The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-03-03

REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMIT
TEE.

tigate the affairs of the State Treasury has
submitted the following report:
TO the Honorable, the Members Of the House
of Representatives, etc!
The committee appointed by the House
to investigate the accounts of the treasury
of the State, in accordance with the resolu-
tion of their appointment, made two re-
ports to the governor and auditor general.
One on the 26th of July, 1875, and another
on the DIST of October, 1875. TO these re-
ports the committee respectfully refer the
House for facts and conclusions not contain
ed in this
At the beginning of their labors on the
18Th of April, 1875, the committee met with
an unexpected obstruction to the success
fu prosecution of the work assigned them.
The State Treasurer refused to recognize the
powers of the committee or to permit the
accountant access to the books and papers
of the treasury. The House was not then
in session and its aid could not be invoked
In this emergency the committee rcsorted
to the next best means Of obtaining the in
formation sought viz: By an examination
of the executive aud legislative documents
published yearly. From these sources in
formation was CLEANED upon at least two
subjects of general interest. 1t was ascer-
| tanned first that about $3,400,00O had been
diverted from the sinking fund without
constitutional warrant, and second: That
| H.. Ill, - .
was retained in the hands of the treasurer
of the State for period of twelve years, be-
| ginning with 1862, and not one dollar ac-
counted for as interest upon the same.
Upon the first of these questions the COM
mttee again call attention to the amend
ment to the constitution adopted in 1857,
which created the sinking fund and pro-
vided that, "unless in case of war, invasion
or nsurrection, no part of said fund shall be
used or applied otherwise than in the eX-
tinguishmcnt ofthe public debt" The same
clause was inserted in the constitution of 1878.
Notwithstanding the existence of these plain
fundamental provisions, n portion Of the
moneys flowing into the sinking fund were.
yearly applied TO other purposes than the
payment of the public debt. To coyer up
this diversion, the sinking fund balance was
published as if no withdrawal had taken
place, and yearly the published accounts
showed larger balance in the sinking fund
than the entire balance in the State Treas
ury. This deceptive system was maintained
until the load became too heavy to be longer
carried, and the unwieldy and imaginary
balance was disspated by Il stroke of the
pen. twas May 8, 1874, that the balance
in the sinking fund of $4,75O, ,SlG.37, sud-
denly contracted into 81, 22S, S,71t71, and the
resolution of the sinking fund commission
ers alone tells the story of its disappearance.
A summary Of this transaction will be found
in the following table:
Balance in sinking fund NOv.3O,
1868. 1884 032 76 |
Balance in treasury Nov.3O, 1868 81, ,Ol3, ,4l5 81
Balance in sinking fund Nov,30,
1869 2,Sl5,545 20
Balance in treasury Nov3O, 1869 l ,4OO, ,SG2 40
Total amount withdrawn from
sinking fund Nov. 80, 1869. ,4l4,6S27
-
Balance in sinking fund Nov.30,
1870. 3014529 90
Balance in treasuryNove.3O,1S 1870 ,3O2, ,742 y
------
Total amount withdrawn from
s'nA'ns iuhu Nov oo' lo'o' - ~ 90 90
Balance in sinking fund Nov.3O,
1871, ''''''' 3.47S. .o3S 40
Balance in treasury Nov. 80, 1911, ,476, sos 50
lotai amount WllhopaWn W aa Iol from ooo,ooo,
----I-
Balance in sinking fond Nov, 30
1872. 3,492Gl403
Balance in treasury Nov.3O, 1872. ,4S2, 400 81
lotal amount withdrawn from o,,,,,
Ginning '"'''' -'o'' o'' i0'-' 80 lo' l.
Balance in sinkinc fund Nov 90
1873. 3,977, ,921 "a
Balance in treasury Nov,3O, 1871 ,S23, ,l3l a
iot' amount wltnor%Wii gH io-o rom ,zo 20 M
.-
po,,,,a, :; a:,l.;. c,,1 ,r,o
1874, d 7O4 S37 93
Balance in treasury May 8, 1874. 1887, ,O2O 81
-
Total amount Withdrawn FROM
sinking fund May ., lS74' 3,3t7,olS32
An account of this transaction is riyen in
the report of tbe commissioners Of the sink
ing fund for the wear ending November 80.
1874. page If, in the following language: