Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-17
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.

| While do not Join with your committee in theiI
report for reasons therein explained, yet upon its
submission TO me for examination find that read
in the light OF the records of the Commissioners Of
ce some items of said report are so palpably open
| thereby inviting eenSure and rejecting diseredit
upon the board Of Commissioners and other county
officials, in spirit of fairness and justice to all
subjon this supplementary report
Item shows that the board in November, 1886,
settled with Auditor Barrett and authorized an or
der for the payment of his salary in full, and sub
Sequently paid his SucceSSOr-Mr. Darrah two
hundred and fifty dollars for completing tax dupli-
Gates of lands, sc. This item taken as it reads, is
clearly open to the unfair construction that either
Mr. Barrett did an improper official act in drawing
an order for services which he had never perform
ed, or the board was guilty of wantOn negligence
in its official duties, either of which would be un
fair to honorable gentlemen and honest county
officials. The facts are, that at the time of the
allowance of said order Mr.. Barrett had entered
upon the preparation of this work, in good faith
believing II could be completed before tlre termi
nation of his term of office. The Commissioners
with equal good faith, and under the belief that
said work had been completed, allowed an order in
payment therefor. Upon Mr.. Darrah's induction in
ofiice it was discovered that their preparaticnw ":
incomplete. Their absolute necessity is apparent.
TO all hence alternative was left tile board but to
order their completion and payment for the same
TO Mr.. Darrah. Mr.. Barrett was the known success
SOr OF Mr. Darrah, under ample bond, hence no
possible harm or loss could result to the county
Item 11th, among other things, charges that the
board met at the county seat twenty-six tim,s
during the year, for which they charged and re-
ceived per diem aud mileage in erccSs OF the twelve
meetings provided by law. Inspection of the rec
ords OF the Commissioners Office shows this item
OF the report at variance with the facts The rec
ordS plainly Show that they met twelve times du-
ring the year In regular session Board OF Com
mlSSlonerS, as by statute prOvided-Once as a
Board of Equalization, for which we have no hesi-
fancy IN saying they were entitled to receive their
per diem and mileage-and twice in extra session,
when per diem only was charged. 1t is possibly
true that. as individual members of the board
they were present at the county seat more than
twelve times during the year. vet the exigences of
interests lpVa are tbtaP
dianS, required 1t. Not only by general statute
are they required to do this but the special legsla
ton under which our public buildings are being
built, vests their construction in the board (See
special acts, Vols. 50 & 81. o. L.
The statutes provide that each County Commits
soner shall be allowed, three dollars for each day
he Is employed in his official duties and five cents
per mile for his necessary travel for each regular or
called session, not exceeding one session each
month, &c., and five cents per mile when travelling
within their respective counties on official buSi-
ness and also, when necessarily engaged ia 2ttend
ing 70 the business OF the County pertaining to his
office, under the direction Of the boartl other than
In attending regular or called sessions OF the
board, and when necessary to travel on official
business out of his County, shall be allowed in
addition to his compensation and mileage herein
before provided, any reasonable and necessary ex-
Pense actually paid in tile discharge of his official
duty (See Vol. S3, page II, o. L. Now the injuS-
tiee is apparent when the item charges the board
with having met twenty-SiX times in erceSs of the
Ords deny it..
Item II charges, that the board improperly ap- |
propriated two hundred dollars for the benefit of
the village OF Bridgeport, for the purpose OF re-
pairing culyerts on the Ohio Valley Pike but that
upon investigation the money appropriated was |
not so used, but was used for the betterment of /
street. Sec. 4s4j, X. $. Vol. g. provides that the
County Commissioners shall build all bridges and |
eulverts on this class OF public ways, and pay for
the same out OF the bridge fund of the county,
Upon the authority of the proceedings of the coun-
ell of said village, which shows that said village
had expended sums in excess OF said apprOpTa-
ton, and the further fact that said appropriation
was made after full and satisfactory InveStiga-
ton by the board OF its reas0nablenesS, TO reim-
burse said village for the amounts by It so ex-
pended, submit was clearly within the scope of
their duty.
Item lG questions the authority Of the board to
appoint one OF Their number To Superntend the
National Road, and the allowance OF $500, three
loliarS per diem Tor such services. Sec. 1851, II. s.
provides ttat the commissioners shall take under
heir care dnd control such parts of said National
Road as shall pass thro' their respective counties
clearly making 1t, think, part of the official
business OF the board, and for which, by virtue Of
,talhte, Vol 81, page a, they are warranted in
'harging Three dollars per day, mileage and ex-
lenSe, put Tor which no member of the board has
harged or received mileage. In fact, the more
eriOuS question remains whether it Is an official
luty that the board could delegate TO any one save
me OF their number, since 1t Is delegated duty,
pecially TO the board, by special act.
Item 9th questions certain allowances therein
numerated to eN-Sherif Sedgwick and Sheriff
'Oulkc. True 1t N that Sec 1915, X. y, provides
hat the Sheriff shall be allowed such cOmpensi.-
ION as the County Commissioners shall nom time
time order and allow, not exceeding fifty cents
er day, Tor Keeping and providing for prisoners :
jail, which section looks solely TO the custody OF
he prisoners In jail-whe See. 1879, r. =, points
eneraly 10 their comfort, care and NlStenance.-
he latter section would be meaningless aud IN