Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1886-09-30

time TO time and constantly of late, e,prlnt-
ed charges against the board of commls-
sloners-principaliy intended for the
chairman-of plling up an enormous in
debtedness and using the funds of the
county for their individual purposes.
People outside of the city can easily un-
derstand that this is the time honored
custom of all country newspapers who
printing. This is the same complaint
that thla paper has always had since 1t
was begotten. Citizens and taxpayers at
home and all who have taken the trouble
to inform themselves, know that the
charges are malicious, and groundless,
and treat them with the derlsive con-
tempt whi ch they deserve. Others how
ever may unthlnkingly let these false
statements of official misconduct make
an impression, and for the benefit of any
such The A lert has taken the pains to in
vestigate from the records, the stew art
ship of these commissioners who are
charged with grave otfenses. The show
ing proves the imposslbility and absur-
dity of the silly charges-one of which
for instance is chat this board has run
the county in debt $s3, ,O0O-and should
dispel any suspicion that might have
grown about the commissioners from the
Capitals false and ignorant statements IN
the matter. If there has been any ex-
travagance or loss OF county funds, or
any lack of value received IN improve
mcnts made, the fault goes back OF this
boards proceedings or comes from causes
beyond their control in any way.
The county clerks report for January
lst, 1884, the time when chairman Eddy
who Is being made the target for this
underhanded attack of the Capital
came in office, shows the amount of out
standing county warrants to be s7,953.33,
and the amount of outstanding road and
bridge warrants $50, 1887, and county
bonded Indebtedness $50, 100000, making
the total county Indebtedness for the
year ending December 3lst, 1883, S77,-
1860.
The county auditors report for July.
1886, shows the amount of outstanding
county warrants to be SIT, ,346.60 and the
amount of outstanding road and bridge
warrants s13743, and 500 bonded in
debtedness, making total county indebt-
edness of ss3, ,9s4.O5, Of which $50, 800
bonds have been issued for the purpose of
funding potion of the outstanding war
rants, as shown IN the January, 1854, re-
port, and $780, 900 bonds for the purpose
of building court house, which was
done by special act of the legislature
and entirely beyond the control of the
county commissioners. There is also due
from other counties s2,76l.o7, their pro-
portlonate court expenses, which was in
Cured by order of the court, and the
county of Stutsman have issued county
warrants to pay said expenses. Asshown
by the auditors report tor July there also
appears al deficiency of S6,O29 50 of the
funds in the several accounts which are
under the supervision of the commission
ers, and this amount necessarily added to
the Indebtedness. Also, good portion of
the balance of the Indebtedness was in
CURED by order of the court in furnish.
ing the court house.
There also appears, according to the
county treasurer's report for July, 1886,
the. amount of uncollected 1885 tax to be
SO, ,534sl. This amount, including the
deficiency and warrants due from other
counties, would more than extingnish
the floating Indebtedness of Stutsman
county 1t seems unnecessary to further
collate facts and figures to disprove the
Capitals frivolous and contemplate
charges about the ''crimlnal extrava-
gance'' of this board of commissioners.
Intelligent people know otherwise, and
The Alert believes when the time arrives
will 80 manifest it. 1t is fortunate that
intelligent citizens are In the majority in
this county, for the penny. liner on the
Capital has nothing else to do but attenp,