The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-11-05

THE SCRIP QUESTION.
A Digest of Mr.. osborne's Position N
Connection with H.


The following article on the scrip question
was circulated to . certain extent 10 the
county last Monday. bat as great number
Of the people have not been reached by the
circulars we publish it in this weeks Record.
II has some good information in il, and also
squares Mr.. T. J. Osborne, who has been
falsely connected with the scrip Of the
county. The scrip question was sprung IS
. campaign article. and used to defeat the
election # Mr.. Osborne to the State Senate.
The following will explAia itself, and the
people can judge if Mr.. Osborne has been
wrongfully accused or not:
The floating Indebtedness of Lincoln
County, known as scrip" has been forced
10 the front ~ one of the issues Of the pres
emit campaign. and the position Of the under
signed with regard to it has been so malic-
iouslY and falsely represented, all for politi-
cal purposes and effect. that for the infor-
nation of voters and taxpayers generally,
and to set forth his true position with re.
gard to it. the writer makes the following
statements Of facts with regard to our in.
deb.edness, taken from the books Of the
County Auditor. and explains his position
thereon.
Whenever claim is allowed against any
county fund, and the fund is not on q cash
basis, the law authorizes the Auditor to
issue Certificate of Indebtedness" to the
claimant, and these certificates are com.
monty known as "scrip." They may, and
have been, issued against every fund in the
county treasury. though those now out
standing. and not funded, run altogether
against the General County fund.
Lincoln County began its existence in
1867, with no debt, and the tsK rate up to
1873. averaged for county purposes. III "
on each $500 property valuation.
The expense OF the county in 1912 were
80 great. that ell its funds were in debt,
and the Certificates Of Indebtedness. or
scrip outstanding against them amounted to
$751;. 46l.5l. Bonds. bearing ten per cent.
interest per annum were issued for this
amount, and none Of them have been paid.
To meet the interest an Interest fund was
created and . as cent tax provided for.
This tax was levied for IL years but proved
insufficient to pay the interest and the in.
tsrest now due amounts in round numbers
to $346,624.
The bonds were purchased by San Fran
CISCO parties, who in 1887 converted them
into Judgments in the United States Courts.
and these judgments still stand against us.
Between April 1873, 1.-THE time of issuing the
bonds and the month Of April. 1875, the
county again ran behind, and scrip issued
against its various funds for some $50, OOO
The Legislature created Redemption fund.
and levied 80 cent tar. with which to re-
deem the scrip under competitive bids.
This law 10 still in existence and $ll, l07. 30
Of the scrip 10 unredeemed. This scrip was
all bought by San francisco parties. is now
held there aud for Is years past, has been
sen. 10 for collection yearly, in sufficient
amounts to take up all the funds adver-
tised by the County Treasurer, and has
been redeemed at its face value. there being
really no competition. About $500 8
year has been paid on this class of scrip iol
the past few years.
At this same time also, the bond interest
having depleted the county treasury en-
tirsly, and caused the doors Of our county
Jail to be thrown open and prisoners turned
out because the county could not feed them
% many of our citizens we'll remember, s
Current Expense fund was created by the
legislature and IS cent tax levied for it
This money 10 paid out for the maintain
anes Of the courthouse and Jail buildings
board Of prisoners. fuel, lights. stationery
indigents. etc.
II lain this way that the various fund, in
our treasury have. been created. aud the
present tax rate Of %, 40 made necessary.
After creating the Redemption Fund il
1875. the county continued to run behind
and certificates of indebtedness continued t,
issue against the. General fund. These Ger
ti6cates were for officers fees and jurors
services principally. 1--WE being then unde
the fee SYSTEM and no expenses for new
buildings or such matters were created.
All these certificates are payable in tn,
order Of their issuance and are paid to tn,
month OF February, 1880.
In 1881 the present salary law, unde
which all county officers are paid. went int,
effect. Up to that year all money coming
into the General county fund was paid GU
on the scrip against it. An amount wa
paid each year and this fact gave the scriI
come commercial value, and it was bough
aud sold by banks. storekeepcrs and Others
The salary law provided that officer
= should be paid from the proceeds Of thei
own fees. and il these proved insu ficient
the Commissioners should transfer from tn
General County fund to the Officers Salar
fund, monthly, an amount necessary
make up any deficiency.
This was done, aud resulted in deprivini
the General fund OF all revenue eutirel,
" leaving nothing for the payment of scrip
The matter was contested but the salar
law was sustained by the supreme court.
This left all the scrip issued bsfose ii
: salary law, on the hands Of the then holder
q dozen or 80, in number aud with the ei
: ception Of the C. F. Meyers estate, aud thl
held by d. G. Clark. who went away, lit
y or none Of it has changed hands. Fro
that year business continued to decline al
n the assessed valuation Of the county fell
q low, that with a tar rate of $3.50 all Of
:. our revenues were absorbed in the psymel