Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-24
FOR THE SUNBURY AMERICAN.
COUufy Finances.

County Finances.
1t is really amusing to see the consistency and
wonderful ability displayed by Mr.. Hottenstein
and Mr. Eichholtz in dissecting the County Au-
ditors' Report of 1878. The comments on the do
cument almost enables Mr.. Eichholtz to dis
pense for 4 season with his Patent OutsIdeS
We shall note, as Il matter of curiosity, few OF
the leading points taken by Mr.. Hottenstine i'll
his first onslaught on the County Treasurer and
Auditors. He undertakes to convince Mr.. Eich-
holtz in minutes time (provided, he Eichhotz
made no mistake in copy) that the late Treasu-
rer. Mr.. Cadw1llader, went out of office with
some s., ,S32 63 of public money in his pocket,
and should be made to refund both principal and
interest to the county. He arrives at his figures
in the following ingenious way: He takes the eX-
cess of receipts above expenditures ,072 70
and suEtracts the Treasurer's Indebtedness on
settlement SS,240 12 from said amount, which
produces his figures S7,S32 63. This sum, in his
different communications, has been made to va
ry, sometimes higher and sometimes lower Nov
let us apply Mr.. Hottenstine's rule to the Audit
of 1872, and we will find that the excess of ex-
penditures above receipts was SS16 Ga, and yet
on settlement with the Treasurer, the Auditors
found him indebted to the county So, AT 62. Tben
according to Mr.. Hottenstines method, Mr.. Cad
wallader should have received the SSl6 64 in
stead of paying in addition to that sum So All ",
consequently Mr.. CaGwallader mus: have been
wronged to the amount of S4,294 &c. Now, does
any sane person suppose that man with the bu-
siness qualifications Of Mr.. Cadwallader, q man
who knew at the close of every days transac-
tions how he stood in account with the county,
would have submitted to such an act of I'M ustice
to hmseIf2 Yet, according to Mr.. Hottenstine,
that would have been the mode of settlement.
The Board of County Auditors also fell under
the ban of Mr.. Hottenstine's displeasure, be-
cause they dared to make some explanatory re-
marks regarding extraordinary expenses incur
red by the county during 1873. Those explana-
tions were no part of the report, but simply at
tached after the signing of the certificate. He
at once saw a terrible political bug-bear behind
these explanations. He calls them absurd,
bungling, contemplate, and seemed to exhaust
his vocabulary of words to paint them in their hi
deous enormity. This seemed very unnecessary
on the part Of Hottenstein, when we reflect that
we are living in an enlightened age, when every
taxpayer can read, and form his own opinions
on such matters. But now mark the consistency
in this crusade against the Auditors Later in
the discussion, Mr.. Eichholtz also became an
interested party" and after the County Audi
tors met for further explanation, explanations,
(official in character,) not in order to satisfy
Messrs. Hottenstine and Eichholtz, well kno wing
the impossibility of convincing men against their
will and interest, but simply to further explain
to the public those points in the report which
were attacked. Upon those explanations being
made, Mr.. Eichhol:z hurls particular thunder at
the Auditors because those explanations were
not made at the time of the settlement with the
Treasurer. Mr.. Bottenstine abuses the Auditors
for making explanations Mr.. Eichholts de-
rounces them for not making more explanations
hard taskmasters, these gentlemen
The County Auditors never laid any claim to
infallibilty they are liable to errors with the
rest of humanity-Messrs. Hottenstinc and
Eichholtz alone excepted. But in their late au-
dit they have given satisfactory proof to every
unprejudiced mind, that their report is and al
ways was correct. II seems like very small bu-
siress to attack public men merely from political
motives, and to accuse men of rascality who
have taken an oath TO perform their duties faith
fully and impartially, is very grave and
serious charge. 1t would be possible for County
Auditors, If required by law, and public demand,
to publish every order issued by the County
Commissioners. II would perhaps be little
difficult 10 explain the object of every order
granted TO the satisfaction of parties In the
county They might perhaps demand to know
the precise geographical localitI where every
fox was caught fol whose scalp the Commission
crs granted an order on the Treasurer, &c but
in that way general satisfaction might perhaps
be obtained. The cost of auditing and publish
ing such 4 report would be trihe to good econo-
mists. We are certain by comparing annual Te
ports with our sister counties, that Northumber
land county reports are as full and complete as
any We see. Mr.. Eichholtz can see nothing
more than a simple demand from Mr.. Hotten-
stine for information from the County Auditors
which he or any other taxpayer had right to
make. We would ask any unprejudice man TO
read the articles of Mr.. Hottenstne, and If there
is not malice or contempt in almost every SEN
tence, We know nothing about the meaning ofthe
English language. What do such terms as 'ig
noramus,' asses dolls and the like, which are
freely used, mean! If this is gentlcmanly lam
guage, rutliiaDism must be terrible when reduced
to writing. If Nr. Hottenstine had been in quest
of information regarding facts of the report be-
yond his comprehension, and had approached
either of the auditors with common decency,
they would no doubt have satisfied him to the
best of their ability. Oge of the auditors has
been in connection with the Board for seven
years in succession, and for accuracy in accounts
has few superiors; he certainly should under
stand auditing in that length of time. The en-
tire board Of auditors fully competent to per-
form the duties deyolvng upon them. And
should Mr.. HoJtenstine ever be called upon by
the people of the county to be one of the board
of auditors, he will find that it viii! require all
his gigantic intellectual powers, to make a cor
county during one year.
1t will be impossible for Messrs. Hottenstine
and Eichholtz TO obliterate this fact from the
county records, that during the year 1878, the
county Indebtedness amounting TO nearly S20,-
900 90 has been paid of. That the paying of in
terest on county Indebtedness has ceased and
that the system of allowing collectors of county
taxes years upon years to settle up their dupli-
Gates has also ceased. In former settlements
with county sreasurers, we would find from 40to
SEQ, 900 90 of outstanding taxes now, when we
examine the late report of 1873, and find only
S25, ,275 65 outstanding on the Sd of January,
1874, we feel like joining with the auditors in
their detached explanations, in congratulating the
taxpayers of the county on the excellent man
agement of the Commissioners in bringing about
such desirable result. j. f. VI.