Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-06
PAPER INCREASE TO COST
STATE $4,000 THIS YEAR
Situation Is Most Critical. Says
Superintendent OF Public Print
ing Bottom.
MUST EXCEED APPROPRIATIONS
Large Quantities OF Paper Being
Used Costs Just Twice as Much as
Last Ycal-Scarcity OF Ingredi-
cnts Attributed to War.

Unprecedented increases in the price
of practically every grade OF paper
used by the State OF Virginia for the
printing Of its official reports and doc
umentS will increase the paper Din OF
the state Printing Office from $1,000
to $4,000 this year. and cause an IN
crease of $4,000, it is estimated by
Superintendent Davis Bottom. III the
aggregate paper bill OF all the state
departments.
'ln our letter to the Finance Com
mittees OF the last Legislature We
warned IL that rising paper prices
would make necessary an increased APP
propriation." said MIR. Bottom yester-
day. Even at that time we could not
anticipate the sensational increases
that have come in the past few months.
The committee increased our appro-
priatiom $4,000. and II turns out now
that this will be just about one-third
of the increased cost OF the paper stock.
and that this office will need to take
care OF the printing of the departments
at the seat OF government, the four
hospitals for the insane and the State
Epileptic Colony"
Some Of the departments have funds
OF their own out OF which the printing
bills Arc met. the State Superintendent
Of Public Printing merely acting AS
purchasing and contracting agent, MIR.
Bottom said yesterday that $4,000
would be q conservative estimate OF
the increase in paper cost alone on all
the state work under the administra-
ton of his office.
SITUATION Is MOST
CRITICAL. SAYS BOT'rOM
THE situation is the most critical
that ! have known in all my cxpe-
Renee" said Mr.. Bottom. 81 have been
in this office ten years. and have never
seen conditions even approx imating
those that obtain now This office has
never IN The past experienced any
trouble getting all the surplus paper
IL needed at contract prices. Now we
find ii difficult to secure delivery OF
paper contracted for last October. and
are compelled to pay advances Of any
where from 30 To 100 per cent for adj
ditional quantities
I'm order 10 protect ourselves We
nave been forced to resort To low
grade papers where formerly we have
been using high grade stock. This
however. is not always practicable, and
We are using this year large Quanti-
ties OF paper which cost just twice as
much as last year To keep within
our appropriation had now become a
problem which we have about given
up trying to solve. The State printing
is required by law. and there is moth
ing to do but incur the obligations
trusting to a future arrangement to
meet any deficit that may occur"
Mr. Bottoms present estimates OF
cost Increases are based on compare
son of prices obtaining in l9l4-l5 with
prices liked by contracts let last De-
tober. Since the last contract period
there have been additional inrrea =
amounting ia some grades. to 81 per
cent aud more The States paper hill
next year. therefore. VIII show much
higher increases than are registered
he. on 10 nt at OF, q
Mr.. Bottom. for every day brings him
notice Of the withdrawal OF quotations
furnished Il week before and the sub
3titution Of higher figures.
SOME EXAMPLES OF
INCREASE IN PRICES
From his files. Mr.. Bottom picked
out as typical example the following
contract prices paid by the State for
| paper stock in 1915 and this year
No |, machine finish book s4l5 per
100 pounds in 1915: SIS per 100 this
year.
| from $3.50 to IS.
Flat writing paper. increased from
cents TO 10 cents pound
Canary writing paper. sixteen pound
! stock, increased from ~ cents TO 8
| cents "A pound.
/ a pound.
No. Fdger. from 10 cents to IL
cents n 1ound.
| No. ! coated book paper, from cents
| to 1.G5 cents a pound
Last year the State used lOO. 600
| pounds of sized and superintendent
| paper at cents pound. This year
| the same stock had to be obtained
| piccemeal from two dealers at ~, and
| Sl2 cents.
! Mr.. Bottom agreed with other stu
| dents IF the paper situation that there
Is no reason To expect early relief from
| the present shortage. IT WAS time.
| he thought for the practice Of tho
most rigid economy in paper consump-
/ ton.
| SCARCITY or INGREDIENTS
| AT'rHiRUTED TO Wal,
| Scarcity Of ingredients entering into
| paper manufacture. brought about
| partly by the war. and the greatly aug
! mcnted demand for papcr OF all kinds
/ produced by varying causes mills and
manufacturers explain. are RESPONSE
| bic for present conditions The gov
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