Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-07-11

We publish in this column an ex
tract from secret circular issued by
the Executive Committee of the Dem
ocratic party on the eve of the election
last October. The -strictest measure,
were taken TO prevent its falling into
the hands of the Republicans of thi,
place, whom they knew to be posted tC
some extent upon the real condition OF
the finances of the County. Hoping Il
counteract the disorganizing effect that
a proper ventilation of the corruption
of the st. Clairsville Tammany Ring
was having among the ranks of their
party, they issued the following adj
dress, which, for patent falsehood, can
mot be exceiied by the trio of John 81.
Heaton, . jun Chariesw6fth, and Satan
himselfi q qu !ssIiG7f 9hr .a'ilaI reg
$40 thePeople of Belmont Co.
HsThe Pct-house politicians of the Re
publican party IN St. tClairsville, held
back the publication of their organ in
st. ClairsYille until after the Democrat
lie paper was published, as we then
thought and charged, and now know,
1or, the purpose of lying about, The f.
Inaneiai condition of Belmont County
| one object of which was to aid them IN
IeIeeting, as they thought, one or two OF
the pets OF their particular clique on
the county ticket, and the other was; to
ruin. if possible the credit and good
standing of our county, knowing as
they do, that we have Pike and other
bonds outstanding, when the facts are,
that, under Democratic rule, the coun-
/ ty in, the last ten years. has paid over
| l$I25, 900 of Railroad and other indebt-
edness, contracted by a Republican
Board OF Co. Commissioners, having
built new jInfirnlary buildings, y Jail.
and quite aEntfmber of Bridges. and
owes for all purposes now, but 22,000,
which will be paid in December next,
as the levy has been made for tfiat pdr-
pOse., Such base Iibels on the County
and its Commissioner oily react Upon
the base calumniators who originate
and circulate them" .+sfis.,I -,.oaI,
In the opposite column we publish a
reinstatement of the condition of the
different funds three months before the
time when they proposed to pay of
the balance of the building and bridge
funds. They knew very well when
they made the statement that the
debt of the two funds was only $4,000
and that it would be paid in December,
that they were publishing downright
falsehood. The statement that we
publish shows that the aggregate of the
debts of said funds Nov. l, 1871 was
$197, ,386, ,4s, aH ~ xos
The year properly ends Sept. i, hence
in the above sum is included the ex-
penses from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1, when
the collection. begins. Here is differ
ence of sl15, ,386,4S between the true
indebtedness of the county at that time
and the statement made by this Demo-
cratic committee. The circular states
thatthe levies have been madelf for the
payment of this debt in December.
Nota word of truth in it. Not single
dollar was levied for the payment of
this enormous debt except about ten
thousand dollars, bridge fund. which
sum was wholly expended in contracts
made after said levy was made. It is
true that the usual levies of the year
were made, but tomeet the current ex-'
penses ofthe yeaf4-none to pay off the
old debt. I'VE, now having control Of
the books JIM the Office re-publishi both
the circular and the true statement of
the facts 70 shbw The, palPable- unfair
ness of the ledders9qf the party, that
have Beenfattening upon thesubstance
/ Eofthelpeople for the last eight years.
|n':Why such false statebient? The
committees names are signed to the
secret circular we clip from and they
are as followss A! w. Andersen, j.
G. Pratt, 1. II. Patterson, Alex Patton,
J. II. Heaton, R. NJ. Clark and J.-F.
CharIesworth. From what source did
these gentlemen get such information?
r. III. Clark ought have: known better.
No such, information is. to be obtained
from the books now in the Auditors
Ofice, and we defy any one to point
them out. Weagain quote: - -,.s
.sAgain this Clique say that in 1861 our
taxes were S1l6, ,g29, l5, ia lSl0 $$zzy, ,Soz, :
81, and eorruptly ask, "ls there q Iam7
many Ring in Belmont County ~ DsnEi4t
.sAs has been often shown through
the, newspapers aud sworn statements
of officers, that notwithstanding the
large increase in the population OF
the County tue actual increase 79f the
County levy now over 1861 ls but 81
CTS. .O0. ni- y isairs = T0tEGsr. nj lG9nli
isBut TO entirely satisfy our friends,
and. to sustain the heretofore good
lstaading of our County; we again pub
| lish a stateassent taken from the records
/ lefl the County showing the exact
amount of taxes collected in 1850 and
In 1870, and the purposes for which
they We're collected. The reader will
bear in mind that the only assessments
| the County Commissioners now have
power or authority tn make are foI
County, Bridge, Poor, Railroad and
Building purposes, all The other assess.
ments are made by the State autheri-
ties orthe Township Trustees or the
Boards OF Education, ard that the
great increase in assessments are made
by the Trustees and School boards.
STATEMENT OF TAXES COLLECTED ON
l. If co.DUPLIGATE FOR 1850 & 1870.
Amt Col. Amt Col,
i, FUND. 1860. 1870, 1,.'
County 49, 22,937 81 . 25,609 81
lState, I 1913 96 h9,7h4. IG