The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-02-13
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.
Cleaned From the Financial Statement
Published by the Commissioners

CLEANED From the Financial Statement
Published by the Commissioners.
study of the annual statement of the
County Commissioners presents some interest
ing features. A perusll of the figures shows
that assessors and assessments cost the nice
sum of s16, 62342, while new bridges and re-
pairs of old ones came to IS, ,3O2 O5. Election
expenses are given as $12, s6s. .2s, so that in
the aggregate it is rather costly to express
our opinions as to who is to have the loaves
and fishes.
The Jury system comes pretty high too,
but we must have jurymen although their
verdicts, at times, are apt to make us think
we pay too much for the luxury and incline
us to the belief we would be better Off with
out them. Excluding the Sherifrs expenses
in serving the summonses, jurymen
cost SIS, ,s4O.99 while the justices with
their good round stomachs, &c. come in for
the nice little sum of $541s .55, and their
minions, the constables, for S., 665. 81, beside
the commitment fees of 81, 1899.
For the various state hospitals in which
patients from the county received treatment
S12, ,39s35 was paid.
Nobody with n recollection of the dark
days Of 1s61-65 will begrudge the 81 1856 90
expended for the burial of old soldiers nor
the $4,000 for headstones to mark their
resting places but the item of 81 ,3O7 81
expended in fighting the Quay county bill is
one which many people north of the noun
tain will grumble at, as a great many of them
would be very willing to let Kline township
at least, go even to Halifax, if it wanted to,
only so that its very turbulent population
were out of Schuylkill with their litigation.
Excluding the temporary loans repaid,
SS5, 10000, the expenditures were 1927 734 .66
and the total county tax at 81 mills is figured
up to be 1901, ,537. so, so that the county
appears to be in fix somewhat similar to
that in which the fat man found himself
with three alternatives facing him, and we
hope it will not go busted"
The almshouse figures are even more inter
esting. Verify, the poor are well provided
fer by the Directors who are delegated to
look after them. There was an average of
425 persons in the almshouse during the year
and there were "a employees, at an aggregate
salary of Sl4, OIL 90; to look after their well
fare, or a cost of S33 10 per inmate, while to
feed and clothe them cost S3S, ,7S5. SO, an
average of S91.2S for each one, so that it
appears the salaries are over P5 per cent. of
! the expense of the institution. These figures
include some things usually classed as
luxuries such for instance as S2448 80 for
cigars, which, at $4,000 per 1O00 pretty
good price for cigars for paupers, would be
about 5000 cigars. while the old chaps who
prefer clay pipes and Gail & AK got 81 ,O66 80
worth of tobacco
The doctors department got 10000 worth
of liquors for medicine" while the "culin-
ary department and workmen" got 1927. 20
for liquors which we infer were not intended
for medicine but for "bracers" and mince
pies. How much of the latter was given to
political workmen visiting the institution is
not stated, but it was stated sometime ago
that none of this was used at the Steward
Hartman supper when w. John Whitehouse
threatened that investigation that never
came.
| The profit on the poor house farm is given
as "a 4434.63 although some items charged as
expenses are for farm machinery which adds
to the permanent value of the equipment
The Day dynasty cost for salaries for three
of that ilk $685. 90 and board while the all
powerful Director whose day, it is hoped, has
passed, got 81, 242.0O, total of 81, ,9l7 90 and
board for three, so that it was not a very cold
day for that family last year Our space is
too limited to make any further extracts but
our readers can find considerable to interest
| them in the statement