Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-01-02
For the Democrat s. Sentirel.
The Letting of the Poor House.

The Letting OF the Poor House
Messrs WHITE & DEvINE:-Permit me through
the columns of your valuable paper, to call the
attention of the public to what is said to be farce,
played off on the 9th ult. under the above cap
ton, by the directors of the poor of our county
| am well aware, that if these men acted with
clean hands as the directors of the poor, and the
agents of the tax-paying community, that what is
now said about them will fall harmless at their
feet, and like all other caumny, will neither poison
them with its sting, nor disfigure them with its
slime. But on the other hand, if they have been
playing a smart game, playing false to the trust
reposed in them by tax-ridjen county, it is
right that they should be visited by the and
contempt of an indignant public Now let us
take glance at the complaints made against
them, and the facts by which the public endeavor
to bear them out. An act of the legislature was
passed in May 1854, establishing house in Cam
bria county, for the relief and employment of the
poor. Under that act directors were elected, the
fury of Know Nothingism made the board consist
of men who could have no concert of action to do
evil, and things were done satisfactorily during
that regime. The no less fury of anti-Know-
Nothings has at the last election. defeated of
that class, and consequently destroyed the guard
around the former board of directors, and renders
the present one by no means void of suspicion
The first great official act of this new board
to have letting of the poor house, though it is
said the contract had been previously promised to
the present contractor long before the letting. If
such be the case then the directors would have to
resort to some maneuvre, to lauify the public
vision, or in the vernacular, to pull wool over
their eyes. A letting advertised, responsible
bidders made their appearance, and bade in good
faith as if there were no gouging. One of the di-
rectors of the poor, having large establishment
and well able to turn to good account almost
cry material necessal Y for the building, might
naturally look out among the contractors to see
which of them he could make the incest thing out
Of if he had not seen that already. Another
of the directors, whose philosophy would scarcely
rank with the seven wise men of Greece, had fix
ed his mind on the same contractor, having formed
an attachment for him because they hunted in
couples for the last year or two.
This contractor's proposal, un6erpinned
by one from tie son Ct the director aforesaid, and
that again underpinned by the directors son-n-
law, SO by taking out these underpinnings the
IOunudltOu SuOulO SlduQ Oti IilC pldSC- Due
beholdl there were several other intermediate
obstacles, and another manoeuvre had to be resor-
ted to. The declaration of the contract was post
poned till the next day in order to give them time
to reflect. They came then to the conclusion that
they could make the manner of payment cover up
the matter, and could easily get round it IN that
way, by telling the contractor to go little lower
than any of the others in his time of payments,
if it was any difference to the taxpayers whether
they pay it this year, next year with interest.
Now if these things be true the people have
right to complain, but if the following be true,
they have still greater right to complain. There
were three or four proposals under ten thousand
dollars, by men responsible and as honest as
any of the directors the contractor, (although
1 consider him deserving and worthy man) and
yet am informed the directors have entered into
an agreement with him for ten thousand five
hundred dollars. What right ask, had John
ston Moore, r. j. Proudfoot, or Edward Glass to
fitch from the treasury five or six hundred dollars
of the peoples taxes2 They may answer, they
have the right of Office. They were placed there
by the voice of the people, although that voice
has been in their case, expressed in wrath and
fury, regardless of qualifications.
These directors are sworn to act truly, faithful
Iy and impartially, and they presumed to do
so until the contrary becomes manifest / wish
for their sake and for the sake of the public that
they may not be true
1t is there duty if these things are unfounded,
to demand an investigation from the next Grand
Jury and County Commissioners, and let their
acts if they win bear the test be justified If they
do not do so, it is the duty of the taxpayer to
have it done 10y those men who are authorized to
do so.
We had trusted that the days of letting to in
terested favorites had passed away in Cambria
county with the abandonment of the old Portage
Railroad, and its wood and horse power. But if
these things be true, it is bold miniature sketch
of what these men would do, had they the power
of Canal Commissi oners.
81 He tba; is mean in little things,
Would be traitor in the courts of Kings"
This communication is not made in the spirit
of malevolence or Ill WILL but with the kindest
feelings to all parties concerned, by pouring oil
on the troubled waters of public opinion.
AN OLD TAX PAYER.
re- LIBEL SUIr.--David Wilmot has CON-
menced libel suit az aiIast Il. b Chase, Esq,
senior editor of the Montrose Democrat, and
laid his damages at $40 900. Mr. Chase
had the Independence to come out and ex-
pose the official corruption of WiImot and
for doing this he has been p. osecuted for libel
We presume, the whole band of Know Moth