The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-10-15

lhc Grand Jury of Ahleviila District beg
leave I" report HAT they have examined the
reports "f the Comm issonc,s of Roads anl
, Eridr"s-"f the Commissioners Of the Poor ani
! I'll" Comm is-i"ncrs of Public I;nIl,linrs and
would report III reference ihcrcunt" that the
Commissions Of the Trcasurcrs Of said Boards
mr." TO" great ami enormously disprop"rtonate
t" the services rendered.. In III" first place
! they would take up the report of the Commits.
: sionrrs Of Roads and Bridges and here We find
! the commissions Of the General Treasurer
/ amounting {" Four Hundred dollars and
: this amour, added to the commissions of the
Sul'-Treasurcr, makes the amount which the
! District pays for receiving and disbnrsing the
! public money in that department alone, near
! Five Hundred dollars, nnd that for services
which any good accountant could discharge in
/ Il few hours.
: Again, we find that the Treasurer Of the
! Commissioners Of the Poor has received com
missions 10 the amount Of Sl72.73. and the
Treasurer of IN" Public Buildings commissions
I" the a,n"nnt of S;:21G g. max ing. in all about
$500 which Ahhrvii!c District pays in the way
of commissions for the receiving and lishurSing
If the public money in the ahovv-mcnii ii"rcI
departments alone.
Neither are the commissions their only income
SO Ghrrmilv have they assessed th. District
that it seems they frequently have large amounts
o; cash on ha,,l, sometimes 90 Ion" as twelve
months. with"n, ac"onutin" for any interest,"
for Instance the General and Sub Treasurer of
the Commissioner, of Roads aud Bridges have
ON hnnd ut this time. cash t" The amount of
hal Al,
% AID the Commissioners Of Pubic Hniliinra
s'2S.'G: none Of which seems ut this time to
, IL" needed. aud may not he needed for months
to coma.
In view. therefore. Of the largely increased
and increasing expenses OF the District we
would suggest tha, til" Commissions of the sail
lrca>"rcrs bc reduced to , per cent per cent
! for receiving AMI per cent, for dsbnrsing
We woaid ala" report that neither the Gene.
raj Treasurer and Sub Treasurer of the Com
rniSsi"ncrs of Roads and Bridges have given
bond for the safe keeping and disbursement Of
! the money committed t" their charge. nn.l in
view Of the fact that the District has in past
| time suffer ed loss from such neglect, we submit
that they may be required to return to former
usage. and give bond for the safe keeping and
disbursements of the public money; also, that
! they return aga i'll to former usage and have
, their reports Pnhi>hcd in the Banner and Press
f"r III" inspection OF the uhlic
We would also report that the Ont.tloor
Pension svs,e,n Of the Comm i,sioners Of the
Poor is not in accordance with all economical
expenditure Of the public money. and liable 10
very great abuse. AMI that therefore the whnle
system should be abolished without any ex-
ccrt"rs.
We would also report that the CORN iss ION
OF the Tax Collector, in consequence of the in.
| crease IN our taxes, are nearly, if not quite,
double what they We're ten or twelve wear,
ago. whilst the labor Of collecting: them is no
greater. Th. whole duties of the office can be
discharged in from -i-iI, /" ten weeks. and Vel
f"r service for that length of time he receives
nj present, not less than :i.nh, a remuneration.
rs all mast confess, "r, OF ali proportion t. the
! services rendered, and n": in cn:si$,c;ic, with
m "c"n"tnca! expenditure Of the public money
We therefore suggest reduction Of the I,rcseu,
commission from ) per cent. {" per cent.
W" also rrj'ort th;. the Market House is IN
unsig!'tly "N;ect i'll the Public square. anl
somewhat Of u nuisance, and recommend that
1t bc removed.
In the discharge Of our duty we have exam
incd the Court House md Jail and have to re.
port that we find The Jail, particularly the
| prisons III the Jail. in rather n filthy condition.
and in much need Of the securing broom and
white wash brush, and we much fear there is
carclcssness in the keeping Of the KEYS Of the
! prisoners
| We would again revert to the report Of the
Commissioners Of Roads and Bridges. and re-
p"r; tla, the Board Of Commissioners have
limited he commiss ion Of the General Treasurer
TO $40, and yet, Notwithstanding such all order
he has received commissions to the amount oi
:I;i3 and w"nid also report that their whole
business seems to be managed carclessly and
cHtrnvngantly.
Also. the Little River Bridge nt Searl,'s
Mills has been reported to VS. us in IN unsafe
condition.
| We also beg leave to present the Retail Liouor
shops at Abbrville e. II. n public nuisance
not only ms n curse to the village but to the
sui rounding country. and We regret to find
them not only tolerated but countcnanccl m
tronzed and supported hy so many prominent
citizens at Abbcvle G. H.. and whilst we have
; to confess tint there has been no advance in
the cause of Temperance. and are constrained
to feel that any, an, all reformation must come
through the agency Of the Church Of God and
throughatho influences of his Spirit, we very
much fear that any more stringent laws than
| tl:e existing laws could rot be enforced md
would remain dead letter upon our Statute
| Books
We would also present tho Town Council Of
Abbevie Village AS careless aud inefficient.
All Of which Is respectfully submitted.
WM. BARR, Foreman.