Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-15
COUNTY AFFAIRS.
REPORT OF THE GRAND Jury OF THE
CIRCUIT COURT.
A Thorough 0~yerhauIing Of the County Ma
chinery.
How the Peoples Money Goes---StartIing
Revelations.
The Items of Contingent Expenses and
"Sundries IAN Army Of Loafers
Fed by the County.
An Urgent Demand for Economy and Re-
trenchment.


add good work, on Saturday last com-
pleted their labors and were discharged.
Before they were dismissed they present
ed the following report, which we COM
mend to the earnest perusal of every good
citizen, and beg Judge Reeves to act upon
as soon as possible.
The facts given in regard 10 the man
agement-of the county finances are start
ling, and are calculated to set every man
who has the public veal at heart to think
ing. On this subject we shall have m
thing to say at another time; at present
we shall only present
II REPORT.
To the Hon. C. W. Reeves, Judge of the
Circuit Court of Shelby County, Tenn.
May Term; held in Memphis, Tenn,
1869.
We the Grand Jury, would respectfully
submit our report on such matters as
given to us in your charge.
OFFICERS BONDS.
Our attention was first directed to the
examination of all bonds filed in the
County Clerks office. Many of them we
found defective and insufficient, and so
marked and reported them to your Honor.
In future we would respectfully recon-
mend hat all sureties on bonds be re-
quired tc exhibit to the Court an abstract
of their titles to all property held or
claimed by them. This would prevent
the filing of Straw Bonds as heretofore,
and better ecu the interests of the
county. Honest men could not object to
this; the dishonest, by this plan, would
be kept ont.
COUNTY JAIL.
According to your instructions we Wis
tied the County Jail, and are glad to report
that we found it kept in good order.
The prisoners appear to be well
cared for, and safely guarded, but
complaining of the claws delay"
as many ofthem have been confined for
a long period, and for very trivial offenses,
and at great cost to the county. This
ought not so to be. They should be
brought TO trial as soon as possible, the
guilty punished and the innocent set az
liberty. 1t is also the opinion ofthis jury
that the current expenses of the Jail could
and should be greatly reduced, and with
out detriment to its efficient management.
We find that guards are paid one hundred
dollars per month when the same service
can be obtained for thirty or forty dollars
per month. The Office of Engineer Is
nearly a s~inecure, and yet he receives from
the county two cumberland fourteen dol
lars per month. Nor can we see the no
cessity for two jailors at the cost of ono
hundred and twenty-five dollars each per
month, as 4 reliable man could be secured
as assistant jailor for sixty dollars per
month.
POOR HOUSE.
Oar visit was extended TO tho Poor
House; found it in good condition, con-
tanning thirty-four inmates, q number of
whom desired to be sent to their homes,
and are, 10 all appearances, able to earn
their own living. \ few were blind and
insane, and should be sent TO the proper
institutions for such persons. We find
this Poor House to be q Of the most ex-
pensiye institutions of the county, COM
pared with the benefits derived from it,
and would recommend that il bO abol-
ished, for as now conducted, it would cost
the county less to board its poor at one of
the hrst-class hotels. Arrangements could
be made at the City Hospital for the sick,
upon the same terms as the United States
marines
\ SCREW LOOSE SOMEWHERE.
The enormous expenditures OF the
county, under the head of " contingent
expenses" and sundrics," leave grave
approximations upon the minds Of
this Jury that the idle and yaga-
bond persons seen in and about
the Court buildings are tho re-
cipients of these appropriations in a
large measure, and we recommend that
the cause of these ap~prehensions be re-
moved.
COUNTY PAYS RIVAL RENTS.
Another matter claiming attention is
the fact that parties arc now occupying as
private offices, rooms in the different
Court buildings, for which the county
pays the rent. We recommend that they
be made topay the rent or vacate them, |
as they are wanted now forcOunty offices.
PoTTER's FIELD.
In regard to the Potter's Field or pau
per's burying ground, we would report il
thorough inspection, as the air in and
about the grounds was redolent with the
stencil of decayins and putrid bodies.
The number of graves reported by the
sexton could not justify the enormOus
allowances made by the county for the
burial Of her poor, rs viii DE seen by rel
enc 10 the County Clerks books.
COUNTY FINANCES.
We come next to ~thefiuanciaI condition |
Of the county, and regret TO say We find it
in q most depl9rabie state, verging almost
upon bankruptcy, as Will be soon by the
rapidly increasing expenses for the past
few years.
IN 1867 our total expenses We're 1864, COS |
90; in 1865 S4S7 ,0SS IS, an increase in
twelve months of S120. 900, and for the first
qUarteTof this year, 1869, RON January l
to May l, a. seen on the County Clerks
books, we believe, if not curtailed, will
ItAtAi ~ llAt 45L VI OdlAAtoIN heat Sut SUM /
OF S60A, 600, ap~prOximating If not equal to |
the disbursements Of the whole State Of
Tennessee in the year 1865. To give YOU a |
detailed account of all the disbursements |
of the county would make our report too
prolix, but we annot forbear to mention
a few Of them in order to show the ex-
traVaganee that prevails in all depart- /
ofthe county. The expenses of the
Jail for the last four months is Sll 900; |
for running the Courts S3l 900; rents Sll,-
600; books and stationery for Courts and
$4,000; poor house, inquests and
burial OF the paupers, $1,000. The item
of books and stationery alone cost the
county more in 1858 han was expended
for bridges in the whole county, an item
which, a fow years ago, was scarcely
asa public expense.
UNJUST y UNEQUAL TAXATION.
We would call attention to another evil
from which we have long suffered, to-Wit:
the unequal and unjust assessment of
alton. whereby Shelby county is made TO
pay into the State treasury nearly as
rs the balance of West Tennessee.
BY comparison ii viii be found that lands
in Davidson, Giles, Maury II other coun-
ties, the assessed value Is much less than
in cur county, and hence we are taxed a
larger per cent. on our property. Ifmore
county revenue be required, let the rate
per cent, not the value of the land, be in
creased. BY a uniformity of valuation,
would only pay our just proportion
into the State Treasury; and would re-
commend that in the appointment of As
SCISSORS that citizens who are intelligent
and Judges of the value of property be
appointed, and that they win inform
in regard to the assessed value
of lands and property in other parts of the
State, and then assess Ours in the same
\ PLEA FOR RETRENCHMEST.
We do not feel disposed to make unjust
or censorioUs charges upon those in au-
thority, but feel in common with others
the painful results Of extravaganza, and
until they return to aneeonomical admin
istFation of our public affairs we cannot
cease TO enter our solemn protest and ;
complaints. And now, in the name Of
bur overburdened and tax-ridden people,
Ye urgently beg and entreat all in author !
ty to ationee the work of re-
.renehment, and the practice of the most
economy, before we become hope-
essly bankrupt as a people. Population,
enterprise n capital will not seek us
with these sad facts staring them in the
ACE. Before closing, we beg leave TO ten I
Ter to your Honor, and all the officers of =
49, NAuWa anuaa 1890