Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-10-25
Go, See, Investigate, Under.
stand Consider and Vote.

SCanu COnSluer ana vote. r
This is the closing sentence ofan edi-
torlal in the Signal Of Oct. 18th, under
the following heading: "Deplorable con-
dition Of the finances Of Henry county,"
We will follow the advice Of the Signal
and investigate. We remember that
years ago IL was a common argument
that there should be one Republican on
the Board of Co. Commissioners. We
remember that a majority of the good
people Of Henry county believed in this
argument and twice in succession elect
ed Mr.. Daniel Yarnell to the office of
County Commissioner. Mr.. Yarnell was
Republican and there is no more hon.
est Republican In this county to-day
than the late Mr.. Yarnell was. We de-
fy the Signal to prove that the present
Republican candidate for Commissioner
VIM. Abbs, is more honest or compe-
tent man than the late Mr.. Yarnell was
during his life.
The commissioners journals and the
record-book of the tax levies show that
the following tax levy was made for the
general county fund during the last
three years of Mr.. Yarnell's official term
as Republican commissioner and by
his vote: In 1879 mills, in 1880 3.9
mills, and in 1881 81 mills. The tax du-
plicate for the year 1881 shows a total
valuation of taxable property in the co.
of $5,542,2 ,279 90. Sec. 1928 of the revis-
ed statutes of Ohio limits the tax levy
for general county fund to 81 mills in q
valuation exceeding five million dollars.
Here is Republican commissioner,
whose personal honesty has never been
disproven, who after an experience of 5
years as county commissioner, and as
the then President and the oldest men,
ber of that board, by his vote taxes the
people of the county 6-10 of mill, MAX
ing sum of So 1925 SO more than the law
allows for the general county fund
If we follow the arguments of the Sig
nat this must have been right, because
the Republican commissioner voted for
it.
Again, referring to the commissioners
journals and the record of tax levies in
the Auditors Office, the following taxes
were levied for the general county fund
during the last three years when no Re-
publican acted as President or was a
member of the board of commissioners:
In 1886 81 mills, in 1887 81 mills, in
1888 81 mills. This is Clio mills less
than Mr.. Yarnell levied in 1881 in vio-
lation oflaw. ft.s.. -."..,.-
We will follow the able (?) argument
of the Signal for while and say ''if'' or
''supposing" the Democratic commiss.
toners had made the same levy for the
general county fund that was made in
1881, would this fund be overpaid or in
debt to other funds now? Let us see. The
valuation of taxable property in the
county Is shown by the various dupli-
Gates, as follows: In 1882, $685., 1866;
1888, SIS, ,695, ,270; 1884, $6,703, ,112; 1885,
Sc, 1888, ,407; 1886, So, ,896, ,239. 1887, SIS, ,973,-
SIT. The amounts that would have
been collected under this 6-10 mill levy
would have been as follows: In 1882,
So, ,410.61; 1888, $3,4l7.16; 1884, So, ,421. .86;
1885, $3,413.0S; 1886, $3,637.74; and in
1887, S3,584.ll, or a total of 500, 0,7S4.56.
The tax payers would have been bur-
dened illegally, but of course the com
ty fund would now contain the sum of
3.4S0 06, instead of being overpaid.
The commissioners journal, vol. 4, pg.
$50, shows that on Sept. 7, 1881, the gem
eral county fund was overdrawn 81 800.
13; that on pages $40, SAL, 542, 543 and
544 bills were allowed to the then coun-
ty Auditor, Mr.. Ennes, amounting to
81, ,139 08, that on pages 562, 563 and 564
of the same journal bills were allowed
on Nov. 7, 1881, to the same gentleman
for services amounting to $4, ,55S %, or a
total of SO, ,697 36 in the two last months
of a Republican President of the board
of commissioners, whose own signature
verifies the correctness of these allow
ances.
The commissioner journal, vol. 4, pg.
$50, containing the settlement with the
county Treasurer, shows a balance of all
the funds in the treasury on Sept. Z, '81,
amounting to $15,S05 "a. Within the
next two months not only was this
amount all paid out upon allowances
made by Mr.. Yarnell, but the then Co.
Treasurer, G. H. Gidley, to keep up the
credit of the county, had to borrow from
the bank of E. s. Blair & Co. up to No
vember %, 1881, the sum of $12,562 So,
and from the bank of Sheffield & Nor
ton the sum Of ,276 36. This money
was borrowed for the county byauthor-
ity and with the consent Of the Repub-
lican President of the board of com
missi0ners, and the sum of $117 46 was
paid az interest for the use of the satire.
(see docket bills Nos. 1889 and 1047. .cuu-
missioners' journal, vol. 5, pig. 34.)
We find then that Henry county had
a good, honest Republican commission
er for six years, and that, when his time
about expired there was not one cent of
money in the treasury, but the county
was in debt to the local banks in Napo-
leon for $16,8 1858 SO, for money borrowed
to keep up the running expenses of the
county +!
"These are cold, solid, unvarnished,
iron-clad facts" to use the language of
the Signal.
'tHenry county Is carrying an inn
mense bonded indebtedness reaching up
into the many thousands" says the
Signal, In advocating the election ofone
Republican commissioner. Well, how
was this debt made?
Commissioners journal, vol. 8, pg. 551
April 8, 1879; $4,000 Napoleon river
bridge bonds, issued by Reiter, Yarnell,
Horning, 2 Blaine republicans, l demo-
crat. .,t
Commissioners journal, vol. 3, .rg. 554,
SO, 900 Napoleon river bridge bonds iss-
ued on April 8, 1879, by Reiter, Yarnell,
Horning, 2 Blaine republicans, l demo-
crat.
Commissioners journal, vol. 8, pg. 562
May 5, 1879, $4,000 Napoleon river
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