Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-10-02

4NOH Oldl LILO lu6 IlScdi
year ending Sept. 1st, 1872, the pay
ments were but S2S,51S 50, and for
1873, 81, ia 55; an average yearly cost
of $27, ,816 68 for the two years now
past, against $3S,S28 4S under the
former administration, or Sl1,0l1 so
per year less now than then.
But this is not all. It is the duty of
the Auditor to collect and pay into the
treasury a considerable amount of
rents, fines, fees of various kinds, rail-
road dividends, etc. There were col
lected of these odds and ends, SO to
speak, by the former Auditor in
iStS s., ,33l 90
o19 Soo 6i
lou S,OlS IL
an average of s., ,552 25 per year.
The collections of this kind by the
present Auditor are as follows:
Fiscal year $50 I3
1870 lofo.-.--.-.. S,Z7l %
an average of s., 435 33. To recapitu-
late. it costs S11, oil 80 year less to
run this fund now than under the pre-
viOuS Auditor and Commissioners,
while the miscellaneous collections are
s., 1888 is per year greater than then;
an actual net saving to the people in
this one fund of SIG, ,894 SO in each year.
This immense difference represents ex-
actly the difference between the past
and present management of this fund.
Efficiently and honestly administered
there would be slight variation only
in expenses and as slight in the miscel-
laneous collections. The purposes fer
which money is paid are about the
same every year and also the sources
from which money is collected. 81
We have stated above that this diff
ference in cost was due not to the ne
cessities of the County, but almost
wholly to the difference i'm manage
ment. Let us demonstrate that fact as
far as space will permit:
r. NJ. Clark, Auditor, received from
the County, as salary for the year
ending
ept mber LIST, 1889 1883 81
iS.V.-..-..-... 5.SSS So
iStI..-...... .-.................. 81 80
and from Sept. 1st, 1871 to Nov. 18th
same year, q months, 81, ,655 90, IN
average of 81, 800 90 year after allow
ing him for the balance due him on
the fiscal year 1868.
The amount received from the treas
ury by the present Auditor and vet
due him is as follows: Year 1872.
81 ,041 so; year 1878, 81, 4,4S8 35. This
statement shows not the net salary of
the Auditor only but the entire cost of
running this office. Both paid out of
the amounts received by them, all
clerk hire, etc.
The above amount includes the $500
paid Auditor Longley for correcting
the work of Mr.. Clark about which the
Gazette used to make great Out-ery,-
fhe present editor of that paper has
repeatedly stated that these books
were scandalously incorrect and indeed
every one who knows anything about
the conduct of the Office now knows
that such was the fact, and that the
bill was very moderate one. Here
in the matter of Auditors salary is a
saving of over $1,000 year, while the
work in this Office the past two years
Is greater than ever before ON account
of the overhauling and correction of
accounts and books of all kinds for
years prior to the present term. Be-
sides, the work. was never before so
correctly and thoroughly done as now.
Take another item. Books, stationery
and printing have cost as follows:
Year ending Sept LIST. ISSs. 81
is7i,........ is7i.......,....... ',s3 4s3 q q
an average of $4,2lS "a. Under the
present officers, the expense for the
same purposes amounted in 1872 to
$2, ,31S SO, and in 1873 to $1,972 81. an
average of 81, 145 81, or S2,O72 81 per
year Iess--0nly about One-haIf. The
above cases are fair samples only, of
the reduction which extends through
all the items of cost; which go to swell
the disbursements from the County
Fund. Careful scrutiny of bills has
prevailed; jobbery and political favor
itism have ceased. The same care has
been taken to collect moneys due the
County as the vast difference between
the miscel llaneouS- collections the mast
two years as compared with the three
former amply demonstrates. Inch lined
costs, jury fees, railroad dividends.
rents, ETC., under the old order OF
things never found their way from the
pockets OF officials and others to the
county treasury, unless the parties VOL
unfairly came and delivered I'D the
money. AS a consequence these things
came to be regarded as perquisites, To-
NC pOChctcu ny whoever Was fortunate
enough to get the chance, and but Ii1.
tie, comparatively, was paid over
This fact is powerful demonstration
of the corruption and carelessness
which prevailed in official circles. in
Belmont county few years ago. AN
this is changed now. Do people want
to go back to the old order of things?
The present management of the
bridge fund furnishes striking ex-
ample of retrenchment.
On the 1st of September, 1868 this
fund was out of debt and had balance
on hand. The disbursements from
that date to the annual settlement in
1859 were S2l 1889 81; from 1869 to 1870.
$19, 1893 60; from 1870 to 1871, $I5. .652 81
and besides, debt had. been accumu-
lated in the amount of $66I7I al
Making a total cost of Sl23,I47 0S. Sup-t
posing that the bridges, &c., on the
SomertCn and Warnock roads were
made prior to that time il would still
leave the sum of $l09,647 Oe spent i'm
three years for this purpose, or an an
nual expenditure Of s36,549 OF. The |