Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-02
,-;u.Citv Printers Claim They
We're Disseminated Against
by the Committee.
r.S SHORT NOTICE FOR BIDS
s,.se,s Attorney Notifies Outside
concerns Bills win Not be
Paid Without Fight

80 vas made by committee and
/ -Ibout- authority from the board
/ q supervisors
| v \. Phillips Of this city and c.
L. Karus and J.. c. First OF Moline
| ,,rs,itute the committee on public
1 synsnditureS which is said to have
/ u the contract Complaint was
/ ~sde BY printers and binders of
1 ~ county and the matter has been
/ nken up by States Attorney Floyd
| thompson
| the states attorney said he
/ ssarched the records to find where
~ board had authorized the pur-
base Of a Two years supply OF
| h,oks and found ne such authority
| IL satisfied himself by further in
,uiry. he said, before notifying the
ggtside printing concerns involved
tbat payment Of their bill would be
resisted
| HIS communications were ad-
dressed 70 the Illinois Printing
rompany at DauviiIe and the George
| D Barnard company at St Louis.
| He told these companies that the
4 eomnittee was without authority
1 10 make such q purchase. and there
| fg-p collection Of a bill for the work
| vould be only after q lawsuit.
charge Advance Information.
The situation, as viewed by Rock
/ Island and Moline printers, is as
aI.ows;
Representative OF outside print
Il Ing concerns appeared TO have ad
vance information with reference to
the proposed letting Of the con
tract
When local concerns were advis-
ed Of il, the rush act was attempt
ed. and they were given only few
hours II which TO prepare bids on
books for a supply OF two years,
many Of the books to have patent
bindings. prices for which are con-
unualIy changing
Not having time to formulate
bids. the representatives of the
Rock Island county concerns at
tended the meeting called for open
ing OF BIDS. to ind out what kind
Of a game they were up against,
rather than to submit figures
After some plain talk, some
charges and deniaIs. the committee
decided to permit the local firms to
BID z few days later. although they
admitted that the bids of the for
eign concerns already had been
opened
Rock Island and Moline concerns
did not receive the contract
BIDS of the foreign representa-
tTes. who had been hObnObbing to
gether at the court house, were so
arranged that each received a part
Of the Job
Whether warranted in It or not,
managers Of local plants feel that
instead Of any consideration being
shown them as industries of the
county, contributing TO the reve-
hues Of the county, the deal was
engineered TO their disadvantage.
The Rock Island county printers
and binders concerned in this mat
ter were Kramer & Co. of Rock Is
land and the Ransom Printing com
qany Of Moline
Lczrns by Accident
Thomas Carron, according to rep
TesentatiCns made at the office of
Kramer & Co., by whom he is en-
ployed, went 10 the court house on
the day the representatives of the
outside printing concerns were
there, he having no knowledge that
this large contract was to be award
Cd Just as he was about to find
his distant competitors in the build
ing, he met Supervisor Phillips,
who stopped him and told him there
probably would be something to in
teresJ him that day Late in the
Afternoon he was given the speci-
hc2uOns for the large order and
vas asked TO have q bid in by l
NE next afternoon. He replied
that he did not know as he could
get i ready on such short notice.
Being otherwise occupied, he was
unable TO prepare the figures and
turned the matter over to Henry
Kramer, manager Of the plant 1t
Is sad by the local managers that
the kind Of work asked for is such
Aat justice to themselves and to
Tie county could not be done in Civ
Ag figures on such short notice.
Without any figures, Mr.. Kramer
attended the meeting Of the COM
nlttse at the hour fixed for the let
ting.
Near the close Of the work day,
Eoout ; in the evening of the day
aaron was at the court house, Mr..
herIs went 70 the Office Of the Ran
som Printing company in Moline,
t&dng with him specifications for
ne contract.
What was said during the short
4ine he was there appears TO be a
natter Of controversy, and that was
'Ae Of the topics under discussion
Nhen the committee met the fol-
owing day Mr.. Ransom went 10
.ae committee meeting without any
6gurss.
Henry Kramer arrived at the
ooamittee meeting ahead Of Mr..
A1nsom, bat the foreign bidders
we're present Upon inquiry as 10
Hao belonged 10 the committee and
N4O did not the outside bidders re
lfed. MI Kramer then spoke on
ne subject Of having Rock Island
county buy from industries in Rock
= and county He told the com
lltee that If they would inyesti-
gate procedure IA Davenport and
scott county it would find no out
sNers being given county printing
1nd binding He informed the COM
Nlttee further that on its records
resolution committing the
yoard ~ supervisors TO the policy
purchasing in Rock Island coun-
z when goods were available here.
Supervisor E3E<t- WIG - = nAzQ-