The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-05-16
The Unreliable Census.

The ADVOCATE has several times comments
ed upon the unre!iability of the eleventh
census, as to population, and many oil the
leading dailies throughout the country have
shown its great inaccuracies. The Census
Bureau has recently issued advanced sheets
concerning public Indebtedness OF govern
ments. states. counties and municipalities.
The Indebtedness of Maryland by counties is
included, and if the returns are no more ac-
curate for other counties than the report for
Carroll. they are absolutely worthless. They
are more-they are misleading and an IN
Justice. Here is the report of Carrol's IN,
debtedness:
Carroll-Total debt, less sinking fund IN
1880, SIS, 325; in 1890, $50, 800; bonded DEBT,
So, 300; per capita in 1880, Sl.56; IN 1880, -
cents.
Not single item in that paragraph is cor
rect. The Indebtedness of Carroll in 1880
was $64, 709.6l, as follows
County Certificates Outstanding. ..S4S, 325.OO
Note due Union Nat. Bank. 100000
Due Daniel Bush Estate.............. l,2OOOO
Due Geo W. Acknowledgements. 10000
Overdrawn bank account............. 4,IS46l
Total .................. ..............S64, fO9ol
The county has no sinking fund, but in
1880, June 80, before the census was taken,
the time the official statement of county
finances was made up, the assets consisted OF
$50, 390.77 of uncolleeted taxes.
In 1880, then, the county Indebtedness was
SCI, SO9. 81, not $4s,S25.
In 1890, the debt of the county, as made up
on June 30, before the taking of the census
was begun, was So, 400, as follows:
Bills unpaid. f,ooO
County Certificates outstanding. ....... l4,9OC
Total .......................... 4OC
Atthat time there were s., 900. rs in bank, q
sum sufficient to liquidate all unpaid bills, anc
81. 500 besides. This 81, 800 subtracted from
the Sl4, 300 of certificate Indebtedness, Sl4,
900, would leave the net debt in 1890 only
sl3, 400. But in addition, there were assets
us follows;
Due from other counties...............Sl,Oo O'o'
Due from Vim. Y Frizzell........... l5O.S
Due from r. G. and Silas Bish...... 15O.W
Due from Jos. Weimert............... 66O.O
..........''''.-.''''"'9@'Vi''
This 50. OlO. So would reduce the indebted
ness to less than $4,000, but the county ha'
unsolicited taxes to the amount OF S2o,Ofo.o
IN addition. The total assets would have wlpet
ont the whole indebtedness, and left balance
of SIG. 6S7. AZ. Here is the statement of thu
county finances, as shown in the last count!
statement. for the year ending June 10
1890:
Taxes due County in hands OF col
leetors. with interest on same to
date.
Amount due by other countless. l,OoO.O'
Amount due by VIM. Y. Frizzell... l5O.S'
Amount due by K. G. and Silas
Bish OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. l9O.o'
Amount due by Jos. Weimert on
motto ........... $50. OF
Cash in bank June 80. 1890 ....... 9,0O0.7 II
$50, 0S7 A:
Bills unpaid about...........S 1900
County Certificates unpaid. l4,9O0 LOG
Total.."...... .......................SlO,oo i.f-
proper report on Carroll's Indebtedness
would have been
County indebtedness..................SlS."%'.Z "a
Assets four.iifths available. $50, OS6.6I
Since June Both last, $1,000 more Of
county certificates have been paid off, ant
the outstanding certificates now amount tc
but ST., 300. What the assets are we do moi
know, but the statement for the year will be
made up in few weeks, and it will be
gratifying to every tax payer. The debt has
been reduced, since June 30, 1880, from
SG4, 7O9G1 to S12, 900 in 1904 reduction o
SOL, S0961 in eleven years, or an average
of over $4,000 year; and the debt pei
capita was about Ali cents in 1890 instead
of "a 1t is now only about 35l, with assets
not considered.