Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-03-05
The Economy OF the Wells Admin.
iSsrI:iOIl.

The Economy OF the Wells Admin
isira;ion.
The Joint Standing Committee of the
Legislature on, State Lands aud State
Roads, have made q Report, having
made an examination into the books and
accounts of James Walker Esq, late
Land Agent. This Report is not very
flatterins to the honesty of the Agent, or
complimentary to the fidelity and in,cg-
; ri,y of the Governor and Council Of lS56.
1t seems that Land Agent Walker retain
cd SS.O14,35 in his hands year after
he had received the money, and a year
after his term of Office had ccasei.-
The committee very properly say that.
1.-The State is entitled to interest on
these funds during the time Of their
abstraction from the Lanl Office. aud If
not paid. the collection should be made
by law
The compensation provided by law for
the Land Agent at the time of Mr.. Walk
or service, was one thousand dollars rer
annum in full compensation for all his
service; and Notwithstanding this, say
) the committee, he presented claim for
extra services for ITO days at $500 per
day, amounting to $3.50 which was al
lowed by Gov. Wells and Council
J The committee remark, that in their opin-
ion this payment was in violation of law
and against all precedent, except in one
or two instances where the Land Agent
, had performed certain services in obcdi
cncc to some special resolve of the Leg
islaturc and had charged small COM
pcnsation.
He also charged l-2 per cent c1-
5 change on S35.195,27 collected for
, stumpagc at St. John, y. b., amounting
to 1919, IS, which was allowed and paid
In this connection the committee remark
that il was his duty to have received
. current funds in payment Of the demands
due the State; .anl ii exchange were al
flowed, it should be only one per cent,
the usual rate between y. b. and Maine.
, But there IVES no exchange paid, as
: the money was paid in drafts on Boston,
: or cash deposited in Boston banks
In addition 20 this cheating the State of
!, so large per ccnta,c for exchange. when
t none was paid. large amount of the
Q money collected for stumpagc in the fail
of 1856 was not credited to the State
! until Dec. 81. 1857. For fear that the
, poor goose was not sufficiently well
Q plucked, another extra charge of COM
missions at per cent on moneys dis
bursed. amounting 20 S43o,59 was pre-
:, sented and allowed. In this case there
: is no law, say the committee to sustain
the charge. The Land Agent was only
5 performing a duty which belonged to
him to attend to. as among his regular
services, and for which the State pays
him one thousand dollars per annum.
, Thus far, the plumber figured into
| the capacious pockets of Mr.. James
= Walker, may be called tho result of a
slight of hand in tho art of book keep
. ing. in handling money belonging to the
v State; and the genius of the book-kcep.
D ing is exercised in the rule Of subtrac-
ton.
!. Tho Agent appears in another charac-
ter to help out the play; that 0 teaching
t the State how easy it is for it to pay,
i and him to receive, one thousand dol
lars for personal expenses. The Govern
or and Council are SO well pleased with
. the inventive genius of their appoh.tee,
g that the sum is allowed, without vouch-
c ers Of any kind The committee say
s "that there is book known as the '.bill
: book" in the Land Office upon which it
, has been usual to enter at longth the
5 bills paid from the Office. Nothing ap-
!, pears to have been entered upon their
book during Mr.. Walker administration
: The book remains a blank. Perhaps,
the committee significantly remark" it
was thought the fewer tracks left in this
} direction, the less there would be to re-
ward any future exploration" The
committee might have as well said that
, such books are useless, when Govcyn-
or and council are willing to take bills
upon trust, without any vouchers, or
other evidence of their gcnuiness or
lawfulncss.
1t appears that Mr.. Walker estimated
his services as worth to the State, for
the year, quite a pretty little sum. It
foots up something ike this
! Salary allowed him BY the Ssate 1900 %
/ Interest m S,Q1l yaar. t>l.G1
Ia days n service. extra IS % PER dav, $500
IL per CENT, commission -,jl95.es Sass
per clat commission % 9-lleT;iai ~ 'Tsal - 50