Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-09-25

The collections of this kind by the
present Auditor are as follows:
Fiscal year IS 59e 10
tS'5-.-----...----- 1, I'll 73
an average of s., ,435 SO. To recapitu-
late. it costs $1l oil so a year less to
run this fund now than under the pre-
vious Auditor and Commissioners,
while the miscellaneous collections are
s., 1888 18 per year greater than then;
an actual net saving to the people in
this one fund of SIG, 1874 9S in each wear.
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 for
which money is paid are about the
same every year and also the sources
from which money is collected.
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:
X. Nj. Clark, Auditor, received from
the County, as a salary for the year
ending
September LIST. 1863 69..... Sc sss, 81
ar . iSlO-.--..-..-.---.-...-......-..5 5.SSS Sc
1c1l I,3I2 50
and from Sept. lst, 1871 to Nov. 18th
same year, q months, S1,655 20, an
average of Sc, 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.
s., OIL so; year 1878, 81, ,4S8 80. 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-cry.-
The 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 a very moderate one. Here
in the matter of Auditors salary is a
saving of over $1,000 a 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, 1858 lsss.--..........s47s 7s4 81
1865 4, ,i64 O4
" " :. :. IszS. Is7I ,iss g
an average of 81 ,2l8 "A. Under the
present officers, the expense for the
same purposes amounted in 1872 to
$2,3l8 SO, and in 1873 to $1,972 81, an
average of s., 145 81, or $2,072 81 per
year less--only about one-half. 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
lusm have ceased. The same care has
been taken to collect moneys due the
County as the vast difference between
the miscellaneous collections the past
two years as compared with the three
former amply demonstrate; unclaimed
costs, jury fees, railroad dividends,
rents, etc., under the old order of
/ things never found their way fropa the
pockets of officials and others to the
County treasury, unless the parties vol
I unfairly came and delivered up the
money. AS consequence these things
came to be regarded as perquisites, to
be pocketed by whoever was fortunate
enough to get the chance, and but liz.
tie, comparatively, was paid over
This fact is a powerful demonstration
OF the corruption and carelessness
which prevailed in official circles in
belmont county few years ago. All
this Is changed now. Do people want
to go back to the old order of things?
The present management of the
bridge fund furnishes q striking ex-
ample of retrenchment.
On the lst Of September, 1868 this
fund was out of dobt and had balance
on hand. The disbursements from
that date to the annual settlement In
1869 were $21 1888 "a; from 1869 to 1870,
SIS, 1893 65; from 1870 to 1871, s15. .652 s.
and besides, debt had been accumu.
lated in the amount of $88,171 34.--
Making a total cost of $123, 147 08. Sup.
posing that the bridges, &C., on the
SomertCn and Warnock roads were
made prior to that time it would still
leave the sum of s109,647 OS spent in
three years for this purpose, or an an.
nual expenditure of $36, $40 OF. The
cost of bridges and culverts built under
the present administration is as fol-
lows.
Year ending Sept. LIST. 1872 42s 8!
/ l613............-......... 2,249 81
an average of $2.S36 II now against
S36, ,549 OF under the Democratic adj