The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-07-14
County Judges Report.


al Statement, by the County Judge, of
the finances of Buchanan County, for the
fiscal year ending on the first of the pres
ent month. The statement is model
one-clear, full and explicit. There are
no indistnct items under the convenient
hea of Miscellaneous, but the pu
pose for which each dollar was spent is nj
nutely detailed. There is no tax payer,
however dull, who cannot understand
this statement-who cannot perceive pre-
cisely how his money has been disposed
of.
We have not the time, at present, to
make any extended comments upon the
statement. We cannot forbear, however
to congratulate the people of the county
upon the very favorable financial condi-
ton which the report exhibits. The
County is not only out Of debt. but has
balance in the treasury, after deduct
ing outstanding warrants, of 81, 242 40,
besides a delinquent tax Of $6,1l6 OF.
The total expenditure for the year, is
but 1892 70, including SIP s5 paid
to the county assessor for work done last
year taxes refunded, $58 81: lumber
and hardware for court house, procured
previous to July LIST, 1858, $50 40 GER
lficates issued for balance due on can
celled warrants, S193 IS bill for sta
tionery obtained two years previous,
$50 As. This reduces the actual ex
pendiures Of the year to about ST, 500,
great deal less than the estimate.
When the estimate was made, howev
er, the county had two lunatics quarter
ed upon it at an expense Of more than
81 900, both of whom died in the ear
lier portion of the year, whereby nearly
all Of this item in the estimate was saved
The publication of the delinquent tax
list. which was also estimated, was pre-
vented by the Revenue Law, which came
te hand after the assessment was made,
and obviated an expenditure Of some
$500 TO $500 more. The pauper ex
penses have not been near as high as
there was every reason to suppose they
would be as has also proven to be the
case with Jail and other expenses. This
has undoubtedly been owing to the care
exercised by the Judge in auditing bills,
and to the endeavors of the county Of
ticals to make their administration as
economical as possible We will guaran-
tee that as little superfuous expense has
been entered into under this adminis;ra-
ton as under any TIE county has ever
had, and that the public affairs are in as
good and Ineligible condition as they
ever will be under any set of officers
For the first time for some years the re-
cording has been brought up, there being
no instruments in the Office unrecorded,
and this has been done with the aid Of
only one clerk, at the low salary of Sl.25
cents per day. The books and papers in
the several Offices are kept with system
and in excellent condition, ineligible
to any one. The Judge is perfectly i'm
partial and very careful in his duties as
auditor, and has always the independence
TO curtail unreasonable charges. perfect
ly regardless Of how much such course
may affect him personally. OF course
he is liable to err, but we honestly be-
iieve that no officer can act more uniform
Is aid consistently for the interests of
his constituents. We believe the same IS
true of the other officers. and that to-
day no county in the State possesses
more capable, careful or more honest ad
ministration than Buchanan county and
we further believe that she cannot do
better for her own interests than to re-
tain that administration in power. Of
course some will pronounce this the Ian
guage Of interested laudation but it is
an honest copclusion-arriyed at with
knowledge Of the FACTS 2 conclusion re-
iterated by every man who has impair
TALLY scrnlinized the conduct Of these Of
ficers.
Our tax for the coming year will be q
very light one. The STATE tax will be
much less than last year. while the large
delinquent list and the present surplus in
the treasury will make the county tax al
most nominal 1t is something all will be
clad 70 hear