Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-29
Adams Wants a Change from the Present
Manner of Conducting AfYairs.

Adams Wants a Change from the Present
Manner OF Conducting Affairs.
HASTINGS, Jan. 2S. -[Special to THE BEE. l.
The taxpayers of Adams county have found
their experiment with township organiza-
tion a very expensive and unsatisfactory
means of gaining some practical experience,
and they are now ready to abandon the sys-
tenn whenever an opportunity presents it.
self. Several years ago, for some reason not
now definitely known, probably in a fit of
petulance after the discovery of the Thorne
shortage, the voters adopted the township
system and have regretted the change from
that day until now.
Last year the salaries and mileage paid
Adams county supervisors amounted to
just SI,ess' an an average Of Si3a, 10
one man being Sl95. The opponents
of the present system argue that fully three
fourths of the present board are useless,
doing nothing beside collecting their per
diem and mileage, taking but little part in
the deliberations, and having no feasible
plans to suggest for action by the board.
Four or five leaders do most of the work,
the other members merely following them
or dividing on questions presented Them as
their fancy might dictate. If, therefore,,
the salary paid the most diligent-or di-
latory-of these supervisors is less than
5000, it Is argued that the county's affairs
might as well be administered by u board of
JureS commissioners, dU al expense lot sal
aries of not more than $500, a saving of
81 800 u year on that item alone. The esti-
mate for next year is 81, 600 for salary and
mileage, and $500 for special committees.
Again, ii is argued that the county loses
much through the neglect and incompetence
of the supcrvisorS-not Wilful, but almost
necessary. The board is composed of
twenty members, a number far too large for
prompt or efficient action. For committee
work, five members are usually selected.
One or two, in most cases., do the work the
Others draw 50 n day.
Then the beard is not representative, and
this assertion, can be taken as absolutely
true without reference to the personal char
acter of the supervisors. Adams county has
a population of %, 000-13,5 500 in the city Of
Hastings, IL 800 in the county at large. The
four wards OF Hastings are represented each
by one supervisor; one for 1875 inhabitants.
The sixteen outside precincts are repre-
Sented each by q supervisor: one for each
720 inhabitants.
Last fall, a few days before the meeting
of the board of supervisors prior to the gen.
eral election, petitions were circulated ask
ing for the submission of a proposition for
a change TO the voters. In three or four
days several hundred names were added to
the petition, but about the time the matter
became n serious business proposal the call
tor the election was made and the change
could not be brought before the voters.
There is a movement already inaugurated
to secure the necessary signatures in plenty
of time This year, and possibly the question
will be submitted at a special election.
The Hastings Board sof Education has APP
pointed a committee TO prepare Il proposition
to be put before the electors TO bond the
district for $40, 900 OF $4,000 for a nigh
school building, to be located on Second
street, between Colorado and Minnesota
avenues. The various buildings now in use
are so rowdedt that IL became necessary for
the board To rent 'Germanla hall and the
CLANCY building to accommodate the overflow,
and even then some of the grades hold
session but half a day. tA.
Yesterday morning the second hand store
of II. T.. Dresser was discovered to be on
tire and the fire department called on to eX-
tinguish the flames The loss will be about
500, insured in the Connecticut and Union
of Philadelphia. The origin of the fire is Il
mystery. M
glee club, with q good enrolment of mem
bers,