The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-10
COUNTY cOMMIssIONERs.e
Retirement Of the Old and ORGANIZATION
of the New ROmrd


On Monday afternoon last the old Board of
County Commissioners retired and the new
Board were sworn in by the Clerk of the Cir
cult Court, DIR. F. I. Shaw. As is we'll
known, the new Board is the same as the old.
except that Mr.. T. H. Orendorff succeeds Col
j. X. Longwell. After the new Commission
ers took the oath of office, they organized with
Col. VIM. c. Polk as president.
The old Board, in retiring, all made short
speeches. Col. Longwell, who went into an
examination of county affairs, spoke substan-
TALLY as follows:
In retiring from the cares and responsibilities con-
nected with the administration of the affairs of Car
cannot but express degree of regret parting
from my associates. with whom have been so pleas
antly connected for the last two years Our inter
course has not only been pleasant. but extremely
harmonious, never having divided vote, acting in
all cases as unit in the discharge of the onerous
and varied duties attached to the Commissioners
office.
1t affords me great pleasure in congratulating you
on your reelection in having s worthy gentleman
as my successor and also congratulate the people
of this county in having Board of Commissioners
who not only understand their duty but will fear
leSsly do it.
In consequence of the charges so frequently made
in newspaper publications as to the improper adj
ministraOn of former boards went to the trouble Of
examining the books of the Office and could not find
anything like embezzlement defalcation. but
found vouchers for all moneys collected and paid,
and errors except by omissions in few instances
to credit the county in the annual statements with
disbursements regularly made by order of the Board
1t is gratifying to us to know that the finances of
the county are in healthy condition. After paying
off nearly sixteen thousand dollars due the I'm ion
National Bank, Treasurer Waesche has a credit in
the same bank to-day of 81 569.47. Two years ago
the amount handed oyer by the late Treasurer was
roads amounting to about $40 600 were unpaid Now
at least IS 900 in public road bills have been paid,
thus showing better condition of the county treas
ury in December, 1884, than in December, 1879, of
$3S697. Ifthere is no extraordinary appropriation
required the County Commissioners will be in con-
dition at the end of the fiscal year to redeem con-
siderable amount of the public debt or rate
of taxation or do what may be regarded as prefera
The amount of taxes outstanding in the hands of
collectors is S66S1S due on the leyies of 1881 and
previous years This amount entirely too large to
be owing by the taxpayers and it is believed to
be the interest Of the county, the collectors them
selves and to the people who pay the taxes, that
more rigid demand be made upon the collectors.
To prevent the election of the new Board of Com
missoners at the late election writers in the Anaer
can Sentinel endeavored unsuccessfully to make the
people believe that the county Indebtedness had not
been lessened by the present Board and as some
persons may be misled by such bold and reckless as
sertiOns il may be proper on this occasion to give
strict account of the whole matter. The former
Board in 1879, had entered into contracts for the
building of five iron bridges without levying any
specific sum to pay for them when finished. This
required a much larger sum than the general levy
of 1879 allowed, and the consequence was that on
the completion of the large iron bridge over the Mo-
nocacy, near Harvey, the Treasurer had not the
funds to pay the contractor when the Board author
lied him to overdraw his account in bank, which he
did in February $780, to the amount of $4,700 This
overdrat the Treasurer paid in September following
out of the general levy of 1880 At the end Of the
fiscal year. June go 1881, the Board paid 5000, one
wears interest and So 900 of the principal of the old
note for $4,000 Out of the moneys arising from the
same levy the Board finding that the money could
be spared paid off the balance and the accrued in
teret up to October 1SS1-thus wiping out the entire
debt due to said bank-and this done, too, with
out creating any new indebtedness.
Nothing has TRANSFERRED during our term of service
more gratifying to US than the change that has been
made in the administration of the affairs of the coun
ty Aims House. We secured the services of an eff
cient Steward, who has co-operated with us in
bringing about such changes as to reduce the eX-
pcnses of that institution nearly onehalf, notwith
standing the increase in value in every kind OF ma
terial, including mules cattle, hogs, agricultural
products, &c
One of the most difficult problems we have had to
deal with is our county roads-and with such a
number as $50 supervisors, it is impossible to avoid
errors and dissatisfaction, but the roads are
reported generally in good condition as they can
be without much larger expenditure of money.
Gentlemen, hoping and believing that you VIII so
posed upon yon by the people of Carroll county as
to merit their appreciation, bid you an ohclal fare
well.