The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-03
Faithful to Their Trust.

The signal efficiency with which the
growing business of the county COM
missioners' office is at present conduct
ed is best shown by few figures.
The largest single item of expense to
the county comprises criminal court
cases. For the increase of these costs
the commissioners are in no degree
responsible. They have practically no
discretion in the premises. The laws
requiring their payment are manda-
tory. The commissioners can do no
more than to see that the laws which
they have no voice in formulating are
promptly and honestly executed.
In the year 1885 the total costs of
criminal cases, including aldermens.
Justices. constables' and witness fees.
amounted to $4.9G9.6l. In the year $780,
five years later these costs had In
creased to $6,359.69. In the year 1885,
ten years later, the costs of criminal
cases for this county amounted to $l9,-
954.07: an increase of over 300 per cent
in ten years. 1t must be taken into
consideration that during the past five
murder cases to dispose of, and the
costs of the trial of each have been no
small factor in the foregoing increase
Another cause for the large increase
in the cost of commonwealth cases is
the bill to regulate the fees of alder
men, justices and constables, passed by
the legislature during the session Of
1898 and approved by the governor May
23 of the same year. This bill made an
increase of fees amounting In some
cases to fifty per cent. For the present
year the total costs of criminal cases
are likely to reach as high as $4,000.
The work of the last grand jury sup
plies vivid instance of the recent
growth of the criminal business of our
courts, and under the insolvency act it
becomes an easy matter for the indi-
vidual mulcted in costs to escape labil-
ity and throw the burden back on the
county. The problem of reducing these
inordinate sources of expense rests with
the legislature. Until that body shall
supply relief, the commissioners must
order these court costs paid. They
have no alternative.
Among the new items of expense
which the present board Of commits
sioners has had to provide for is the
enumeration of school children required
by the compulsory education law. The
compensation for this work Is five cents
a name for each child registered. When
a thorough enumeration is made this
means an additional expense of about
$1,000 a year to the county.
The legislature Of 1895 passed a bill
amending the act OF assembly of May
%, 1891, relating to the registration of
voters. The act of 1891 provided for
one registration each year. The amend
ment Of 1895 makes it necessary for the
register to take two additional copies
Of the registration and instructs the
county commissioners also to make two
copies of the original list for election
pense of about $4,000 to the county.
One of the most noticeable sources Of
increase in the current expenses Of the
county during the past five years is
found in the new ballot law. During
the past three years % new election dis
tricts have been created in the county,
necessitating a corresponding increase
in the number of booths, tickets and
election boards. the cost of which falls
upon the county.
During the administration of the
present board Of commissioners II new
bridges have been erected or contracted
for, at cost Of $4,000. This has been
done in response to urgent public de-
mands.
At the county prison the commission
ers have made Improvements by fitting
up cells, providing for matron to take
care of female prisoners. laying flag
walks and placing curb on New York
street. The maintenance Of prisoners
is an expense that has increased rapid
ly during the past three years. Five
years ago the number of prisoners did
not average 75 month: now 1t runs
up to from 1876 to $50 month.
Notwithstanding this large growth Of
the county's business county taxes
have been kept exceedingly low In COM
parison with those in counties of SIM
liar area and population. At no time
has the millage exceeded mills for
county purposes. The sinking fund
now amounts to s25.0OO;- and while the
bonded Indebtedness Is 100000. provi-
sIon has been made this year to re.