Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-02-24
OlJR COUNTY FINANCES.


-f-- OUR COUNTY FINANCES.
About two years ago in looking over our
county finance reports, we discovered that
there was some msmanagement, and that
the taxpayers we're annually paying large
amount of mguey entirely unnecessarily:
But as the Auditors Reports were scarcely
cverexamned, and it being difficult mat
ter to get the people to look after it, we
pointed eat many of the discrepancies in
theeeperts. Several of the journalists at
the county scat, who were afraid. of losing
county patronage felt disposed, however,
20 take more favorable view ofthe matter,
but on finding "that S04 GOO" did not reach
the amount of levied and outstanding taxes,
passed over the matter in silence and the
Ring, was left to proceed in their nefari
ous work. But as the people began to look
into the affair they discovered that there
WAS a screw loose, and they became deter
mined OH a change, which was partially
effected last fall, rather unexpectedly to the
inemsers Of the Ring. 1t appears by the
forthcoming Auditors report that the H.
supposed, and that perhaps it may involve
The county in loss of thousands of dol
lars. 1t looks as though there was pre-
concerted plan, on the part of the 'Ring''
10 impose upon the people in some shape
tIr.uther. When the next report is publish
od and thoroughly examined by the tax
payers, we believe that they will agree with
ns that it is high time to wipe out of Office
the whole Of the Ring party" at the Court
House. as we'll as their agents in every dis
trictsir'she county. .r..#q ..H .. t
Weare~ happy TO notice that our cotem-
poraries Of the Mitonian, who havc never
been contaminated with the "Ring party"
are looking into this matter and give the
following as the result of their investiga-
ton,
COUNTY FINANCES. - Recent develop
inents at the county seat, under the inves-
tgaton of the Auditors, furnish stronger
arguments than have yet been advanced
for the necessity of an entire change in the
management of our county finances, and
prove the wisdom of the people in making
The partial ,ohsnse effected by the election
last fall. 1T now appears from the report
of the Auditors, that the late Treasurer,
Mr.. Geo. McElleice, is indebted to the coun-
ty in the sum OF seren thousand nine hun
tlred dollars and Sirty-tro cents, although not
one cent was turned over TO the new Trea-
surer on his taking possession of the office,
and the county is paying interest on between
three and four thousand dollars due the
State II further appears that the county
is paying interest on bctween thirty and for
ty thousand dollIrs annually, while there is
more than that sum outstanding uncollect-
cd moneys in the hands of delinquent col
iect0rs. which should be paid in and used
in liquidating the debt and stopping the
payment of interest, of which latter item
some t,ce'ity-one hundred dollars were paid
last year on outstanding orders alone. Is
any comment necessary to convince the
people OF the vital Importance Of an entire
change in the complexion Of the officers
managing our county finances Will they
submit to such mismanagement Ito call it
by polite name) any longer than is neces-
sary to make the required changes 7 We
think not. Let the matter be thoroughly
ventilated, and the honest yeomanry of old
northumberland County will shake of the
Democratic man Of the mountain who has
80 long been clinging around their neck
and drawing the life blood from their
veins.n
vii! our neighbor of the Democrat who
has become chronic over frauds committed
in the South, give his readers the above in,
formation, and explain how the amount wa,
expended, or whether it is in the hands o.
the ex-Trcasurer or the Ring" and wheth
tr twas intended to compromise the mat
ter similar to that of the Fidler defalcat ton
In connection with the above, the editor
of the Democrat might let his readers know
that Thomas Burk, Democratic tax collec
tor Coal township, has left that region fol
parts unknown with about $1,000 of III,
eannty funds.