The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-17

wHATCoM COUNTY FINANCES.
Big Salarses-fndebsssae ss-A ssessmentS
--pelirqaents-,ewR Roads.
wHArc0x. Nov. lR-fSpecial- The sal
a-y list OF whasccn county for the year
ending October 81 aggregated sS5.2lLSs.
while the total amount 81 fees collected By
county officers during the same period was
only 50 e35. -. OF which S.. 7o2 IA vas for
work done for the county n thu auditors.
clerks and sherifFs offices Tie average
monthly deficiency, therefore. under the
salary system, Is over s. coo month The
only Office which more than paid expenses
was that of county clerk. IN which the
salary expense for clerk and deputies was
s3,4l3I5. and amount OF fees collected
s4.35L 40. of which only s39o.25 was for
county work. In the suditor's office the
salaries aggregated 81, $3.50 while the
amount of fees collected Was 81. Has. in
GLIDING 81, SIT. 40 for the county Work.
The expenses of the sheriff's Office were
s36S2 90, while his fees amounted 10 only
81, ass 81. OF which $46440 was for work
done for the county. The county attorney
and bis deputy drew s.. 49,. a; the treasurer
and his deputy and clerks, SA.37L5i;
county commissioners. s3.IlLo5; school
superintendent. 81, i0004; assessor and
assistants, 81. 623 90; surveyor and deputy,
1854 10; superior judge. Si,39S.56; two
Justices (New Whatconl $40, and two
constahles. s., 6o0.0S; jailer, 500; ianitor,
S679; special accountants. employed by
order of grand jury, sI,40i9s In a3ci-
ton Ss3- IS was paid for clerical work on
the tax rolls, <i2o. IS 10 . bridge tender and
SIS TO special Judge in one case. The
highest salaries paid TO deputies are $50 IN
the treasurer's and sheriff's offices, SIS TO
the deputy auditor and deputy clerk.
Other clerks receive SIS
A great deal has been said about the
county, in common with many other
counties of the state, having exceeded the
constitutional limit of indebtedness of IL
per cent of the total assessed valuation OF
taxable property, and it is generally be-
lieved that this excess has been almost If
not altogether due 10 the heavy reduction
of the assessment since 1891. when il ag-
gregated SIS, 00l. 24i. Since the boom period
the custom of initiating valuation was aban-
doned for more conservative policy, and
assessments have been gradually reduced
For 1898, for instance, the total equaliEed
valuation was Sc. sol. 5iS, and this year IL
Is still lower BY about 10 per cent. In 1891
the constitutional limit OF Indebtedness
was s270,o 600, in round numbers, whereas
under the present assessment it would be
in the neigh borhood of $50, 900, IL the
debt annually incurred to meet the ordi-
nary running expenses of the county is
included in the limit. The auditors state
ment. however, shows that the net county
debt July /, 1891. was 5000. 3ol. 50. of which
500, 900 is in 6 per cent. funding bonds.
81. 500 in per cent. funding bonds and
the balance in floating warrants. Under
the high assessment of 1891 the total tax
levy was IL $40 mills. This year the
levy is l7s4 mills outside Of the cities and
Is mills in the cities, the difference of 2sx
mills being the segregated road tax levy
in the country. The impression that
many have that the indebted
ness OF the county has materially
increased under the administration of the
present board of commissioners is
erroneous. The net increase, aside from
the So. 1000 grand jury expense. for which
they were not responsible, is very small.
And it should be remembered that they
have had to face an unusually large tax
delinquency and have had TO labor under
the further disadvantage of having about
$50, 600 of the county's funds Tied up by
reason OF bank suspensions and official
Irregularities. Whatever may be the final
judgment of this administration, the OH
GERS must be credited with having accom-
piished vast amount of permanent good
in having inaugurated splendid system
of county highways, of which they have
completed thirty-six miles under the Dom
ahue law at a total cost to the county of
only about $4,000. These roads will do
more TO promote the settlement and de-
veiopment of the ounty and enhance the
prosperity OF the people than any other
Improvement which could possibly be
made. The future outlook for the county
was never better, and even under existing
conditions of depression there is no good
reason why county warrants should not
sell readily for at least 80 cents on the
dollar.