Bids for the stamped envelope contract unsealed by Marshall Jewell

Marshall Jewell opened the bids in the presence of “principal contractors or their representatives.”

The information on Jewell’s declaration about rigid adherence to the terms of the contract came from an article published by the New York Republic, which was reprinted by the Courant on October 6, 1874.  That article also confirmed that all of the bidders were represented at this meeting.

James W. Marshall had re-opened the bidding process on August 20, 1874.

A. D. Hazen will travel to Springfield, MA, in order to visit the plants of the bidders from the Connecticut Valley on September 21, 1874.

“The bid of the Morgan Envelope company, through some inadvertence, was not signed, and the representatives of Reay & Nesbitt objected to its reception.”

1. The bids, ranked from lowest to highest, were from:

• Wilbur R. Ladd
• Gill & Hayes
• Morgan Envelope Company
• Plimpton Manufacturing Company
• George H. Reay
• George F. Nesbitt & Company
• Woolworth & Graham

This information had been “unofficially stated” at this point.

2. The price for Reay’s machinery, which Reay considered reasonable, would be $5,531,596.49 today.
3. George H. Reay was the current holder of the contract to produce stamped envelopes and newspaper wrappers.

Unattributed.  “Envelope contracts,” Hartford Daily Courant, September 21, 1874, page 2.

Unattributed.  “The stamped envelope contract,” Hartford Daily Courant, October 6, 1874, page 2.