Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-02-26
THE STATE BOARD OF CONTROL
BULLETIN NO. 24-THE SYSTEM
OF BUYING SUPPLIES FOR
STATE INSTITUTIONS
Resume Of the Operations Of the In
stitatious under the State Board Of
Control for the Biennial Period End
ing JAY 81, 1914.

Minnesota, through the medium of
the state board Of control, expended
$l,l6l 500 for supplies for the mainten-
ance of the various state institutions
during the fiscal year ending July 81
last, and it is Of general interest to
know that only fraction Of this
amount went into the Golfers Of con-
Germs oatside the state
OF the purchases made for main
teAanee Minnesota firms ana manu-
facturers profted to the extent Of
S;s19, $50. outside firms having branches
in the state, $74,25O, and farmers and
local dealers living and having their
places Of business in the vicinity Of
the several institutions, 1899, $40. The
latter expenditure was largely for
eggs aad butter and butcher cattle.
All that dealers and concerns out
side Of the state received direct was
S55,56o.
Fur fuel, $o62,SOO was paid out, md
while the product itself came from
outside territory, the contract went to
state agents and dealers. The wood
used esne from Minnesota forests.
Vita the exception Of the State Uni
versity and the Soldiers Home sup
plies for all state institutions are con
tracted for by the state board Of con
trd- A purchasing department with q
chief 2ad q force Of clerks is MAIN
tanned, and every three months deal
ers in and manufacturers Of needed
articles and foodstutfs for maintenance
arc assided that bids for the supply
ing Of the same will be entertained. In
the meantime the aggregate amount of
supplies 20 be requireu are ascertained
through estimates from the institution
heads.
In the basement Of the capitol are
maintained large sample rooms where
intending bidders display their goods
for inspection. II prices and quality
OF goods are satisfactory to the pur-
chasing department orders are placed
for delivery as needed.
In the matter Of quantity or number
ala supplies for maintenance are con-
tractea for on the basis Of more or less
and to be shipped as needed. In order
that the board may be in constant
touch With such purchases and their
delivery, a daily report by the pur-
Chasing agent covering the quarter for
which awards were made is required.
This is further supplemented by re.
potts from the heads of the institu-
tioaa showing receipts of the same,
condition, and other desired Informal
doas- Copies of these reports as made
are placed On the desk of each mem
Der Of the board.
In placing orders for supplies for
maintenance purposes, and even when
building operations are involved, the
policy Of the board has always been to
patronize Minnesota concerns where
possible. Occasionally there is such
wide difference in price on some staple
that the board is forced to go outside
the state for the article needed, but
this dees: not occur: often. -..
That only $55,59O out Of total ex-
penditu2e last year Of more than ST.
900 ~ went outside the state speaks
volumes in this respect.
For instance, Oh January 10Th last
supplies Of sugar, coffee, tea, beef pro-
ducts, hour and feed were ordered for
practically all the institutions under
the Jurisdiction of the board Of con-
tired. The orders placed that day were
among the largest of the quarter and
involved q heavy expenditure. The
an Investment Of $:iO,27S. This con-
tract was divided among seven firms,
all Of them Minnesota concerns, and
the majority Of them having mills in
institution towns.
The sugar order went to St. Paul
firal and covered every institution con-
trolled by the board. Nearly $4,000
pounds were ordered and the total cost
411
likewise divided between two Mime
sofa firms, one of them at Duluth, and
weat to swell the grand total Us plac-
ed with Minnesota concerns.
Contracts for meats as noted on this
particular report of the purchasing
department totaled over $4,000, and
were divided between seven firms, all
OF them Minnesota corporations, and
all but one of them maintaining local
killing plants. Those favored include
South St. Paul, st. Paul, Wi.ona,
Walker and Austin.
The coffee order went to q Minneso-
ia jobber and involved AL expenditure
Of nearly $4,000.
On January 21st Of the last quarter
neary $500 worth Of cereal breakfast
foods were purchased and only one
small item of the lot went beyond the
confines Of the state.
On the same day orders for cheese
and navy beans were placed and five
Minnesota concerns were favored. Con
Germs in Fergus Falls, Rochester and
Cannon Falls received parts of this
contract.
On January 22d contracts aggregat-
ing 1868 were let and Of the eight
items named only two outside concerns
rrofited. The articles in question were
gelatin and fruit buffers. In all, four
firms participated. On the following
day, January 23d, an order for nearly
$1,000 worth of supplies was given.
They were divided among eight firms,
Of which two were outside concerns.
The outside orders were for salted fish
and cereal coffee
While a supply of refrigerated
meats is always kept on hand which
necessitates purchases from the big
plants, where possible, cattle are pur-
chased direct from the farmers and
prepared for consumption at the insti
tuition slaughter houses. The Roches-