Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-04-22
The Infirmary Again.

EDITOR CHRONICI.E-The readers of
your paper might be interested to hear
an explanation of the charge preferred
against the Directors of the Belmont
County Intirmary, i'm your issue of the
Sth inst, by Taxpayer, who has com.
prehensive knowledge of facts connec-
ed with said institution. He has late
ly paid a visit there; seems very much
pleased; gives glowing description of
what he SAW; the manner in which the
institution was managed; detailed
account Of the excellent superiority o.
Mr.. Lowe as Superintendent; thinks
him the right man in the right place.
The Directors have thought that previ-
Gus to his viSit-had they not, Tax
payer would not have seen him on
that memorable visit. Thus far there
seems to be no controversy. But his
previous knowledge constrained him
though reluctantly, but for the COED
of his fellow citizens-to hold up ths
Directors as kind OF 'salary-grabbers. ,
He says: 1.-The Directors of the institu-
tiCn have taken into their OWR hands
many of the duties devOlving upon the
Superintendent, such as the purchase
of clothing, groceries. and, i'll fact, ev-
Ierythin- that is purchased" He then
goes On to show that owing to the Su-
perintendent's vast amount of knowl-
edge and eXperience-having had the
charge oI a similar institution before
coming to this one-''can it be that
they consider him Incompetent to at
tend to these things, or l. it to rring
about an extra meeling?" He, i'm con-
temptation of all these facts, regrets to
lose faith in said Directors, but Justice
demands that he must appriIe his fell
low citizens that they are doing wrong,
and robbing the people, spending time
for the purpose of getting few dollars,
when they could have the whole thing
done through the Superintendent,
without any Directors at all.
Now, the wonder in my mind is, what
induced Taxpayer to make this thrust
at the Directors. | am, like him, sOr-
ry TO lose faith in the man; but fear
that purchasing power, Gas he calls it. J
Was not all the trouble. Some unrea-
sonable bills from that quarter have
been at times rejected; (can it be that
he has had favor not granted?) Be
all this as it may, did he, as sane
man, suppose he could publish such "a
glaring falsehood and not be detected?
Why, l have clerked for that Board
over line years, served with different
men, and there has been about the
same mode and manner OF purchasing
for the institution. He states that the
present Board have taken into "their
own hands the purchase of every
thing" Now for the truthfuIness of
| this statements:
Ehe manner of purchasing is, when
a bill of goods or groceries are wanting,
| Mr.. Lowe and one of the Directors
make the purchase. | have never
known goods or groceries wanted and
bought without the Superintendent
being accessory to the same; and al
ways i'm the absence of the Directors,
when articles are necessary, and need
ed, the Superintendent is allowed to
purchase such thiDgs-the Directors
reser wing the right for him to purchase
only such things as they deem necessa-
ry, not leaving it discretionary with
him to purchase everything and any
thing he may fancy.
Now, there have been several men
whom term Taxpayers indeed, who
have served ns Directors previous to
some of the present incurnbcnts;- ask
them if in their Judgment and expert
ence they think it would he n great re-
form and saving TO the county for Di-
rector5 to do otherwise. cite to Wm.
Caldw ell, j. Taggart, B. Nichol, VIM.
Parkinson, j. Anderson and j. GOssett.
Now, the Sug sestion Of Taxpayer is,
that the Directors leave all purchasing
for the institution to the good judg-
lment Of the superintendent, thereby