The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-16
COMMISSIONER GUS SODERLIND
REPLIES TO 7. 7. WENTWORTH

cneck. Wnen u. Geo. White, chairman
OF the former board, suggested that
I get a price and estimate for two door
checks together with cost OF tnsta.la-
ton for doors leading into the tax coll
leetor's office. and also the cost OF re-
pairing the Jocks on these two doors.
got an estimate Of cost Of first
class door cheek. the kind used by the
United states government IN its build
ings at the Pensacola Naval Air Sta
ton. and also an estimate Of cost 10
repair The two locks on these two
doors. together with installation OF
door checks. The price on the door
fchecks was $3.50 each and $3.50 for
the Installation Of the door checks and
repair Of the locks / made report OF
this price ! had obtained to the Board
OF County Commissioners but no ac-
ton was taken BY the old board whose
term OF office expired about that time.
AT the first Of the year. when Mr.
Wentworth came into office the mat
ter was token up again and he made
the contention that the court house
and annex ana the county jail and
court building were in his district and
under his supervision and he would
attend TO matters of that kind. The
-~N>S tAA-AAG bAaAL 4 lAHcW Oh any action 1
being taken was that one door check |
had been installed at the cost Of $500. (
The other door check was not installed /
and no repairs to the locks were made
and have not been made up to this |
time. The door check Installed is of |
different and inferior kind to the
one upon which obtained estimates. |
The difference in price being $500. /
Mr.. Wentworth's one door check Of a /
cheaper kind against two door checks /
and the repairs to the locks which was /
included in the estimate I laid be-
fore the board. shows that nothing
was saved to the county, as claimed by
Mr.. Wentworth. These are the facts I
In the Journal OF the 18th OF Oc-
tober Mr.. Wentworth again bid tor
notoriety, claiming that the bid Of
Messrs. Rauschsr and Simpson OF 500
for painting thirty-five ballot boxes
and metal book tubes, should have
been rejected and the bid given to
James F. Kearsey, whose bid was SIS.
Mr. Wentworth failed to state in that
article that the county was to furnish
the paint and paint brushes to Mr..
kearsey and he also failed to state (for
It serves his purpose better to mis-
lead) that the bid OF Mr.. Kearsey did
not include the removal of the old
paint on the old boxes.
The bid Of AIessrs, Rauscher and
Simpson included the furnishing of
the paint and the paint brushes and
also the cleaning OFF Of the old paint
on the ballot boxes and the metal
tuber for the books and also repairs
to the hasps of the, boxes and the dents
and kinks rerpoTed The board thought
It was better business proposition
and awarded the bidNto Messrs. Raus-
cher and Simpson. The public can
judge from the foregoing of the meth
DDS Of Mr.. Wentworth in trying to
discredit my work. and to show the
inconsistency and Righteousness of
Mr.. Wentworth's statements IN his
articles seeking self-praise when at
the same meeting when three bids for
painting the ballot boxes was received
Cone bid $500, one $500 and one
S9725) Mr.. Wentworth, without any
previous knowledge Of the board, pre-
sented statement that he had
price and estimate for the furnishing
and building of new smoke stack for
the heating plant at the county Jail
building for $4,000, and insisted and
demanded that he be given authority
TO go ahead and let the contract at
that price without any competitive
bidding. The other members OF the
board told him It was their opinion
that other estimates and bids should j
be required for this work so that there
might be a competitive bidding that r
the county might have the advantage
OF letting the work out in a business
ffro Vrraa VI H..
that he saw no reason for presenting Il
OF bids and referred to the bid for
painting of boxes as being a bid let /
to the highest bidder. This IS a fair
sample Of Mr. Wentworth's attempts
to discredit not only myself, but other
members Of the board of county COM
I, as member of the board. have )
borne very patiently with these con-
tinuous unwarranted attacks Of Mr.. ,
wentworth. / shah let the public :
Judge between Mr.. Wentworth and ,
myself who is trying to serve the
county faithfully and who Is trying to
maintain harmony and work together ,
for the countys interest. He by him !
self against four members of the bord. /,
might say just here that the dis :
trict from which I was elected. No. 2.
lying west of Palafox street and south :
OF Gadsden street to Pensacola bay.
and to the city limits to the westward. :
includes within the limits some Of the
biggest enterprises IN Escambia coun-
ty and vet not a dollar Of public funds
are spent in that district because the
county roads lay out OF the district
and the county's public buildings and
property are not in that district
It has always been my policy and I
my purpose to work in harmony with
the other members Of the board to
promote and advance Escambia coun-
tvs welfare and interest. MY record
has been an open book to my people.
am satisfied to let that record speak .
for Itself Has Mr. Wentworth ever s
worked in harmony with the other
members Of the Board2 No.
I win say further that / have not ?
sought, but have refrained, from news i
paper notoriety until Mr.. wentworth Z
&n,4fnynH fn rassAIfrN c