The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-02-05
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
February Session lS50.


their doings in advance of the official report, to
appear next week.
The first impostant subject was the examina-
ton of the bond of ]. II. Shepherd, treasurer.
Hitherto it has been the practice for the chair.
man Of the board and the County Judge to ex-
anime and approve such bonds. This had been
done under a Misrepresentation of the law of the
case, and by virtue Of a resolution of the Board
delegating the power to the above functionaries
as committee. The Chairman. Mr.. Edgcomb,
called attention to this fact and the law, and
stated that though Mr.. Shepherd had duly filed
his bond, it had not been approved, the Chairman
| and Judge having refused to do it. Supervisor
MilligaR said the matter must be considered by
| the Board Supervisor Reddiok asked to have
| the bond presented to the Board immediately.
After some discussion to the proper custody
Of the bond, Il. W. Armstrong said, 1.-THE Board
| need not be captous; any paper in the clerks
| hands must be read on the demand of any men,
ber," and moved the bond be read and referred.
Milligan desired the reading of the law. Red
dick thought, Gin order to hold the securities,
we must proceed exactly according to law. Our
powers are limited and cannot be delegated, and
especially must we depart from this loose system
of doing business, and are indebted to the Chair
| man for looking up the law and not blindly fol-
lowing precedent" On motion of G. W. Arm.
| strong, the bond was read 1t is in the sum OF
$3.50, 900, and the sureties are ample.
Evans moved to rescind former resolution rs
| TO mede of approving bonds Milligan held that
to rescind the former resolution would be q tacit
| acknowledgment Of its validity. Evans held the
Board to be a legislative body, and can prescribe
its own action Finally the subjec. was re-
ferred with instructions to consult county at.
torney as to the law, and report.
On Tuesday, several claims were presented
and referred, and committee on paupers, through
Mlligan, chairman, reported long list Of claims
| to be allowed. g. ". Armstrong suggested
some evening during the week be set apart for
drawing the jury lists.
Wednesday much business was done, the com.
| mittee on Court House and Jail, VIM. Reddick,
chairman, submitted hat full of bills Of small
| amounts Supervisor Croker made some elo-
quent remarks relative TO the noble mission of
the sisters OF charity, and their noble deeds both
| in the battle fields Of our late war, as well ~
their goodness and usefulness in private life, and
! desired that no tax whatever be levied upon
their property.
bill for keeping some people, by lady at
La Sale, was cut down by the committee. Su-
pervsor Hetherington demonstrated stating that
the bill was just, and that the Board must pursue
fair and right policy or he would be obliged
to leave poor, sick and helples, people the
streets The claim was re-referred.
| On motion Of Croker after some facesious re.
marks about the hardness Of the seat of justice,
= new cushioned chair was ordered Tor the judges
bench. Mlligan thought, in order 10 accomo.
date the full breadth of the purpose, the chair
should he deep and wide. Laughter. ..r.
The committee on equalization recommended,
in order to settle the tax difficulties in the town
Of Dayton, that the county tax be reduced %
per cent. on lands. Repor: vas unanimously
adopted. Milligan, from committee on paupsrs
said many bills come before the committee with
out items-mere!y a gross amount. Such was
especially the case Is to La Sale and Peru, and
a reform in this particular is much needed. We
should have bills Of items, in every Gaze He
had before him one bill of nearly $500, and all
in . single item No business man will manage
his own affairs in this manner, and supervisors
should be as particular and exact in dsing BUSH
ness for the county as in their own private
affairs. Hetherington explained that he had
followed the custom of former Supervisors. He
knew that these bills were right
On report from some one dealing with the
county poor farm, it appeared the surplus pro-
ducts were very small-s calf! valued at $3.50.
A "poor farm" indeed
scinding former order of the Board, fixing eight
hours as . days work for judges and :clerks Of
election. He said he would exempt from this
rule the larger cities and more populous town
chips. The reason for this is, the labor required
is not deserving Of the pay. This eight hour
plan was adopted before the war, when prices
were beginning total; now everything is much
lower, time is less valuable, everything cheaper,
and there is no necessity for such large pay for
so little labor
A lengthy discussion followed. A. T.. Arm
strong opposed any such change Of time. Judges
and clerks of election frequently live at great
distance from the polls, and they are obliged to
attend early and constantly from the opening Of
the polls to the sealing up Of the box and signing
} the returns, and get home Il. from twelve to even
two o'clock next morning Nr. Reddick very
forcibly opposed the proposed change Mr.. Baker