Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-01

The approaching season is to be one Of
great activity for sight seeing Its fashiona-
BILE now to have brief vacations and holidays,
from the chore boy to the President. from the
little fellow who goes to spittoons for his stubs
of cigars to the man of money who puffs the
delightful HAVANA There is a good deal of
pleasure and real enjoy ment in lively excur-
sion, not too extended to become tiresome, as
they often are. We are assured that the Maine
Central Railroad Company will offer great
facilities for people to travel in the reduction
Of fare on these occasions, and in providing
all the needful facilities for transportation.
Military companies and fremen, Sunday
schools, temperance, religious, political and
other organizations, will have their annual
excursions to different parts of the State, af-
fording temporary relief from care and pro-
viding needed relaxation.
~ III - --.-Aa
The City Auditor, S. w. Lane, Esq, in his
forthcoming report, an abstract Of which we
have already given, will make some very
practical suggestions to the city council Mr.
Lane says
81 submit that the vouchers should con-
tain clear statement Of the claims paid, but
this to a great extent, is not the case. The
vouchers for Highway Expenditures are es-
pecially unsatisfactory. For instance 1t APP
pears see pages IL and 2S) that John f.
Ward was paid for has personal labor $50 H.
IL days, $s35.37, and Lotion Griffith (see
pages 20 and 29) for personal labor 574 S-4
days, $S62.22. Does anybody suppose that
Mr.. Ward worked 556 days, or Mr.. Griffith
GA days during the past year? The idea is
simply ridiculous. Yet their vouchers so
state. The facts that Mr.. Ward employed
his team and Mr.. Griffith his team and son,
would afford some sort Of key to the arith-
metic by which this large number of days is
found in one year; but the ''vouchers' do not
afford this key. From one learn ALL
submit the following as fair sample Of
the Highway vouchers" $50 called). l copy
one ofthe vouchers presented, suppressing the
names, as wish to make no invidious dis
tinction between the Street Commissioners or
other parties; '..." gamma ~
'-District,
No. october 81, 1870. !
City Of Augusta,
To l49 lo Days Labor on Village Road, $22s. rs.
Approved; c. D., Street Commissioner
Received payment Of City Treasurer,
10 there anythingin such voucher to show
when the services charged were performed ?
If such voucher wit pass inspection is there
any reason why the same labor, or in fact no
labor at all, may not be allowed and paid for
indefnitelyf l charge no intentional wrong
to the Street Commissioners, they have done
as we'll as many Of their predecessors, they
have followed bad examples |. but 1 do assert
that the system of vouchers presented by the
Street Commissioners for several years has
been miserable farce" ,-. ......f.
The Auditor suggests that the payment Of
go for a supper for the Capital Guards, and
$500 to the State Agricultural Society, was
illegal and UNJUST iable, and recommends
that all bills against the city be presented to
the Auditor and approved or disapproved by
him before coming to the city council and
that the Auditor submit monthly reports Of
the receipts and disbursements Of the Treas