The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-03-06

be given in the report, and the labor
Of an examination of the report will
be as nothing compared with what it
lnow is. If A. b. presents two or
more small bills that are allowed, and
titis desirable to issue n order for
the aggregate amount, let the bills be
pinned or pasted together and proper
tly numbered and filed.
Your Committee has found no dis
hbursements, that they regard as un-
authorized BIZ law, unless the amounts
tpaid 10 Morganthaier & Cunningham
be so regarded.
It seems TO have been made to APP
pear to the Commissioners that there
were large amounts of money and
property that ought to be taxed, that
did not appear upon the duplicate,
and could not be brought upon it
through the ordinary means, aud they
entered into a contract with Morgan
thaler and Cunningham. whereby
NJ. & G. agreed TO hunt up cases Of
The sort mentioned, at their own ex-
pe::se, for which service they were to
receive rs per cent of the tax actually
paid upon properly placed upon the
duplicate through their exertions.
Tho result up to Sept. 1, 1878, is as
follows:
Tax actually paid upon property
lprocured to be placed on duplicate
through Morganthaler and Cunning
ham is $3,075,44
IS per cent paid to NJ, sc. 1886
-rLH --
Net amount saved to Co., $2,30s,c8
This v does not represent the
entire benefit to the County derived
from this contract.
The property represented by this
tax will be continued upon the dupli-
.Icate, and taxed in years to come, and
the people have been Weakened up in
such a name as viii. cause them to
more carefully s%crutiniZe their tax
1 lists hereafter, and we predict that
the amount of personal property re-
turned for taxation will be greatly iri-
creased.
The question as to whether the
lCounty Commissioners were author
lied by law to make this contract, is
one upon which we do not feel called
upon to pass. We will say, however,
that the contract has proved a benefi
cial one to the County, and if it is not
authorized by law, our representative
IN the Legislature ought to see to il
that such contracts are authorized for
The future.
The. amount disbHrsed as Petit Ju-
rors' fees as shown by the report is
$l,l36,25.
Though this shows a great reduce
lion in this item of expense from last
year, yet when we consider the fact
that during the entire year there were
but 10 cases tried by jury. and that
the average cost of jurors was nearly
$50 to the case, we cannot but believe
that there is something wrong in tho
system thai makes this expenditure
necessary. Under a recent amend
ment TO the jury law, the Court can
fix the time for the appearance of ju-
rors. If they should be required to
appcar at the first of the second. week
of the Term, and during the first week,
parties and attorneys be required 10
designate the cases in which q jury is
desired, that it could be properly as
signed for trial, muck valuable time
would be saved.
The expenditures from Bridge fund,
Building fund, Road fund &C., are
large, but so far as we have been ena-
blcd to examine the vouchers, the
same are correct.
The disbursements under the head.
y s,, q Nfi-oolionnnuc o,o lorna hid fhr
detailed statement, shows just what
each order was issued for, and is sat
~isfactory TO the Committee, though
we would suggest the advantage oil
grouping the different classes of mis-
c%ellaneous expenditures. Let the costs
of delinquent tax-ceilectors, night
watchman for Treasury, County En-
g%ineers fees &C., appear together UNI
der sub-headiugs.
The report ofthe Directors of Coun-
ty lnirmary is appended to the Com
missioners report. We have not re-
garded it rs duty to critically ex-
anime this report. 1t is completely
titemiZed, and we assume that the
amounts have been examined aud GER
tilted by the County Commissioners.
The present report, upon the whole
is more complete, and in our Judge
ment, more nearly complies with the
law than any preceding report fol
years past: and by. reason of some
chang S already adopted by Auditor
Oldfather we are satisfied that the
next annual report will be an improve.
mnnt upou this
The people of Preble county have
reason TO congratulate themselves up
Oh the honest and faithful manner in
whichthe financial affairs of the Coun-
~ have been, and, as we believe are
being administered.
In criticising the manner in which
the accounts have been kept, and in
suggesting changes in regard thereto,
we have had no intention to reflect
upon the INTEGRITY of the County of
~ficials.
Respectfully submitted.
JAMES A. GILMORE,
Il. HUBBARD,
WINFIELD FREEMAN,
Committee.