Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-03-19
Helena, Montana. Thursday, March 10, 1885.

adjournment, the retiring County Treas
urer has failed 10 tile his settlement re-
quired by law. This delay in settlement
by accounting officers reflects upon thoss
whose duty it is TO demand the settle
ment. 1t would be next TO impossible fol
a grand jury to fully and carefully examine
the records of the various officers OF this
county; yet we are unanimous In the
opinion that thorough overhanling OF all
records for the past years would intelIl-
gently set forth many matters which tax
payers have wish and interest In know
ing. The laws require an accounting from
all officers entrusted with the collection ol
public moneys, and the records must show
the receipts for such sums. How best tc
reach these matters has perplexed us, but
we unite in this suggestion:
We recommend TO the court that two
expert accountants be employed, and we
recommend Charles G.. Reynolds and L. W
Bach. TO be paid moderate compensation by
the county not to exceed - per Gay, for
each day of actual service, whose duty IL
shall be, with such advice and assistance
as may be requisite TO be given them by
the District Attornev, or his depu:, for
this count :, to urocees TO carefully and
fully examine all county accounts, and the
accounts of all county officers, or al! per
sons who are in any way responsible for
the payment of money into the county, and
to foot up the amounts collected by the
Treasurer, compare his receipts with the
various officers, books and records, ex
anime stubs of warrants, find vouchers and
compare with statements or stubs, check
one statement with another, list all costs
collected or charged and taxed by Justices,
Probate or District Court, papers. books and
records, examine license accounts, county
clerks and county commissioners records
aud proceedings, note the aggregate OF all
fees collected by each officer during his
term OF service, and the amounts turned
into the county by each, and on what ac-
count turned in, check the warrants by
stub and vod her. and in all examinations
cover fully all accounts of money. note any
discrepancies, If any occur, OF any omission
10 have reported. and TO present a clear and
plain statement of all matters investigated
to the Grand Jury TO convene IN and tor
this county at the November, \. d., 1s-j,
term of this couIt, and upon the approval
of said grand jury and the Judge OF this
court to receive such compensation as may
be found due.
There should be some safety for the
records OF the Probate Court in case OF fire.
We recommend that safe be put in the
probate office.
We visited the poor farm and found the
buildings inadequate for the present needs
poorly ventilated, and the buildings nearly
surrounded by a swamp, that must he in
furious to health. The patients were as
comfopRble, apparently, as they could be
made in such quarters. The Grand Jury
would recommend that the County Com
missioners build new house. with more
room and better ventilated, upon higher
ground and as near the city as they can
find such ground on the poor farm, and
that they keep the old buildings for a pest
house.
The Commissioners of the county are
taxed with more work than their eon.pen-
sation would warrant, yet We would be
negligent of our duty as Grand Jurors did
we fail to remind the court of how the en-
tire government of the county may he
made safer and better by a more strict adj
herence TO the laws defining the duties OF
the board.
drawn. and drawn only upon proper
funds and under proper legal authority.
We call the attention of our commissioners
to section "A, revised statutes, page 4l9, and
recommend that the provisions of the
statute be fully complied with. failure
in any officer to settle his accounts as re
quired by law should be always reported
to the proper authority, the District Attor-
ney. and thus would the commissioners be
relieved and their duty in the matter
ended.
We fully appreciate the difficulties OF
technical compliance with legal forms in
all county offices, but we know that that
officer is the best public servant who relies
upon the statutes for his every official act
and people are ready to comply with the
law if required to do so in matters of pub
lie as well as private business.
All of which is respectfully submitted