The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-02-14
Financial Affairs Of Hennepin County.

Financial Affairs Of Henneptn County.
We regret that the citizens of Hennepin
have become involved in financial difficulties,
such as are represented by the expose which
we to-day copy from the Republican,. Our
neighbors are passing "through the milf Of
official rascality, the same as was the fate of
Ramsey in her EARL or days. But stiff rein
beld in the hands Of honest men in Office,
and her great resources will bring her all
straight in year or two. Let our neighbors
take courage, and resolve as one man hence
forward to keep all public money grabbers
out Of office.
~ --.. From the Minnesotian Republican.
The Affairs Of Hennepm County.
The publishing of an Annual Financial
| Statement of the affairs of each county is
provided for by law; End it is wise and we'll
that it should 50 be. 1t has never been
pIacticed in this county heretofore; but
the Commissioners Of this year resolved to
try, in this as in other respects how ii would
operate to comply with the requirements of
the States. 1t is right that the people
should know what has become Of their money,
the state Of the public accounts, and how
their affairs have been managed By their ser
wants. Among the most valuable sugges-
tons Of Coy. GOrman's late excellent mes
sage is this that public prosperity r. quires
that the people should carefully look after
the detaIs of their local, precinct and county
affairs, and to see to it that there is faith
full administration of the laws in small mat
tiers.
The statement Of the commissioners has
given rise to great deal of talk but f
months there has been a widespread con-
viction that the affairs f our county were
getting into a bad shape. Yet the worst Of
it does not appear in the siaiolncat, as We
shall show
goods subject to the payment of debts
the statement places ''uncollected tax, esti-
mated, Sl6,OO0.'' The estimate" agrees
very nearly with the books, but hard facts
are against it. TIC Who!a amount of un:
collected tax on the first of January was
about S25, O93,l2. If every cent of it were
available, the school fund would claim 25 per
cent. of it, and the Territorial Treasury 10
per cent. more-in all IS, 100, SO leaving ST.
3OO,53 to be classed as assets, or means
which can be applied to the payment Of debts.
But the plague of it is. the tax is but lit
tie more than half collected; the tax list is
said to be full Of errors. and nearly half
Sheriff Baker says more than half--of the
land in the county is taxed to unknown"
The sale of land for delinquent taxes is a
poor way to raise money, "ta{ titles" not
being the kind to suit men who would make
investments. We believe the amount of
cash received from the delinquent sale last
year was but $40 The county bids in the
land and the owners redeem it at their
leisure: So that, for the purpose OF meeting
than S TO- 900 of the tax uncollected on the 1st
Of January. Ex-Sheriff Baker has Just paid
over to Treasurer Tcnney Sl,647,7 in county
orders, and $2,G4875 in gold. The gold all
goes to school fund, along with ether money
paid over by the Ex-Treasurcr.
The returns of the orders cancels so much
Of the county debt. But the whole sum,
together with all that Mr.. Baker had pre-
viously collected and paid in, only amounts
to about $4,000, whereas the whole tax of
1856 was 1884, 593,l2.
The other item of assets is $4,000 in
county bonds, issued on account of the court
house. Here again the statement, while
dSICCIIIS Will tuC OtHcT pTtSCIl ldCtS W
which the commissioners could with pro-
priety refer, gives too favorable view; as
there is no probability that the bonds can
now be disposed of at their face.
So much for the ''assetts.' Let ns turn
to the county's liabilities. Under the head
Of "Present Indebtedness" the Statement
gives only the amount of debts falling due
this gear. But any one who examines the
&c ,fok., o.
ty bonds, will discover that there is in prin-
cipal and interest, an additional debt of S34
lGO, payable at various intervals, ending in
500, which added to the previous sum makes
the cOunty's total outstanding liabilities a
mount to $S6S,3OS most of which is On ac-
count of the Court House, which, so far as
is now kqaomn. will cost the county in the ag
greSate and in the end, over SOL 900.
AS to the Court House, it is noble edi-
flee, finely situated, and well adapted for its
intended use; and we doubt not the contrac-
tor has faithfully performed his part But
thousands of the people of the county can
never look upon it with feeling Of satisfac-
ton. The law required that the county
should erect that building upon land to which
it had an ''unencumbered title" !,ut the
commissioners accepted from DIR. Ames a
deed, conditioned that whenever the county
should cease to use it as the location of its
Court House, it should revert to him. And
so, after the location of the Court House had
been fixed, against the will of many of the
people, the matter is SO adjusted that under
no circumstances can removal be effected
without forfeiture both of the land and of
| the costly building which is placed upon it,
Whether this conditional title is an SUNNI
numbered title" or not the lawyers differ
| Those who are not lawyers will probably
agree.
In respect to the amount stipulated in the
contract, and the steps subsequently taken,
it is doubtful whether wise or legal course
has been pursued. The Legislature of last
winter authorized the Commissioners Of the
county to issue bonds to the amount of 500,
900, to enable them to borrow money and
build Court House. 1t also authorized
them to provide by taxation for the interest
on that amount. 1t did not authorize taxa
ton except for said interest; and it did not
authorize the borrowing of money beyond
what the bonds might enable them to do
Hence by implication, it shut up the Com
missioners to the necessity Of building a
Court House which. exclusive Of interest
should not cost over $4,000. They let the
contract at $4,000, and aftcrward added
extra work costing 81 400 more. They then
permitted the bonds to be negotiated on such
\ hot flo &c L., 20