The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-25
finances and the expenditure of its money
AS CERTAIN AS FATE.

finances and the expenditure of its money
AS CERTAIN AS FATE.
We do not, however, find among the
items of this amount any items of specia
expense such as payment of bonds, oil
making permanent Improvements; anG
must conclude unless more economical
policy is pursued by the icommis
sioners' court the demands upon
this fund for the coming twelve
months will be similar in character and
equal in amount to those of the same
periods Just passed, and that a very con-
siderable deficit will have to be dealt with
A similar condition exists in the road and
bridge fund. The estimated resources are
as follows:
Ad yslorem taxes..."............... Sl9 eco 0C
Due from general revenue. ........... 5000 o.
Fines "..-...... l,iOO N
IOlhI''''''''.'''. tUU "
The expenditures on this account for
the twelve months preceding the August,
A. d. 1888, term of commissioners court,
were $34, 1926, from which may be de-
Quoted the sum of $10,551 80, expended
on account of bonds and bridge warrants
|
among the ordinary expenses of the fund.
| The balance, however, of $23,900.80 may
be fairly taken as an estimate for the com
ing twelve months, and to this must be
added the $1,000 of interest bearing
warrants now outstanding, making a total
of S34,900S0 for the expenses of the cur
rent fiscal year, and to meet which the
fund can count upon only $23,7OO as
| shown above, and if these estimates are
correct, there will result deficit of SILL
200.S0, without allowing anything for il
terests upon the warrants.
Adding this to the estimated deficit in
the general fund of $12,23S.37 the result
will be total deficit in the two funds of
$23,439.17, without taking into considera-
ton the $13, 1850 of interest bearing
warrants drawn against the general rev
enve fund for the new iron work in the
jail.
SUGGESTIVE OF CHANGE.
This disastrous result can only be
avoided by a considerable reduction in
expenditures and most econ
omical administration of county
affairs unless, indeed, an additional issue
of the countys bonds should be put upon
Iuc udEhtlJ Juo lOO freq u6uG reSOrU VI
embarrassed communities.
The committee has intimated that an
item of increased expenditure is on &C
count of salaries and fees, which was
S21, 565.83 for the two years ending August
8, 1888, against $1O,977.14 for the two
preceding years, a difference of $40 $3.50.
This increase seems to be chiefly due to
two causes:
THE HEALTHY TWINS.
First-A ruling of the commissioners
court that the county judge is entitled to his
fee of So in every case that goes on his
docket, whatever the disposition of the
case, and
Second-The payment by the county in
cash by warrants on the treasury of
all court costs in criminal cases where
the party convicted works upon the road
gang of the county.
PLACE YOUR BETS.
The committee is aware that the correct
ness of these rulings has been questioned.
We do not undertake to decide upon them,
but call them to the attention of the
court, with the hope that they will be
passed upon by those properly versed In
the law.
The committee does not feel it neces
ssry to consider the courthouse and Jail
fund, or the school teachers fund, further
than the statement of them in exhibits
q and E, for the reason that they are no
longer supplied by taxes, special or
otherwise.
In conclusion the committee would say
that in the time at their disposal it was
impossible to make minute examination
of the vouchers for the period covered by
their researches, or even during the last
two years, and that they were compelled
to rest satisfied with such as their limited
time permitted them to examine.
R. M. THOMSON,
JOHN DAVIDSON,
LEWIS HANCOCK,
Committee.
Sworn to and subscribed 20 before me
by each one of the above named commit
tee, on this, the 18th day of October, 1888.
Seal. JAS. P. HART,
Clerk District Court, Travis County, Tex.