The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-24
The City AccounIs.sA Place Where
Few Hundred Dollars will do
the Most Good,

q rev HuuuIeu DULInIS VIII w
the Most Good.
A meeting OF Council will be held,
We are informed, Tomorrow evening In
connection with ii, we wish to direct at
tentIonto a matter that seems important
enough to warrant the allusiOn. ATesO-
luton was passed at the last meeting by
the Second Branch providing for the
employment Of an expert TO adjust the
accounts between the Receiver and City
Clerk In the First Branch 1t received a
majority vote, but lacking the requisite
two thirds, requires a majority sfirma'
ton at the next meeting TO pass it. There
seemed 10 beR good deal Of indifference
about tho matter 10 the First Branch; and
with a slim attendance tho resolution
might be lost; whereas II members real
lied its importance they could hardly ex
cuSe themselves from adopting 1t or some
other looking to the same object.
From the statements made in Council
and from other sources Of information, 1t
appears that Tor several years past there
has been a discrepancy Of several thou
sands Of dollars IN the accounts between
the City Clerk and Receiver, whereas
they ought to tally exactly. 1t is not be-
lleVed that this state OF affairs results
from any intentional wrong on the part
OF either official but that 1t has arisen
from loose methods oIbook keeping, from
clerical errors and from neglect 10 com
pare and correct at regular and proper
intervals This discrepancy has been
concealed 60 far Us concerns the publish
cd annual statements; though we learn II
WIS an Optn secret about the city build
ing and that it has been known to
members and committees Of Council Tor
some years In making up the statements
the balance has simply been forced.
AT the beginning OF 1872. these accounts
were about seven thousand dollars ont OF
balance, but 10 running over the accounts
OF that year the predecessor of the pres
eut clerk found errors by which the dis
ctcpancy appeared to be reduced some
three thousand dollars. AS VIC under
stand the books show the Receiver short
in the amount indicated Nobody doubts
that Mr. DAY has honestly accounted for
and paid over every dollar that ever came
into his hands; and VIC learn that par
tial inspection Of the books shows numer'
Gus errors against him, (or example one
0! a thousand dollars in tOoting) which
indicate how this apparent balance
against him has been created. Naturally,
the Receiver is very anxious to have the
accounts examined. Naturally, his secu
rites are also DESTROYS 10. have an exNmi-
nation, and properly so. There ought TO
be- at least an CquAI sOliciIudc on thc part
of council in behalf Of the city. This
kind OF book keeping is not Credtnble TO
til. city or TO the officials concerned. Nor
is it Creditablc TO council that 1t has gone
SO long uncxamincd and unCorrectcd
How il comes that the Committee on AC-
counts, which has bean examining and
reporting on these accounts every month
tor years, never found anything to report
about tins discrepancy, is something they
may explain but We Canuot.
AS we understand, nearly all the city
accounts need Overlapping and adjust
mcpt Something was done in that way
BY Mr. CuAPLiNE, but great deal yet re-
mains. For instance, We learn that the
stock account has never been adjusted nor
the entries made. The city stands charged
with over million in stocks, when in
fact she has nothing hpt small balance
OF uempneld and Marietta, not hundred
thousand dollars In all She is also
charged with loans 10 the amount OF more
than million and halt; whereas the
debt Is now all told but about $G4O,OOO
The Finance Committee Of 1868 are still
charged with $4,000, supposed to bethe
proceeds OF b & U Railroad stock sold,
and not credited with the expenditure oil
it. The account Of Messrs BRADY and
WILKINSON, Commissioners Of Sinking
Fund, has hcvrr been closed, and II is said
will mol close AS the entries stand,
These and the other accounts involve
large sums 1t is proper they SHOULD be
carefully examined, the items entered up
and the accounts closed. 1t is due 10 the
parties concerned, who may else some
day dnd themselves called upon TO face un.
pleasant responsibilities, as well as 10 the
city. One entry OF which We are advised
Looks as il important transactions had
taken place and been recorded in very
loose and un6uSiness like way, viz: While
Mr QUARREER was chairman of the FL
nance Committee the Receiver Is charged
with un item in ihis way: proceeds OF
stock sold, less bonds redeemed so much.
Nothing TO show what stock was sold,
what bonds were redeemed, how much Of
either, or what price was received for tho
stock or paid for the bonds; and so far no
entry anywhere else has been found to
throw further light on the transaction,
II this is the way the records have been
kept Of the disposition made of the city's
property, there is all the greater need Of
careful scrutiny. W..
1t is not claimed, VIC believe, that 1t Is
any part OF the duties of the present
c'eIkto make the examination needed
It will be necessary to go through and
Il