The Placer herald., 1857-02-14
AUBURN, FEBRUARY IA, 1857.
Economy in the County Administration

call the attention Of the Board Of Supervisors
to certain reforms, which in our estimation
ought to be instituted for the welfare Of the
county.
In our present financial condition it would
be useless work to attempt an argument
In favor Of economy. We owe an enormous
debt and can't speculate out of tive must
sooner or later pay it. Our taxes are already
sufficiently burthensome, and we must there
fore look to a rigid course of economy, and
strict responsibility in the expenditure Of
every cent Of the public funds in order in
the future to remove this incubus from our
shoulders. We are satisfied that our sucges-
lions have not been thrown away, but the
Board has not gone far enough AS the
members of the Board are recently installed
in Office, we are willing for the present to
attribute this sin of omission to excusable
inadvertance.
1t is true that some of these reforms strike
directly the interests of individuals and in
deed no public move can be made without
effectng the interests, either favorably or un-
favorably, OF some one or more persons. This
however should not prevent us doing our
duty to the people at large. We have urged
the making Of these alterations at this time,
for the reason, that the present incumbents
Of the county Offices, for whom we entertain
personally the most friendly feelings, have
but few months to serve, and therefore it
could not effect their interest to any great
extent; and secondly, because certain rules
being already established, our political friends
who are to come into office on the first Of
June next, would not consider it thrust at
them individually or collectively, but last and
not least because Of the imperative necessity
of the case.
When commenting before on this subject
we referred to prices at present paid for the
board Of prisoners, and we fully expected,
and believe that the people looked to the
Board to take some steps with the object Of
reducing that expenditure.
For the last four years the Sheriff of the
county has received at the rate Of ten dollars
per week for the board of prisoners-that is
the price paid now Times, however, have
greatly changed, board with lodging can be
obtained in Auburn at our hotels at from
seven to twelve dollars per week, and we are
informed that it can be obtained for even
less than the lowest amount we have men
toned, in many of the surrounding mining
localities. For one we do not see that the
unruly loafers whom society is forced to chain
up in the county Jail, should be fed upon
more dainty fair than that which supplies
the cravings of an industrious, honest mans
stomach, and no one can convince us that
the county should pay more for an article
than it is reasonably worth.
Therefore we say, if the board of these
prisoners is not worth more than from five
to seven dollars per week, then that is all
the people should pay for it. People who
keep boarding houses and hotels, do SO at a
great outlay Of capital, in buildings or rent,
in employing walters, cooks, chamber-mads,
&c, most of which could be avoided by the
contractor for the JAIL These persons do
not receive, nor is it necessary that they
should have, but two meals per day, nearly
everybody else set three meals
If the Sheriff takes the job he should be
paid the same as any other contractor.-
There is no reason why it should be made a
source Of profit to him, merely because the
law has placed in his hands monopoly in
other business matters.
Tho article Of stationery has been many
dollar out Of the public purse. Now all
that any officer is allowed in that way at
county expense, is such record books as are
necessary for preservation and which will
pass into the handle of his successor.
When it is bought on the order Of court,
copy Of that order specifying the articles
should accompany the vouchers. Is this al
ways dopel Perhaps it is, We do not make
the remark to reflect on any person, but to
point out what is requisite
The statute makes it county charge, to
furnish offices for the Clerk, Sheriff, and
Treasurer, yet our court house is used as
offices for other purposes. This is not OBJ
jectionab'e provided our depleted Treasury
iu benefited, but if not, revenue might be
derived from that source that would equal
oar expenditures in stationary, wood, candles,
aud pay of porter.
These are close times, and we are now
upon the ''bed-rock." What would have
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