Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-02-18
RINGS AND IRON nRIpGEs.

very favorable to the construction of Iron
Bridges, we copy the following from the
Carlisle Herald, to show how Cumberland |
County manages her domestic affairs, and |
the peculiar qualifications of some of the
Democracy to manage the money affairs OF
thepeople Probably it would be well enough |
for the taxpayers to investigate the matter |
of constructing iron bridges in this county, |
and find whether the contractors who fur |
County are the same who furnished them
here.
The commission oftwo dollars per foot"
argument was one well calculated to waker !
up the faculties of the most dormant, and
has been, no doubt, successfully used in
other counties besides Cumberland. The
Heorld says:
Democratic Ffnanctcr,ng.
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING.
At last The investigation is over. The
auditors have adjusted the accounts of the
county treasurer and made their report,
which will be found in another column. 1t
will afford the general reader an idea of the
financial workings OF the county govern
ment and it will show the amount of
money received and paid out but it will
hardly give any adequate conception of the
trials and temptations to which they are
exposed, who have the management ofour
county affairs. This can only be made
known through the publication of the tes-
timony taken before the auditors. Through
some oversight, this has not been furnished,
and IL will, therefore be necessary to give
the facts developed as they are produced
from the memory of those who heard them.
We will give a resume of the matters de-
velopcd as far rs they have been reported
to us, holding ourselves ready to make any
corrections or supply any omissions as soon
as the specific facts are at hand.
Let it be known then, that during the
triumvirate Of Messrs. Hale, Floyd and
Harris, men who were selected by that
grand old Democratic party for their in
tegrity, prudence and capacity, to manage
the affairs of the county, it became neces-
sary to build bridges over the Conodogui-
net, near Iepburn's and Myers mill. The
commissioners had at first promised the
woodwork ofthosc bridges to Messrs Jacoby
and Gracey, Of this county, but they after
wards concluded, for SubStdtial reasons,
to give it to the company which was to
furnish the iron. When they came to this
conclusion they found difficulty in the
way. The gentlemen who had the promise
of the woodwork considered the contracts
theirs, and refused to give them up. The
commissioners, or one ofthem, entered into
negotiations with The contractors, and Of
fcrcd to give them what would amount to
the profits Of their contracts, if they would
withdraw and in order to fix the papers
right they would take the receipts for extra
payments made for the building of the
1ra m ~
carry out, but the commissioners awarded
the contracts to the iron bridge company
The iron bridges were accordingly con-
structcd, and that contractor paid prompt
ly. Messrs Jacoby and Gracey then en-
ployed counsel, and proposed TO bring an
action against the commissioners for dam
f ages. OH account ofthc unfulliled contracts.
In the meantime the board changed,
Rhoads taking the place ofMr. Hale, whose
term had expired. In order to get rid of
the suit, Rhoads and Floyd signed orders
on the treasurer Of the county, for 81, 400
in favor of Jacoby and Gracey, in satisiae-
tion of their claims. Mr.. Harris, who is
q most conscientious and sagacious officer,
rs will be shown hereafter, protested
f against this arrangement, and made his
objection before the auditor, to the allow
ance of this voucher in the settlement of the
trCasurcr's account. This was the origin
Of the trouble that has kept the happy
; family in hot water for some time past, and
, which made the developments which we
, now rise to explain.
: When thir matter came to be investiga.
, ted, the propric.ors of the Democractic clut
: room, adjoining The prothonotary's office
and their clerk, one James Armstrong, were
called and sworn. There We're counsel fol
each OF the parties, and they asked all sort!
nt M 4 stgt
not having the experience and knowledge
I concerning the relevancy of testimony tha
1 is had and enforced in Il common plea
= court, held loose rein, and the develop
:. mcnts became elegant cntirely.n 1t wa
shown that the commissioners had com
= mission whats the use in being q commits
) sioner unless you have cOmmissions) of twt
70 dollars per foot for the iron bridges tina
were to be built over the crooked and rag
y ing COnOdoguinct, which the contracto
= was to pay them as soon as he received hi
! money. so when the iron bridge mal
g drew his funds from the treasurer, h,
handed over to the amiable Mr.. Armstrong
who was the financial agent of the concern
D somewhat over $500. This Mr., Armstron:
n says he divided between himsclfand Mcssrs
G Hale, Floyd aud Harris, giving them Sl9
:, each, and retaining the balance. Mr. liar
,, ris, when he was examined, was asked n
u to this matter, and said that Mr.. Arm
e strong had handed him a roll Ofnotcs abou
i that time, but he never supposed there wa
q anything wrong IN the matter, but though
l. was in the regular course of business
. lie didn't at the limo even count IA
> money, 80 much was hc onerossod, aud hi
c mind distracted with his Official duties
,. ! his was what came o.t OF single bridg
! building transaction, IN the investigation q
u a single item, What an immense pity
l. is that every item Of tie account had no
c hecu put on proof beyond The voucher. 4
a Mr.. john Harris has been arrested on ia
+, formation made by Mr.. Rhoads for bribery
aud several Other official misdcmean0r,
d We may expect soluc rare developments u
lf thc April Quarter SESSIONS.
n y moro astounding development Ofonlcia
misconduct never before came out in an
= community, The Gct that set Of com
y mssiouors who are paid for as many day
as they can liud excuses 90 come 10 Caylisl,
should make two deliberate attempts a
T. rohbng The country treasury Ia the sam
IA transaction, AMI actually succeed Ia one ,
% them, IA Incredible aud would hardly b