, 1889-10-24
A TIMELY LETTER.

Hon. NJ. n. Grant in a letter to the
Laramie Boomerang presents some fig
ures relating to the expenditures Of Al.
bany county from which can be deduced
some unanswerable arguments in favor of
the adoption Of the new constitution, es-
pecially so as the sorry condition OF Al
bany county's finances is that to which
many of the other counties in the territory
are rapidly drifting. Mr.. Grant shows
By a tabulated statement of salaries and
necessary expenses Of the county manage
ment that the financial outlay for the
running expenses Of Albany county for a
year under the restrictions of the consti
ton would amount to $40, 00O. The ex-
penses of management for the year 1887
were, including interest, SOS, 456. 80; for
1888 $72, 1856. Mr.. Grant finds in-
cluded in these amounts a number of
items Of unwarranted expenses. The
nine thousands dollars spent on roads and
bridges in 1888. he is certain would pay
for all the work done in the county under
economical management for ten years.
b. w. Towne, while being paid 1899 to
$474 per month for road work, was draw
ing 800 per month salary as a stock de-
tective. William Downey has been paid
thousands Of dollars for work on roads.
For every one hundred dollars paid him
the work could have been done for from
five to ten dollars. Items for poor aud
paupers have been largely in excess of
warranted expenses. Concluding Mr..
Grant says:
The assessed valuation Of property in
1887 was a.. s92, 955. The levy of TO-
S55 mills was for county expenses and did
not include school tax. If all the taxes
were collected, which is never the case, il
would bring to the county s53,l13.42.
Expenditures, not including interest.
were 500, 492, OF, being in excess of in
come by $40, 1875. This amount, to-
gether, with the interest as nearly as |
can compute it, would make the expenIi-
lures exceed the income by SIS, $40 81.
I'm 1888 the assessed valuation OF prop
erty was "a, OBS. l24. The levy for the
county, not excluding school tax, was
l0.l75 mills, The income, il all the
taxes were collected, would be $40, $50 Is.
The expenditures, not including interest,
were sos. 456. 80. This amount less the
income would leave expenditures in excess
of income by $27. 470. "a, which, together
with the interest as nearly as | can get it,
would leave the expenditures in excess
by S3l, 379.4l. At this rate how many
years will it take to bankrupt the county?
L think we would be at the end of our
string in about two more years.
Should we become a state under the
proposed constitution the county commits
sioners will have to keep within the in
como Of the county in their expenditures.
The expenses of the county would be re-
duced from $4,000 to 5000 per year;
they could not issue a warrant unless the
money were in the treasury with which to
pay it; they could not create any indebt-
edness without first submitting it to a
vote of the people, and then not to exceed
2 per cent on he assessed value OF prop
erty in the county. At the reckless rate
at which the county Is being run we shall
have a debt of $3.50, 600 or $40. 900
heaped upon US before we can get in as a
state. On this debt we should pay s per
cent interest whereas if we become a state
the debt could be bonded at 4 per cent
and | believe under the restrictions in the
constitution tor a less amount.
ut is claimed by some that tho ~restric-
tons in the constitution will be evaded
and that the value of property will be
raised in order to raise more money; this
being a violation of the constitution no
one could be made to pay his tax if 1t
were done; while under the present sys-
TEN there is nothing to prevent it being
done. In fact it will bs necessary to do
this or cut down expenses"