The Portland daily press., 1879-01-23
THE COUNTY TREASURY.
A Comparison Between 1850 and 1875.

AS good deal of talk has been made in re
gard to the receipts and expenditures OF the
County of Cumberland for 1878 as compared
with 1S60-or before the war-we are enabled
to lay the following figures before our readers
In 1860 the salary of the Clerk of Courts was
$500. AS far as can be ascertained he
received $519 fees, but this is only portion of
them as the full figures are not procurable. In.
1878 he received $4,000 salary and 1915 81
fees. The Clerk of the Courts has to pay his
clerks out of his sa laries and fees, an amount
probably not less than $1,000 per annum.
The County Commissioners received $1,000
in 1860, and in 1877 the salary of the chairman
was raised to 5000, and at the same time the
salary of the Jadge of Probate was raised to
$1,000. In 1878 the Commissioners received
$1,000.
In 1860 the Judge of Probate received 500.
In 1873 he received $1,000. The Register of
Probate received $3.50, in 1860, and ST. 800 in
1873, and all fees in each case, aud paid clerk
hire. As regards insolvency, it has been stated
that the business of this office has been largely
Increased by the passage Of the insolvency act
and by section 60 of chapter "a of the insolven-
cy laws, the fees of judges and registers of
Probate, under this act, shall bs paid out of
the estates, and in voluntary cases by the
petitioners, and while certain county officers
fees and emoluments are under consideration
for reduction, it might be well to examine
into the fees and emoluments of these officers
Recorder of the Municipal Court received
the same salary each year, and fees, but the
latter have been largely Increased within the
past four years.
County Treasurer received in 1860, salary
aud fees, $1,2O613. In 1873, $1,000 without
fees, reduction Of $6.13. The total amount
of cash received in this office in 1860 was
$S9,0SS05. This amount includes loan
made Of $4,000. In 1878 the amount received
was $126,128.78, legitimate business there
having been no necessity for loans. The
balance in the treasury in 1860 was $11 1858, 7S,
aud 10 1878, $23,S13.74. The debt in 1860 was
$126,450 and in 1878 was reduced to $32, 900.
The resources of the county 10 1860 were $37,-
1870 against an immediate liability of S4O,-
OBJ. 81, leaving balance against the county of
$1,000 A to be added to the above named sum
of 1926 $4,000, making the county debt the
latter sum above resources. In 1878, the
excess of assets over liabilities of the county,
as returned was $25. 026 81, which includes all
bills. returned to the treasury and bonds,
December 81 1873
In 1860 the expenses of the Supreme Judicial
Court were $12,011 SO; there was no Superior
Court In 1878 the expense of the Supreme
Court was $2,639.14, and of the Superior -
which had been stablished-$25,2 4S44. In
1860 the receipts from the Supreme Court were
$4,62S A.. Iu 1878 the receipts from the
Supreme Court we're $32907, but from the
Superior $7,S70.27, aud additional receipts
from the Municipal Court $2,154.OO In the
wear 1876 the receipts from the Superior Court
amounted to SIG III 10. aud from the Muui-
cipal S17,9199. The costs of the two courts
for that year were Ss27,234 90.
1t is useless for either Republicans or Demo
Gratis or their organs, to claim all the virtues in
the matter of reform and retrenchment, as
leading Republicans ia the Legislature, are
working hand in hand with Democrats and
Greenbackers TO reduce the general expenses.
And while the County Commissioners for 1873
are entitled to credit for reducing the expenses
Of the county nearly $4,000 in the bills that
come under their jurisdiction, we are sure that
our friend from the eastern part of this county
ls entitled to a part Of the credit in this
direction.