The herald., 1896-02-25
THE REPORT

Final Report Of the Grand Jury on County
Officers
Following is the final report of the grand
jury on county officers. filed in depart
ment of the superior court, before Judge
Smith, yesterday afternoon at o'clock.
COUNTY TREASURER
Our examination of the treasurer's 8 books
covers the period from June l, 1894, to
December 81, 1895. inclusive:
There was cash on hand June /,
Receipts 10 december 81, 1895. 2S5S,573.Sa
Making total of $3 194, 266. SO
Disbursements during same
time. ........... .............. 9, 24e, ,os65I
Showing cash on hand Janu-
ary l, 1896. $946 1800
Any detailed statement would be too
large for this report, and the county audi
tor publishes semi-annual reports, to which
we refer, as his books were compared and
correspond with those of the treasurer.
COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR
In the examination of the books of E. f..
Hewitt, ex-county tax collector, we find g.
items uncollected, running in amounts
from cents to $31 ,34, amounting in the
aggregate to $241.64. while in 10 cases
| there was overpaid from 10 cents to
! 21.92, amounting to $500. For the
former sum we believe the estate of the
said Hewitt should be held responsible to
the county and in the latter cases COM
PEELED to reimburse the taxpayers who
| overpaid.
We recommend that steps be taken to
collect the same and have the refunds
made.
In examining the books of A. II. Merwin,
tax collector, we find he has overcollected
in twenty-nine cases, running from cents
to 1852, amounting to the total sum of
$6O.61. which has been paid into the treas
ury: These sums should be refunded to
the rightful owners.
The clerks in this department are re-
quired to work eight full hours per day,
from to II am. and l to PIN.
HORTICULTURAL COMMISSIONER
Our examination extends from January,
1894. to December, 1895, inclusive. The
horticultural commission of the county
consists of one member, and is under
$4,000 bonds for the faithful performance
of his official duties. 1t is his duty to give
notice to an orchardist or fruit grower
whose trees heed fumigating, requiring
such person to do such needed work, and
if not 80 done the commissioner shall have
the work done on behalf of the county and
render an itemized bill for such service.
The horticultural commissioner is re-
quired to make an itemized and verified re-
port to the board of supervisors on the
first of each month, showing all services
performed and all expenditures made du-
ring the preceding month. He must file
monthly duly verified and tented de-
mands for all disbursements made and for
all expenses incurred by him.
On the bill presented to the orchardist
by the horticultural commissioner for fu-
migating his trees or other services are
printed the rates fixed by the board of SUI
pervisors, as follows:
Cyanide of potassium, 10 per cent above
cost; sulphuric acid, 10 per cent above
cost; wear and tear, 5 per cent on gross
amount of bill, outside of hauling; fore
man, not exceeding 10 cents an hour;
helper, not exceeding 25 cents an hour;
labor repairing tools, not exceeding 2o
cents an hour; miscellaneous labor, not
exceeding 20 cents an hour.
Supplies for this department are pur-
chased by the horticultural commissioner
without advertising for bids,and the claims
are presented to the board of supervisors
and go through the usual course. We find
there was received and expended for the
two years, 1854 and 1885, the following
sums: