The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-24

Total Observation-Disclosures. .S60,Vve
Such are some of the figures taken
from the official county records of We
Der county. In other words, the hon
orable county court of Weper county
has spent in advance about all or
perhaps more money than the available
taxes for this year will come to. Anyone
who cares to make an investigation
of the records can do so and hnd the
above facts. He will also find several
other things to open his eyes ana set
him to thinking.
For instance, most of this Indebted
ness is in the form of notes, when are
drawing interest at the rate Oh per
cent per annum, and though the county
treasurer is made by law the cus0o-
dian of all county funds, the money mas
been withheld from him and other
parties made the custodian Of pubic
funds. These parties, moreover, have
not been required TO give bonds, as
the treasurer has. but have a double
hold on the county in that they have
notes of the county and have those
notes, secured by warrants OF khe
county. Both notes and warrants are
negotiable and ought to be worth their
face value.
LOANS MADE.
Since December 81, 1895, the county
court, composed of William q. wilson,
John c. Child and L. w. Wade, has
borrowed So, 0O0. OF this sum $42,0Ov is
still represented by a note outstanding
and $4,000 is represented by a war
rant still outstanding and registered.
Following are the times when the loans
were made and the times when the
notes are due:
December 81, 1895, note to Titan
National bank, payable in one
year $1V,Veo
June 81, 1896, note to Commercial
National bank, since exchanged
for warrant 10000
June 6. 1886, note to Wells, Fargo
& Co.. due February 6, 1897. 1900
July 6, 1896, note TO d. II. Peery,
payable July 6, 1897 .......-.... $4,000
July 6, 1896, note to Utah National
bank, payable January l, 1897. 10000
August }. note to D. II. Peery,
payable August 8, 1S97.......... 5,0O0
$50, 900
Thus it is established by the records
of the court that that body has found
it necessary to pledge the credit of the
county for $50, 900. Furthermore, aside
from the $40, 900 warrant already noted,
Treasurer Boyle informed The Herald
reporter that he has warrants aleady
registered in the sum of $4,000, and no
money to pay them.
Further, Mr.. Boyle said that he had
not received any money from the
county court since June, 1896, thoug n
the records show that several heavy
loans have been made since then.
From another source it was learned
that the procedure of the commission
ers was to place their loans with the
banks, the latter securing them
by notes. The banks, however,
would not let this money out
in a lump but would say to the court:
I'VE will cash the county warrants ds
they come IN TO us, and will hold them
as collateral to secure the notes" Thus
the banks were made custodians of the
funds of the county and have double
security for the loans they made, and
draw per cent per annum on their
loans.
Meanwhile the less favored citizens
are at their wits end to find money to
pay taxes, and are being importuned
to return W. G. Wilson, and John c.
Child to the county court, and to vote
q convention which Endorsed such meth
DDS as the above by renominating
those two men.
Occasionally. too, taxpayers are
asked to admire the road up Ogden
canyon past wilson's sawmill. which
road is admitted to have cost the
county not less than $4,000.
The way to stop such lavish expendi-
ture and mismanagement of public
funds is to put a cross up by the roos-
ter and let it go at that.