any of the county contracts, and the writer will cite one instance, particularly, where the proceedings were decidedly irregu- lar:
 At Page 37l, County Court Record 'L," it appears that on August l, 1911, the county court opened the bids of five different persons for con- structing L'Anguille dump No. 8, across the bottom west of Colt, the bids being based on each cubic yard of dirt to be handled. as follows:
 kimbrough & Gaines, 24 cents.
 Peevy & Vinson, 20 cents. |, John R. Williams, l9 9-10 cents.
 N E. Nelson, l9 cents.
 C. NJ. Wilkinson, 2l 1-2 cents.
 It was plain that IS cents was the lowest bid. and the contract was awarded to N. E. Nelson, who ex. ecuted good bond to carry out the contract at that price, the other bid ders taking their defeat gracefully, and without any thought or suspicion that Nelson would, at any future time, be paid bonus that would bring the price obtained by him up to a figure exceeding 26 cents per cubic yard, besides an additional profit of several hundred dollars on an item called clearing right-of-way and mov- ing fence"
 The claim as sworn to by Nelson, and filed with the clerk of the court on October 24th, 1912. a copy of which is herewith furnished you, MT. Editor, shows total of cubic yards handled as follows;
 2s,2s1 cubic yards (which at i9c per
 yard) would amount to ....... s5373 3s To which add clearing right-of-way,
 etc .. .................. 600 0t
 Makes total of .......,....... s5973 3!
 But the account as extended anG sworn to, shows:
 2s,2sl cubic yards (no price
 namedl :.............s .s74O3 e7 Clearing right of way and
 moving fence...... %. 600 co
 Total account .... =. ss003 97-ss003 9 Excess over and above contract price s2o9O 5,
 This simply means that Nelson ac tually received bonus of S2O3O. 5t over and above the price at which he contracted to do the work, and by making the calculation, it will be found that Nelson, instead of being paid l9 cents, the contract price, was paid more than 26 cents per cubic yard for the work. It is also claimed by some who are in position to know, that the work covered by the item, clearing the right of way and moving fence" actually cost the contractor far less than $500 %, and the favored friend thus picked up an additional profit.
 It may be contended that the quo. rum court, in October 1912, by vote. approved this high-handed proceed ing, but by what right or authority of law can quorum court, or county judge, thus deliberately donate to a favored friend. clean-cut bonus of more than $200000 of the people money?
 Under such conditions, is it reason. able for plain, ordinary taxpayers, who have no political pull with the bosses. and are not indebted to them. to ex- pect any favorable results from bid ding on public contracts:
 TAXPAYER No. ?
 Not Fit for Ladies.