The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-11
BIG ELECTION BILLS
TOWNSHIP EXPENSES 10O PER CENT.
MORE THAN THE CITY's.
Inspectors Attempt Another Raid ON
b Treasury Despite N Demo-
cratic Court Decision.

The difference between Democratic and
Republican economy is plainly shown in
the expenses of the last election and the
city election last fall. The only figures at
hand now are those from Center township
and they are not complete, but enough
bills have already been filed for Trustee
Gold to make an estimate of the total
amount. The following is the bill for the
expenses of the One-hundred-and-ninety-
first precinct and viii serve as a sample
to show where the taxpayers money goes:
Inspector, nine and one-half days at 81 a
day, Sl9; two judges. three days each at
s. a day, s12; two clerks, three days each
at 81 a day, 81; two deputy sheriffs, three
days each at $3.50 a day, 50; twenty-eight
meals at SOC, s1f; fuel, 81; rent. S.: putting
up booths, 50, total. SIC. The expenses last
fall at the city election, as paid by Con-
troller Trusler, was uniformly $3.50 to
each precinct, which amount includes every
thing in the trustees bill except putting up
the booths. That work was done by two
transfer companies and was paid for sep
erately. The bill given above was not Sc
lected because it is the largest one pre-
sented to the trustee. 1t happened to be
on the top of the pile and was copied for
that reason. The lowest one noticed in
the lot of them was for $50. The man who
presented it should have been a Republic
an; the bill is too small to have been pre-
scented by a full dyed-in-the-wool Demo-
crat.
Most of the bills were for amounts be-
tween $65 and SIS. Trustee Gold says that
they will average about $40. At that rate
the total cost to the twonship~ for the cleo
ton. exclusive of printing and bills paid
to others than INSPECTORS and election OIL
items will swell the cost to about SIC, 1000.
The city election expenses for the same
items, included in the above estimate were
cases, the expenses were &,s4S.ss and ss,-
$40. There is a difference In the number of
cred to make a fair comparison. In the city
election there were only 1S precincts. Max
ing the comparison on that basis, the fig
penses, $5,94S.S9; township election. $11, 06O;
a difference in favor Of the city Of $5,111.01.
At the time of the city election bills were
presented, claiming three days for inspec-
tors and two days for judges and clerks.
nee he refused to pay for more than two
days services for inspectors and one day
each for the others. A great howl was
vas held, at which 1t was decided to sue
for the three days pay. Inspector Stanm
was selected to bring the suit. 1t was filed
against the inspectors: The court decided
that they were entitled to a days pay for
the day the canvassing board met, and not
on a basis of one days pay for each eight
hours or fractional part of eight hours
which they were employed.
In the face of this decision, the township
trustee has allowed one bill for nine and a
half days time Tor an Inspector. This in
after the ballots and a day for each eight
hours spent in the election and in the work
Of the two canvassing boards. The clerks
and sherifrs are allowed three days if they
worked as much as seventeen hours, as q
days pay is allowed for each eight hours
or fractional part of 1t.