Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-04

DuIiuX TINS uoOt0 Soete were OioVIlOut-
I'd in Davenport seventy -ons quarter bar
rels Of -four, one thousand bushels Of coal,
(in quantities not exceeding Is bushsls) ;
City dollars Of groceries, sixteen dollars
Of meat, and various small items OF dry
goods, shoes, stc. one hundred and eighty
five dollars was paid for medical care,
boarding and nursing sick paupers in Da-
vsnport, and thirty eight dollars for msdi-
cal services in lie Claire. At the Poor
House new we'll has been dug, and many
repsirs made in the house, and coal suiiici-
snt for the entire year purchased. The
saving Of expenses. under the operation Of
the new system has been SO material that
the Directors have felt justified in making
many much needed alterations and i'm
provements in the Poor House, and intend
that at least few Of the objectionsl fea-
lures of this institotion shall disappear.
The Poor House contains thirty six paupsr
inmates: fourteen men, thirteen women and
six infants. During February there were four
teen dismissals, one transfer to city Hos
pital, aud four arrivals. The present IN
mates ere oil in good health.
CouHrY ExrsNssa-Ths general vsntilla-
sion Of our county Affairs, through the col
umns Of tho DrxccsAr during the past year.
has not only tended TO the education OF the
people, on such matters, but has excited
. general inquiry a. to the necessity and
manner Of application Of each branch of the
total tax levy. We propose to encourage
such inquiries by directing attention to fea-
lures that seem capable Of improvement OF
reform. One Of the most important Of the
county tax lsviss is that for bridge pur-
poses. The tax Of the prsssnt ysse 10 thrss
mills. and the total amount thus raised will
exceed twenty five thousand dollars. Add
10 this the township road tax levied on oil
lands and men outside Of the city limits.
and producing in labor and cash about &c
teen thousand dollars, and wo have . total
annual expenditure Of about forty thousand
doltdrs applied to the repairs of the roads
and bridges Of Scott county. This being in
addition TO the street taxes and expendi-
lures Of the city. We presume the loose
manner in which this heavy expenditure is
applied is generally understood. Practically
there is no intelligent and professional skill
employed in any part Of the outlay. The
bridge building 10 generally done on the
penny wise and pound foolish" principle,
while the road TAXI worked OUT Ly boys,
old men, lame horses and broken impls-
ments. In view Of these facts ID might be
we'll to establish some system by which the
roads and bridges shall bs kept in bettor
condition, or that their present usual bad
condition shall b. attained with less OK
pense to the ax-payers. There is no good
reason why the present expensive system,
should be continued, and it needs only Int.
tie discussion to produce the needed reform
In view Of the material reduction Of the
county paupef expenses under the operation
of the new system in that department, it
might be well TO inquire il our bridge build
ing matters would not be better attend ed 10
in the hands Of special Commissioner.
The distribution Of the county bridge
fund is usually made at the June session Of
the Board Of Supervisors. Itis to be hoped
that when the Board then convenes some
one OF more OF the members will be pre-
the disposition Of these matters.