The tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1890, 1890-04-02
COUNTY FINANCES.

The general school fund of Cascade
county had IN hand March l, 1889, ST.
365.O4. 1t received from fines $727.1O,
and from the tax apportionment $9,O66.s7.
Our people expended $10,747.60 on
schools and had $410.41 in the school
fund ON the first of March last. The
money was distributed through Is dis
tricts. This wise provision for schools
speaks we'll for the progressive spirit of
our people. They pay cheerfully the
tax for that purpose and display o
liberality than much larger and richer
communities.
The general fund of Cascade county
received during the year, ended March 1,
1890, $~3O,142.sS. This included &c.
393.47 from the previous year. The re-
mainder was made up of tax collections,
$1s,447.60; fees received from county
officers, $165.50; licenses, $2,137.71.
The manner In which the receipts were
disbursed is as follows: The general ex-
penses of the county as represented by
warrants amounted to $16,051.72. The
contingent fund, of which more anon,
received $10,335.11; the territorial treas
urer was paid $1,064.06. The territory
also received $2,137.n on account of
licenses. The balance in the general
fund on March 1 last was $555.0S.
Now we turn to the contingent fund.
When the fiscal year began it had on
hand $2,4O2.97. The licenses collected
added $13,SOO.4s. The general fund gave
$10,335.71 and the Meagher county spe-
cial fund $4,000. The territory collection
fees added $1,249. 55. This made a total
of $29,2ss.T1. The contingent fund was
disbursed by warrants or checks amount
ing to $23,009.71, leaving a balance on
hand of $6,279.
The road fund concerns our ranchmen
considerably. 1t began the fiscal year
in 1889 with $2,136.O7. 1t received from
uau supervisors. $464.S0, and from tax
collections, $S,425.4S. An owe draft add
ed $346.63. The total was $11,422.9s. OF
this sum the county expended $1O,714.95,
and has road receipts on hand amounting
to sos.
The Meagher and Choteau special
funds do not call for special reference.
We paid the first county $4,000 and the
second county $4,000 and this settled
their claims on us for the portion of their
debt which we assumed.
1t may be asked how does the county
stand financially. The records show that
the county bonds unpaid amounted to
100000; the warrants unpaid to $20,694,-
90, and the overdraft of the road fund to
$346.63. The total Indebtedness is $751;
041.55. This Indebtedness is partly Offset
by the county assets. They amount to
$28,022.33 and are made up as follows:
Value of county Jail, $4,000; office fur
niture aud fixtures, $1,000; Jail at Sun
River, $500; cash in general fund, $685.
OS; in contingent fund, $6,279; in poor
fund, $4,8ss.25. The net Indebtedness
on March /. 1890, was $53,019.22. OF
this sum $3s,OOO represents the money
paid to Meagher and Choteau counties in
payment of the debt which this county
assumed assumed. The remainder
$15,O19,22-is the debt incurred for gen.
eral purposes.
The county, it may be seen, is in q
sound, solvent condition. The assessed
valuation on real and personal property
in 1888 was $3,42O,s74. Last year the
valuation was $4,433, 050, an increase OF
$1,OO9,176. This increase enabled the
commissioners to reduce the tax levy
from Is mills IN 1888 to 104 mills in
1889. The unsolicited taxes for 1885,
came to only $2,5O1 IA, which speaks
we'll for the s~olvency of the county and
the diligence of Treasurer Clark.