The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-04-30

| Y,
| Spring Term of4S>9, for Leon county, submit the
| following general presentment:
We have examined tie county auditors vouchers
for the year, \. d.. 1888 and lind them correct
and kept in good order, we int that about $40 90
| per month is being contributed out of the county
funds for the support of the poor and about $500
| per month was paid for wild cat SC ps in 1888
! We find that the outstanding per cent bonded
drht on the 1st OF January 1889 amounted to
$4t 30o00, l-sS amount il slnking fluid of $1,000. 90
leaving balance Of $50 900 co. The orginai issue
of6 per cent. bonds in 1892, $72,00O00, reduc
| ton Of $53 900 90 within seven years.
The contract for the county jail was SlO,ll7.OO,
of which amount there h Is paid from sal, of
| Jail lot S3,750O), warrant No. 1890, $1,000 co.
| leaving balance still due of S2;67.0O, which
amount is to be provided for from the collection OF
taxes for 1880
We find that the judgment debts against the
county, amounts to 1851 a, bearing interest at
the rate Of per cent. per annum, and that the in
terest is now due from the first of May 1885, in
other words that there is about one years interest
due on the above amount.
We find that during the year 1888 there were
warrants issued TO Dec. 3lst amounting to
g.. .957.S6.
We have examined the books of the County Aud
itor, embracing the voucher book, journal and
ledger The former we find in good condition and
| the vouchers properly recorded. The journal and
the ledger have not been posted for years, and all
| records seems to be kept ON memorandum books,
slpS, etc, and if it not for the books of our
efficient County Treasurer cannot how the
financial condition of the county affairs could be
arrived at. We reliably Informed and believe
|
the Auditor given two days of his time in each
month to these books, for which he is paid fifty
| $3.50 dollars a month. To be fair to the Auditor,
he claims these books were taken out of his hands
by order of the County Commissioners and
manned of his possession for several years, but
can find no authority for it, except an order in
the minute book of the County Commissioners
appointing committee Of the Board to take
charge of the books and employ clerical force to
balance up these books.
The committee employed an expert whom they
paid four hundred and sixty six 81 100 ($466.67)
dollars, and the only consideration find for this
money was more confusion III the books than form
erly.
To the best of our information we believe these
books not out of the possession of the Auditor
more than one year.
We further believe that the County Commission
from 1884 to the present time allowed this state
of affairs to exist when they should have required
the Auditor to perform the duties for which they
The present Chairman of the Board, who is
cent appointee, has shown more than ordinary abil
ty and interest, and we believe he will change the
now existing state of affairs
This report has reference to the financial con-
dtion of the Auditors office, which We believe to
be correct
The examination of the County Treasurer's office
most satisfactory, his books models of neatuess
and accuracy and if it not for this conditO of
his books the financial condition of the county
would be in most deplOrable condition.
We have examined into the administration Of the
Conntv Commissioners from 1883 to 1889
We find the Commissioners in 1888 and 1884 paid
dollars to balance up the books of the Auditor and
mot ybeg n se as eSnnty has ssyed
when turned over by the expert.
We find the County Commissioners have been
paving the County Auditor $50 per month from
1889 to 1889 for services which he has not rendered
We have investigated the books of the County
Assessor, County Collector and the County Judge,
and find the books of the Assessor and Collector
are in nice order and kept according to INV, and
the officers deserve credit, for their duties very
arduou- under the present system OF assessing and
collecting
The County Judges office we find in very bad
shape; there has been system in that office for
years, and he papers and hooks are scattered pell
nell all over the floor. We find that the present
incumbent of that office is doing all in his power
to put the office in proprr shape, and II ne contin-
his present system he will bnt it will require
great deal of time and labor. The office is very
scant of furniture and very much in need OF it. and
would urge the County Commissioners to pro-
cure at once such furniture as tha present pcum
bent requires, which he thinks Will not exceed $40
We furIher fin! several valuable books in very
diapidated condition, AMI would recommend that
thev be rebound
We have examined the books of the Sheriff. and
find that they are properly and correctly kept
We have examined the Justices books, and we
find that Of the Justices have not and d. not
keep proper record of heir cases, the dispo-
sition of them 1t is Impossible for any one to
know what disposition was made Of their cases,
there being no dates signature OF the Justices,
names of witnesses jurors all Of which lhini
is very important, and should be d. n" by them
We have visited and examined the county Jail
house. and T. found that Sheriff Pcacce has il
very clean and good cOnai ion, and from what
gathered from the prisoners found that they were
well fed an treated kindly.
We found the pipes leading from The prison cells
are stepped up, and will NJ" carry the water OF.
This, think, should be looked into at once and
it necessary let the Counly commissioners have
new and larger ones put in If they should find that
the present one is sufficient. II it is not done
at once it will surely affect the health of the pris
oners. we'll as being the cause of much complaint
from those living near the Jail.
We WI pl~tu
adjoining thu jail in such good condition. and pile
Of lumber in the yari for putting 'enre around
the building which we are Informed by the Sheriff
will he commenced in few days.
The fearful condition of our public roads, we are
ple used TO know, is very much improved s'nce the
report of the last grand jury. The county pison-
under the charge aud IN 'nige'nrnt ot Mr. y
| Henry have done good work, and the improved
condition OF the roads for several miles out OF Tai
lahassee will bear out in our statement, yet we
cannot close this our preSentment, without saying
something of the condti. n Of the roads some dis
| tanre from the city. We confident from what
we have heard and fir all the information We can
gather, that they might be greatly improved Com
plants have been made t. that the Supervisors,
! do nOt-indecd, have nOt-dscbarged their duty
under their appointment This we think very un-
fortunate for those who are compelled to travel
over roads, and We regret that the gentlemen
appointed by the County Commissioners have
failed to discharge their duty under the law We
are informed that the road near the Barrow Hill
Plantation eleven miles from Tallahassee, is
mpassable and that the Overseer appointed in that
district has not had any work done on the road for
the past two wears This surely is an instance
where the Road Commissioner should have reported
the Road Overseer to the County Commissioners,
whose duty it is under section IL Ofthe Road Law,
to have the State Attorney prosecute him We can
not see when the working of the roads is of
great importance to the public why the Road
IL. n1,kk.