The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-14
The MILEAGE QUESTION.
SELEoTMEN TAKE STEPS TO HAVE
1T SETTLED.
VIII Carry the Matter to the SUI
preme Court-Compensatio For
the Bee Observation-Disclosures Busi-
ness Transacted.

: The seleetmen took steps at yester-
days meeting of the county court to
have the question of whether they are
entitled to mileage settled by the
supreme court. Judge Merritt's ruling
was adverse to such charges, but the
members of the board believe there is
good grounds for different decision
by the higher tribunal
When the court met yesterday Mr..
Christopherson presented claim of
SIG for mileage in going to sessions
Of the county court, committee meet
ings and while attending to various
duties in connection with his ONCE.
The claim was referred to a commit
recommended its allowance. At the
afternoon session the claim was al
lowed in the regular way.
By prearrangemen however. the
clerk will refuse to issue warrant
for the amount. Mandamus proceed
ings will then be instituted to COM
pei the clerk to issue the warrant
and thus the matter will be taken to
the supreme court. Should the deci-
sion be in line with Judge Merrltt's
ruling the selectmen say they will at
once return the amount Of mileage
drawn during their incumbepcy.
Bee Inspector Swaner is very much
dissatisfied with the amount of com
pensation he has received and Incl
dentally does not have very exalted
ideas about the members of the county
court. Yesterday he sent in the follow
ing characteristic letter:
"A short time since I asked your
honorable body to endorse a petition to
the legislature recommending that you
be allowed to appropriate from the
general funds of the county a sum
sufficient to pay the balance due me
as compensation for the duties of bee
inspector for the year 1895.
when the petition was presented
Mr.. Geddes stated that when I &C
cepted the position I had agreed to
take the job for what taxes there would
be collected. 1t is needless to say that
such q proposition was news to me.
In other words Mr.. Geddes told what
was untrue. Such a proposition was
not presented to me. Had it been. 1
should not have accepted the position.
According to the amount collected
there was insufficient to compensate
me. On the other hand, had the coll
lections been made according to law.
there would have been easily from S25
mean to tell me that had such been
the case you would have turned over
to me the amount? No, of course not
1t would be Illegal Well then, would
it not be illegal for you to make or
accept such a proposition?
In a personal talk with Mr.. Chris
topherson, he said, that while he ad-
mitted that [ had been treated shah
billy. the legislature had taken the
matter entirely out of your hands and
you therefore were unable to do any
thing. I understand that you are an
executive body; hence, it is your duty
to enforce the laws of the county by
seeing that every officer does his duty.
Allow me therefore to call your atten-
ton to the law on the subject The
law says plainly that a special tax,
not to exceed cents per colony, shall
be levied on every hive Of bees in the
county by the assessor and collected
by the collector in the manner pro-
vided by law for the collection of other
taxes. That this has not been done
can easily be- proven. The amount
collected UP to January 1, 1896, accord
ing to the county treasurer, viii not
cover the assessment Of 1000 hives,
while on the other hand I can prove
that there are over $500 hives Of bees
in the county. Such negligence on
the part of the assessor or collector or
both, is unexcuSable, and in justice to
myself and they that have paid their
special tax 1 demand that you do your
duty"
Selectman Geddes explained that the
inspector was appointed on condition
that his compensation should not ex-
coed the special taxes collected on
hives. The appointment, however, had
I
around last spring, and this fact, in
a measure, would explain the differ
ence in the number of hives assessed
and the number subsequently found by
the bee inspector.
Without any further discussion the
communication was referred to Mr..
Geddes and the county attorney.
Other business was transacted as
follows:
petition from H. Roberts. jr.. to be
elevator boy to run the eIe-
wator in the county building, was
placed on file.
County Collector Spencer presented a
requisition for office supplies which was
granted.
Contracts in duplicate from the
Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone com
pany covering five instruments in use
by the county, each contract in the |
sum OF $50, the rate per year, was re- !
ferred to the subcommittee on build |
ing
Reports from George E. Lee, super
visor of the Nineteenth road district, |
and William w. Lawson OF the Seven !
were received and placed on |
file
The report of G. P. TurnbulI, justice |
Of the peace of Bingham precinct. for |
the quarter ending December 81, 1895, |
was read and referred to the attorney.
The road committee reported favor !
ably on the petition of residents Of Big
Cottonwood to have the road lying be- |
tween Nelson's store and Coleman's |
corner accepted as a county road. The |
report was adopted and the road ac-
cepted on. condition shat the adjacent |
owners deed the necessary |
and
Retail liquor licenses were granted to |
NJ. Paff1n of Murray, George Pess of !
this city, Hans Highlund & Co. of |
and Charles T. Nelson,
Twelfth South and Main streets.
A requisition from the county super
ntendent of schools for Office supplies, !
two warrant books, a Web |
ster's dictionary on stand, was grant |
I'd.
Adjournment for one week.
LAWYERS, ATTENTION!