Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-12-11

"On motion of Henry Frasher, ordered that
one half mill be levied upon each one dollar of
the taxable valuation of the county for the
year 1873, to be set apart for bridge fund
\ ieas-Messrs. Flasher, Anderson and Potts
I-Conm'rs Jour-, p. 2S0.
The only other entry we find during that
year concerning leyies is the following, made
Wednesday, June 5:
son motion of Henry Frasher, ordered that
the following levies be placed upon each one
dollar valuation of the grand duplicate of the
county for the year 1878: County Fund, 1.2
mills; Poor Fund, s. mills; Building FuLd,
mill; Bridge March session. Fund, 5 mill. -
Total, 3.5 mills"
The Commissioners, il will be observed,
made no road levy proper, but under authori-
ty of the section authorizing them to levy "a
tax for road and bridge purposes, ''set apart
the entire levy under that section for bridge
purposes. They left the road levy proper to
be made by Trustees of townships, as has been
the custom in this county for many years
Nor, had the Commissioners made road levy,
could it have been used in that way. All road
levies, by whoever made, may be discharged
by labor on the roads, and moneys paid into
the treasury on that account must be paid over
to the treasury of the township or municipal
corporation from which collected. The Com
missioners can in no event control its disburse-
ment. Is, 6 S., p. 666, sec. 81, and vol. 75,
o. L., p. 47S, sec. III
The mode of opening what are called couE-
ty roads seems to US to be plain. Under the
law taxes are levied by the Commissioners of
the county or by Trustees of townships, or
both. A taxpayer may discharge this tax by
labor on the roads, under direction of his Su-
pervisor, or be may pay the cash into the
treasury of the county, al his option. The
moneys that are thus paid in are certified into
the township or town treasury from which
collected by the Auditor, and thence used by
the Supervisors in the opening or repair of
r ads. Male citizens of a certain age must in
p dtion perform two days labor each year on
tie public roads, or in lien of that paw speci-
fed sum of money. The Supervisor is re-
quired to ''open, OF cause to be opened, all
public roads and highways which shall have
been or may hereafter be laid out and estab-
lished in his road district" If he is unable to
do this without appropriations by County
Commissioners, it must go undone. The Com
missoners have absolutely no power in the
premises.
We are of opinion that 50 90 paid for
cleaning Court House yard" is not a proper
charge against tie Building Fund, nor $86 40
for mating for Court House and public of
fees" nor $50 so for furniture for Court
House and Sheriff office; nor S32 90 for
''repaiTs safe Treasurer's office" nor $50 for
''renOvating comfy JAIL" nor $6S 50 for
cleaning Court House and public Offices"
nor 50 rs for making carpet for Court
House," nor $50 for ''desk for Clerks Office
AS weunderstand it, these items should be
charged to the Cnunty Fund. They aggre-
gate $279 so, and make the disbursements
proper of that fund $2S, 354 SO instead of
$2S, ,O74 79 reported by the Commissioners,
and reduce the disbursements of the Building
Fund like amount.
The balance carried in the National Road
Fund seems to be unnecessarily large. If the
road is in such condition as TO warrant ,his,
the Commissioners and the public are TO be
The foregoing was prepared in hope that
The other members of the committee would
concur in it. believe it my right and my
luty t0 make this minority report.
j. B. LONGLEY.
ST. CLAIRsVHJE Dec 1 1879.