The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-06-26

The report has not yet been issued III
pamphlet form:
Columbia. S. c.. April so, 1895.
To His Excellency, Gov. John Gary
Evans, and Hon D. H. Tompklns.
and Hon. James Norton, State Board
of Control:
Gentlemen Herewith l have the
honor to present your honorable body
nv first ouarterl Y statement of the
conditions and operations OF the State
dispensary, covering the period from
February the 2nd to April 50th, lnclu-
Sive.
On February the 1st, the day | as
sumed charge as State Commissioner,
my predecessor, eN-commlsSlonerI IraX-
Ter, turned over TO me the following
goods on hand at the State dispensary:
Wines, liquors and malt
goods. $40, 19S.bf
Bottles, barrels, demijohns,
boxes, corks, sealing wax
and other supplies, 14,406.79
Machinery and Office fix
tureS Z,0S9.Sl
Horse and wagon, 5000
Making total of S62, GAG. 43
This amount of $50, 246. 43 appears in
ex-Comrissioner TraXlers last quar-
terly statement-under the head OF as
sets-as stock on hand. The term
'sstock," as used in this connection, IS
misleading. 1t IS calculated to mis-
lead some to the erroneous conclusion
that there was on hand at the time |
took charge, wines, liquors and malt
goods to the amount of S62, 1858,
when, as matter of fact, the wines,
liquors and malt goods which he
turned over to me amounted to only
S45, ,199. 81. inclusive of the 81, 671 % OF
contraband goods which merged into
his merchandise at the time OF his last
stock taking. The difference between
the S62, 1868 stock and the 45,-
1919. 81 merchandise on hand represents
the value of the bottles, corks, ma
chinery, horse and wagon, etc. as IN
dicated in the above itemized state
ment. The greater portion OF the
S45, ,199. .67 full three-fourths), asstock
on hand, represented case goods, with
50 cents per gallon added to the origl-
nal cost of the liquors, to cover cost OF
bottling, boxing, labor and other ex-
penses incident to preparing it for mar
ket. This was an improper and un-
business-llke method of taking the
stock; but as my predecessor kept no
supply nor other representative ac-
counts into which to charge his pur-
chases of bottles, corks and other sup
plies, nor profit and loss account, into
which to carry all losses arising from
this source, withdrew my objections,
and accepted stock as thus taken.
Of the S45, ,54S. 40, cash IN State
Treasury and in safe on February 1st,
per Mr.. TraXler's report, upon an eN-
animation of the legislative commit
tee, appointed to examine the accounts,
it was ascertained that the State Treas
urer's books showed S105.22 less than
Mr.. Traxler claimed The amount
due for merchandise purchased by HIM
prior to the expiration of his term OF
office, and falling due about the time
of my induction into office and short
afterwards, was SS4, ,2S6.02. After pay
ing these accounts, as well as his addi-
tional liabilities of S1,703.79, his cash
balance was reduced to So, 1887.
Quite discrepancy exists in the ap-
parent net profit which he claims to
have accrued since the beginning of
operations in July, 1898, to the close
Of his last quarter.
By reference to his last quarterly
report, which is hereto attached, you
will observe the claim is set up that
profit of $151, 1855 has accrued. Such
is a manifest error. The net profit on
January 31st was Sill, $50 S2-$39,
S35. SO less than claimed. This latter
profit (S111, 959.S is subject to a still
further revision and reduction, from
the fact that the county dispensers
books show nearly S14, 1000 less than
the amount which Mr. Traxler claimed
was due by them on January 31st.
These differences are being rapidly ad-
justed, and I am giving them that
Jealous attention which the eNigencies
of the case demands. Iwould impress
you with the fact that, in bringing
down this profit to Sill, 959.S2, I have
made no reduction on account of the
increased price which Mr.. Traxler
placed on the s45, 199.67, merchandise
on hand February 1st. Had I done
so, the net profit would be still further
reduced to the amount of $4,000.
The error N arriving at the profit
was made by computing the States
profit on goods remaining unsold In
the hands of the various county dis
pensers.
A vast and almost inconceivable
amount of work. in the shape of over
hauling the books of the State dispen-
sary from the beginning of operations
to the close Of the last quarter was ne
cessary, in order to present an intelll-
gible, comprehensive and business
like report to your honorable board at
the close Of this quarter. And when
YOU take into consideration the fact
that I had the undivided time of my
present chief oookkeeper for only the
last month Of the quarter in the prose
cution of this work, | feel confident
that you will conclude that the amount
OF work accomplished is immense. AS
before stated l am now turning my
attention to an adjustment of the dis
puted balances which my predecessor
claimed was due by the various coun-
ty dispensers when he turned over the
business to me on February list, and
hope to be in a position by the close of
the summer to report complete and
satisfactory adjustment cf the same.
1t is a work that requires accuracy