The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-29

Mayor and Three Commission-
ers Can't Solve Mystery.
Only Mr.. Capper Files Conn
plaint, with Certified Check.

oAy moFuIuSs August d at ElIle o ClO-A.
Furthermore. q new ordinance was pre-
pared by w. C. Ralston. city attorney.
and read for the first time. repeating
ordinance No. 1888. relating to the city
printing.
Our esteemed neighbor and contem-
porary could hardly have expected the
commissioners to at one fell swoop adj
vance the high cost of printing (now
lower than anything else the city hires),
about s. per cent-but nobody knows.
It's like the Million Dollar Mystery. APP
pearing today in the State Journal.
What the mayor and commissioners
are driving at in this city printing IL
beyond ordinary comprehension. The
city for years. until today. had an ordi-
nance providing for the city printing at
a rate eleven cents less per inch than
MI. Capper's bid OF this week. Per-
haps the commissioners want to hike
the rate to help our neighbor make
both ends meet. At any rate the old
ordinance. after years OF faithful serv-
ice. is about to be retired. and was
served notice to this effect by the first
reading Of the repeal ordinance today,
final consideration for Friday.
MIR. Capper Turned Down.
The Capper bid for the printing was
opened at the meeting OF the commits
sion this week and was referred to the
city attorney and w. l. Porter. COM
missioner. 1t was rejected today on
the recommendation OF both City At
torney Ralston and Commissioner Por-
ter because Of the fact that it was
eleven cents in excess or the maximum
rate fixed by ordinance. The bid was
u cents a running inch, and the or
dinance provides for a maximum OF
31.2 cents a running inch.
AS it was Commissioner Porter who
persuaded the commission to advertise
for bids for the city printing. r. L.
Cofran, mayor Of Topeka. asked him
pointedly for a reason for repeating the
present ordinance.
Mayor Cofran: What Is the
scheme. Mr.. Porter, when we have
an ordnance
Commissioner Porter: THAT esti-
mate was made in 1888. The high cost
of living has come along. and higher
wages are paid to the mechanics. That
has increased the cost of printing.
Has Mr.. Capper asked this? No
other complaint is on file.
Commissioner Tandy: THE price
wouldn't have advanced IL the propo-
sition had been handled as usual. This
doesn't look like q good deal for the
city,
City Attorney Ralston: I'VE have to
repeal the ordinance. We do not have
to accept bids in a case like this. We
can lct d COulIACl W1thOAS OA<ASs ~
wouldn't do to revise the ordinance
to comply with bid; that would be
raising the estimate"
Mayor Cofran: II understand there
is no call for change"
Commissioner Bone: bids were
e ss', IS d iaE and there was only one bid
Mayor Cofran: ct haven't heard of
any complaint Porter doesn't wish to
recontract." ,g.sss
It is q matter of business just as with
4 Commissioner Bone: ST move the
city attorney be authorized to draft an
ordinance repeating, the present ordi-
nance x
This motion was seconded by Com
missioner Porter. Commissioner Tandy
refrained from voting; the other COM
missioners voted in favor OF the mo-
ton.
Logical MIR. Ralston.
/ Following is the recommendation of
bid for printing:
To the Board OF Commissioners of the
| City of Topeka: ~
| Gentlemen: he proposal of. the
Topeka Daily Capital for the city
printing for the year beginning with
honorable body to the commissioner
of parks and public property and the
city attorney. The Capitals proposal
for the city's printing is AZ cents per
running inch. AS city attorney, re-
spectfuly .ubmit the following report:
Ordinance no. S33 provides that the
city shall not pay Tor city printing q
greater sum than 26 cents per square
OF ESQ ems. This il equivalent to 31.2
cents per rue ming inch.
The Capitals proposal Is, therefore,
nearly IL ents In excess of the maxi
mum rate fixed by satd ordinance.
The board of commissioners cannot
such ordinance.
/, therefore, recommend that the
| Capitals proposal be rejected.
Respectfully submitted
w. C. RALSTON,
City Attorney
| This was Commissioner Porter's re-
commentator relative to the Capper
bid:
To the Honorable Mayor and Commits
sioners:
Gentlemen:-I recommend that the
within bid be rejected as It is above
the certified check Of 500 be returned
and that the city clerk be instructed
to re-advertise for bids the advertise
ment to read as in the previous adver-
tisement. and bids to be received
Monday. August 8. a. m
! w. L. PORTER.
The ordinance repeating ordinance
No. S33 read for the firat time today,
and which will come mp for passage.
Friday morning at 3 o'clock: -,
IAN ordnance repeating ordinances
No. S31 approved July lie. 1888. en-
titled IAN Ordinance to Regulate the
Price Of the City Printing
!, Be it ordained by the board Of COM
missioners OF the city of Topeka. Sec
II. That ordinance No. $50. approved
July 16, 1885, entitled IAN Ordinance
to, Regulate, the Price Of City Print
ing" be, and the said ordinance IL
! hereby repealed
Section 2. This ordinance shall take
effect and be In force from and aftel
| publication In the official city paper.