Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-02-13
the county at the beginning of that

year.
In Mr.. Binnard's final report as
outgoing treasurer to the board on the
9Th of JAN, 1879, he showed the
amount Of registered warrants to be
Sl2, 900, and about 81, 800 accrued in
terest, making total of little more
than $4,000. His report showed
about 1000 in the different funds on
hand, and also that idaho county was
owing US 81 800. After setting apart
the contingent fund and dcducting the
balance on hand, together with the
amount Idaho county owed us, from
the $1,000 principal aud intersst)
We had left an outstanding county in
debtcdness of $l2,64O on the 9Th of
JAN, 1879.
Every person in the county ought
to he familiar with the redemption
law, and suffice it to say in this place
that it is, and has been, instrumental
in reducing ourindebtedness For the
year 1873 our court and Jail expenses
amounted to $500, and warrants for
that much money were issued at the
April term of 1879. This last issue
Of warrants belonged to the fiscal year
ending LIST Jan. 1879, and as matter
of course could not he included in the
report of Mr.. Binnard. The amount,
however, is included in the annual re-
port Of the present incumbent, Mr..
Squier, to the board in January, 1880.
Hence it will be readily seen by a
reasoning mind, why the county has
apparently increased its Indebtedness.
A safe for the use Of the county treas
urer was purchased, costing the county
5000. This, as matter of necessity,
increased the debt by that amount.
| And now, Mr. Editor, for the bene-
fit of the people at large, and especial
ly for the delectation of Justice" of
Moscow, will say that if the taxpay-
ers Of the county had all come to the
front aud settled their taxes, our pres
) ent treasurer, in his late report, could
have made most brilliant and graft
7 flying showing Of county finances; but,
7 unfortunately for the, county, there
. are too many delinquents, both for last
. year and years previous. III regard
: to the discrepancy between my inter
r viewed statement of the county in
!. debtedness and that made by the TEL
r LER, have this to say: There was is
( sued about thirteen years ago two war
r rants Oh the county for several hun
$ dred dollars; that said warrants or,
{ registered, but have never been heard
| from since; that they are supposed tt
+ be lost, and of course will never bt
5 presented for payment; that Mr.. Bin
: nard never figured them in his report
e as he thought, with reason, they wer.
e lost; that Mr.. Squier did count then
e in his verbal report to the TELLER
Q hence a very considerable amount o.
i the discrepancy is thus accounted fo1
II Justice will put himself to tn,
trouble Of going to the treasurer's Of
fee, Mr.. Squier will be pleased to show
him the books and point out the exac
& amount of those warrants, and alst
d show him the exact indebtedness o
> the county.
# In concluding this article l vii
IF state, for the information of those VIII,
n do not keep them elves posted Oh
: county affairs (ncluding Justice 0
4 Moscow that if the taxpayers woul,
l all step up promptly to the captain
r. office and settle their dues, our count,
o debt would be small indeed. Even a
t the case now stands our county al
:, fairs are in better and more health,
n condition than any other county in tn
q territory. To any and all l will say
| il you are really DESTROYS of KNOWN,
o anything concerning the affairs of tn
county go to the various offices il
e Lewiston and examine the books 70
n yourselves, and if you find any dcfal
r. cations report them, but in the nam
Il of reason and common sense stop thi
e wholesale abuse of county officials III
S til you have just cause for it. TIL
e books are always open for inspection
3 during office hours, and the official
are gentlemanly enough to give you a.
the information in their power.