The record-union., 1895-06-29

huu lUe QuaNtlLy more lnan SuINCleQt.
The Grand Jury are of the opinion that
while the food should be sufficient to sus-
! tain life, they do not believe the prison
| erS should be eXtravagantly fed at the
| expense OF the taxpayers, but consider
! that their Imprisonment should be made
a punishment rather than a luxury.
| We find that q custom has crept into
the Sheriff's S office by which the Sheriff
assumes the authority to take from the
| County Jail prisoners committed to his
! custody and to accompany them outside
of the county for the purpose Of visiting
their relatives and friends, and for other
purposes. We believe this custom to be
unwarranted and against public policy,
and should be discontinued.
Section l67 of the County Government
Act. among other provisions, provides
that the Sheriff shall receive fees
and mileage for all criminal service
necessarily performed outside of this
county. There is an apparent wide dis
creuon In this provision whereby the
county might be put to great expense,
and we advise that all such service to be
performed outside of this county should
| be done by the proper officers of the re-
spective counties, except in such cases
| where 1t becomes absolutely necessary
that such service should be performed by
the Sheriff of this county.
AUDITOR AND RECORDER.
The duties ofshe Auditor are very clearly
set forth III the County Government Act.
Section 36 provides that the Auditor shall
! make monthly statement TO the Board
! OF Supervisors at the commencement OF
each regular session.
Section l2l also provides that the
! Auditor, in conjunction with the County
| Treasurer, must make a joint statement
! on the first Monday of February, May,
AupuSt and NnVpnlIar of zach voar
These two provisions appear to have
been almost wholly ignored, notwith-
standing their importance.
The Auditor seems to have the impress
sion that his duties are only clerical, and
that he must draw warrants for all claims
that are presented to him in proper form.
| We believe that under the law the Audi
! tor would be justified, and it is his duty,
| TO closely scrutlnlZe all demands for war
rants upon the treasury, and in no i'll
stance should he draw a warrant until
| thoroughly convinced that the claim is a
just and legal one against the county.
RECORD
We visited this ofiice and found the
records all IN good condition.; the books
very neatly kept, the writing done in
clear and legible manner, retlecting
credit upon the parties doing the work.
TREASURER.
We find the Treasurer's Office in
satisfactory condition the details of
which are fully set forth in the experts
report except in the matter of the can
collation. of warrants. The Treasurer
has not heretofore complied with the
law, as provided in Section Is of the
County Government Act, ami his atten-
ton having been called by the jury to
said law he has since fully complied
Herewith.
We would also call attention to the fact
that it is the duty of the Treasurer, in
conjunction with the Auditor. to make TO
the Supervisors a joint quarterly report
of the condition or the finances OF the
county, in compliance with Section 12l,
County Government Act, such reports
not having heretofore been made.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
The District Attorney being the legal
adviser of the county officers, and his
opinion being frequently required by
them, we would suggest that all opinions
given by him should be either written
with pen and ink or type-written. Also
that on all claims submitted TO him for
his consideration his approval or disap
proval should be written thereon with
pen and ink, and under no circumstances
should pencil be used for such purpOss,
as has frequently been done heretofore.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDEN OF SCHOOLS.
The office of the County superintendent
of Schools, also of the License Collector,
were very thoroughly examined by the
expert, to whose report thereon we re-
speCtfully reTer.
COUNTY HOSPITAL.
On January 29th the jury proceeded to
the County Hospital and went into a very
careful examination of the buildings and
all matters connected with the manage
q Jo
could ascertain, there were but few COM
plants from the inmates. Some few sug-
gested matters of small importance that
could be improved upon. These matters
were reported to the uperintendent. On
the whole, DIR. u. 4. " hite's manage
ment is very satisfactory 10 the inmates.
The food furnished is OF good quality
and in abundance. The various wards
and the buildings generally were found
to be in good condition.
The Jury would suggest the advisable
ity of the county putting III system of
hot-water heaters. The cost of the plant
should not exceed $1,000, which amount
would be saved TO the county by saving
of fuel in three years time. The inn
proved heaters would be much safer and
a more even heat could be furnished. We
believe the advantages are many in Iavor
of this system in place of stoves and
CRATES. Our opinion i'll this matter is
based upon the reports made by Il COM
mittee Of practical mechanics, mem bers
of this jury, which report is in the hands
of our Secretary, and II desired can be
had by application. We advise that the
Supervisors give the subject careful con-
sideratlOn.
The jury would recommend thatsall
supplies be furnished on contracts, and
all contracts be signed in tripIicateS, one
10 be held by the Supervisors, one by the
Superintendent of the hos spital, and one
by the bidder. We recommend that in
receiving supplies, strict attention should
be paid TO the contract as regards guam
tIty, quality and price, and that the
memorandum bills be carefully COM
pared and scrutinlzed.
A committee OF This jury has prepared
list of articles to be bid for, which is
hereto annexed and made part of this
report, The jury recommend that the
Supervisors do not consider any bid FROM
parties who have heretofore knowingly
violated their contract. We have ascer-
tained the average number of patients
monthly, as taken from the hospital
record. TO be about 220 for the year 1894.
We also find the consumption of fresh
meats alone averaged about one and one
half pound per day per patient, beside
fresh and salt fish, ham, bacon, eggs, |
oysters, chickens and turkeys in quite |
large quantities, amounting IN the aggre |
gate 10 about SO month additional. 1nis |
seems To be a startling consumption of
food by persons that are proper subjects |
to be inmates of a County Hospital.
Upon comparing this consumption of |
food with the amount consumed at the |
Railroad Hospital OF this city we find |
the amount consumed at the County |
Hospital to be about double that used |
per day per patient at the Railroad |
Hospital, yet it is a reasonable supposi-
ton that the patients at the Railroad |
Hospital being in healthier condition. |
would necessarily require a greater
amount of food than those in the County
Hospital.
M inrr do not fool r,rnr,arnS 70 ofs,...