The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-03-13
OUR COUNTY 7IHAUCes.
EMnrs Times:

As1S0TS Il 4tUtC6.
The TIxEs Of last week gave a
statement which met with express
sions Of surprise, and no little crit
icism. The fact assered, vas, that
during the last four years $I6, 4os
have been drawn for, over and
above the annual levies. Those
levies are sscertained by law for
specified objects: salaries for officers,
to be neither increased nor dimin-
ished during The term, fuel, s. alton
airy. Circuit Court expenses, a con-
tin~@ni tor printing tax sales aud
'redeaption notices and . margin
for the Jail The funds raised for
shese objects can not be diverted
for other purposes and there is no
express provisioa of law authorizing
the issue Of orders for any other
purposes, except for roads and
schools, and the latter are to be
specifically applied.
Hence, all and every Of the fol-
lowing allowances and expenditures
are no, only unauthorized, but are
the sole cause Of the deplorable dis
count upon the floating orders, caus.
ing many Of the former prompt
paying non-residents to cease pay
ing their tayes and loading the
county with thousands of dollars of
tax certificates and tax deeds, and
retiring the property from taxation.
During the four years under re-
view, there has been RENTED of le-
gitimate taxes to parties in no man.
ner, as on exception entitled, the
sum Of $4,000. Two thousand four
hundred aud forty-two dollars have
been paid TO delegations to NJ sdison
TO see about railroad aud Duluth
canal matters. Seventeen hundred
and twenty-five dollars have been
paid to lawyers for legal services to
protect the county from dangers and
liabilities incurred, in addition to
the salary and tax levied tor the
District Attorney. Two thousand
aud eighty-five dollars have been
paid to officers in addition to their
pcrquisites aud salaries. Thirteen
hundred aud forty-oae dollars have
beeu paid to various parties for un-
authorized, improper or illegal pur-
poses, none Of which had in any
way been provided for by law.
Since the discounts upon orders be-
gan, bills for stationery, materials,
fuel and labor have been settled and
allowed at increased prices to cover
discounts, to an aggregate of five
hundred dollars or over. By law
the members of the Board are held
to be disqualified TO engage in any
contract in which the municipality
is party; in contravention OF the
spirit and design of this provision
it is found that members of the
Board h.ve received $lO,a?4.42 for
work, labor aud materials upon
private terms.
1t is now seen that in the aggre.
gate t2l,4l9.42 have been irregu-
larly expended; the excess over the
4l6,4OS az stated last week. was
drawn from the State drainage fund.
This fund, received from the State
Treasury during the last four years,
amounts to $500. and was spe.
officially, by law, applicable for the
drainage of .swunsp lands in the
county; instead, it has been expend.
ed III AMI near rur- an docks
bridges, streets aud roads.
UP to this time the tax-roll for
1874 has yielded scarcely the, State
tax; not q dollar of school money
yet collected for the current term OF
the schools; with little ground for
anticipating any considerable amount
from the May tax sale. there is inn
minent danger of having to stop the
schools. This branch Of the public
service deserves both care and crit
icisrn; it is seen by the State Super
insendent's report that while the
average scholar-cost is eight dollars,
that of this county 10 t,oenty;; that
of male teachers is sixty dollars per
month and female thirty-three,
throughout the State; this county
pays one hundred and five for male
teachers and thir,y-six dollars per
month tor females
Chap. Is, Sec 81 of the Revised
Statutes reads: ''But the Board of
Supervisors of any county shall nat