Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1898 — HOW ABOUT IT? [ARTICLE]

HOW ABOUT IT?

Will the Would-be Official Organ Explain this Matter? A little matter has been brought to our attention in regard to the peculiar methods of our commissioners in letting contracts for furnishing books and stationery for the county. Haying no statistician at the court house to look the matter up for us, and not being able to spare the time ourselves, we will simply state the facts 'as given to us, and next week will inI vestigate the matter thoroughly ! and report. In the meantime, if I our informant is wrong in the matter we would earnestly desire to > have the would-be official organ so state, and fully explain the transaction to it's readers. According to our informant, a little more than one year ago an agent for the W. B. Burford Co., of Indianapolis, came before the board of commissioners to secure the stationery contract for the coming year for his company, and offered to furnish same for $1,200. The commissioners “took the matter under advisement and promised to communicate with the house. This they failed to do, however, and contracted with Wilson, Humpherys & Co., of Logansport. at $1,400, which was S2OO more than Burford asked. Wilson, Humpherys A Co. failed to furnish stationery satisfactory to the officers and the next time Burford’s man came here on his regular trip, he made arrangements with the commissioners to furnish them stationery for the county as he had previously been doing, and from that time on Burford furnished all of said stationery and Wilson, Humpherys & Co. furnished nothing. They were simply dropped, but continued to draw money until their $1,400 contract was fully paid. Thus, during this time, Jasper county was paying for two sets of stationery from two different companies, while, as a matter of fact, only one set was furnished, which, of course, was all that was needed. As previously stated, we have not had the time to look this matter up thoroughly, but our information came from a reliable source, and the fact that $2,882.08 was paid for books and stationery last year is additional proof that our informant knew very nearly what he was talking about. Such wasteful and shameful, if not criminal use of the public money, (if true,) could hardly be surpassed by expert boodlers anywhere, and the people of Jasper county should consider for themselves whether they desire the further service of such officers and the other ringsters.