The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-09-06
County Finances.

|
of opinions and views, concerning
our county's debt, that with your
permission will undertake to OK.
plain its STATUS" for the benefit Of
all interested, through the columns
Of your paper.
The present County Court went In
to operation January LIST, 1881. Prior
to that time, for eight years, we had
the Justices County Court, during
which time, although the law re-
quired, then as now, yearly state
ment Of the receipts, expenditures
and debts Of the county to be made,
yet the law was not executed. The
court did not order the statement,
and neither the Clerk or Prosecuting
Attorney furnished OF had any such
statement made. You can imagine,
then, what a difficult task was i'm
posed upon the present County Com
missioners.
They had no basis to start from or
data to go by, in ascertaining the
debt. No books had been kept, ex.
cept such US each officer would keep
for his own convenience and safety.
AT the July term, 1881, the Court
directed the financial statement to
be prepared by the Clerk.
Now, l would defy the most ex-
periehced book keeper and expert,
to make out an accurate statement of
receipts andexpenditures, amounting
annually totwenty or thirty thousand
dollars, where there were no regular
books kept, showing the receipts
and expenditures. But | believe the
statement made in 1881, was appor-
tionately correct. 1t was as near
right as could be made, when you
consider the confused and uncertain
records from which it was compiled.
The only objection can see to the
statement of 1881, is, that it does not
furnish q statement "by separate
items" as the law requires.
The court was urged to have the
statement made by separate items,
but the court thought that the pub.
LEGATION of such a statement would
cost too much, and hence the aggre.
CATION of items as shown by the state.
ment.
Now, the amount of orders out
standing and unpaid May 31st, 1881,
as shown by the statement of 1882
was s25,730.S4. The new court, at
its first levy term, found then float.
ing debt, in the shape of county or.
derS amounting to s25,730.S4,
They laid levy of 99,130.90 tc
meet these county orders and for the
current expenses of the county up to
May 31st, 1882.
The orders issued during this last
fiscal year amounted to s26,S59.25.
Assuming that the debt as ascer-
tanned for 1881 is correct, you have
the following:
Amount 81 orders outstanding
and unpaid, May 3lst, 1884,. .$25, $50 81.
| Orders issued from last date to
May 3lst, 1882 ...... ......... ..... 2G,s59 So.
S52,50O 10.
Commissions paid Hanly, sher-
Ill '".'..."..".......". .."..."" 81 ,723 81.
s54,Sl3 50.
To pay this amount you have
the county levy made at the
July term, 1SSi. ........,.sSo $50 90.
Deduct delinquent tax tickets. 537 50.
S3S,59S 81.
Liabilities of county............~S5 4,S13 50.
Set of by levy."..... ............... 1888 81.
Balance owing by county .Sl5, 72O 50.
Paid by G. Sehon as per his set
Element at January term,
looZ"''...' .."..".". ."..".. 7,l9O 2S.
Indebtedness OF county.......... IS, $50 81.
You may ask show the amount of
S3S,599.21 was, or is to be paid2" The
answer is very plain.
Amount 81 orders paid by Ham
ly, Sheriff, not returned for
cancelIatien......:....... ,377 %.
Sheriff Hanly's commissions. f,723 81,
Amount in hands OF Sheriff
Hanly, uncollected and un-
accounted for. 40. ............... 1892 IS
S3S,50S q
The errors In the statement made
by the Clerk, consist in charging the
sl,725.61 commissions to sherif7s
credit, without also showing that it
was so much money expended by the