The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-19
The County Commissioners n
HTay payer.1

"laX tNyeE.'
We ask attention to tho reply of the
Chairman of the County Commissioners,
to tho questions ~propounded by "Tax
Payer" in our last issue. We believe it
is right that the people should under
stand the official conduct of those who
undertake the discharge Of public duties,
and for this reason, W" gladly gave u
Commissioners an opportunity to set
themselves right, by giving publicly to
the letter Of Tax Payer, and we with no
less pleasure give publicly in this weeks
Press and Banner to the reply by the
County Commissioners. All faithful
public officers are ever willing 70 make a
full and clear exhibit of their transac-
tions, and for this reason we know that
the Commissioners will thank Tax Payer
for his article.
The letter of the Commissioners is full
and explicit. 1t seems that The public
have been laboring under a mistake to
suppose that the old system of managing
county funds was unattended by ex-
pense. The treasurer before the war, it
is stated, received a commission of five
per cent. of all the monies that passed
through his hands while the sub-treasu-
rers each received ten dollars per annum.
The receipts from taxes for county pur-
poses during the next fiscal year will he
over twenty thousand dollars. Five per
- a., or,orrf St.0p1A make ono
thousand dollars, to say nothing of the
salaries of sub-treasurers. This would
be the cost of a very imperfect manage
ment under the old system. The Com
m~issioners, this year, under the new sys-
tenn, have appropriated nine hundred
dollars as their pay for the ensuing fiscal
year. This entirely expiodes the hal
l~ucination as to the supposed economy OF
the old system as we'll as the error as to
the presumed extravaganza of the pres
ent system.
The bridge at Winter Seat, was report
cd to the Commissioners as needing somo
new plank and new railing. They very
properly let out tho contract under the
power given them in the law which au-
thorized them to make private contracts
for Jobs costing less than a d dol
lars. The wisdom Of this provision OF
the law may be seen at a glance. Sup
nose for instance, Commissioner Hester
who lives thirty miles distant had been
required To advertise for thirty days for
the lowest bidder 10 do this work-thc
advertisement would have cost five dol
lars. To 90 to the place, make speclhca-
lions and let ont contract, would require
two DAYS of his time which with mileage
would cost the county seven dollars
making total cost of twelve dollars to
let out the smallest contract, besides the
delay of thirty days. In the letting of the
contract in question the Commissioners
agreed to give, including the expense OF
doing the work, one dollar and fifty cents
n hundred for all the lumber that was
necessarily used in making the needed
repairs. The contractor for doing the
work in question, filed a bill Of fifty-sev-
en- dollars. At their last meeting nearly
all the bills presented were acted upon
(, by the Commissioners, except this, which
was left over until the Commissioners
should examine and receive the work.
And the account 50 stands to-day.
In our opinion the showing OF the
Commissioners is all that could be de-
sired. They and the public W Tax
PAYER their thanks.