The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-04-08
Especial Correspondence.)


Boomed-May Not Take a Holiday.
Especial Correspondence)
Harrisburg. April s.-Beyond the pas
sage of a number of bills on first and
second reading and a few finally, but
little was accomplished by the house of
representatives during the few days
they were in session last week. A
number of bills that are on the calen-
dar are being worked for very indus
triously by their enterprising projec-
tors, with hope Of eventually securing
their final passage. Among those that
are being pushed by their trainers are
what is known as the French salary
bill. BY the provisions Of this measure
the salaries of county officials are to be
based on what is believed to be a more
equitable basis. 1t provides that the
state be divided into counties of first,
second and third classes, ETC., and that
in county having population of over
10000 the district attorney shall re-
ceive 1900 salary, sheriff $500, pro-
thonotaries 5000, clerk of courts S3 500
treasurer $4,000, commissioners 1850
each, and auditors $500 each: this to
constitute a county of the third class.
In a county containing over 100, 900 and
less than 10000, the salaries of the
county officials are to be as follows:
District attorney, $4,000 sheriff, Sc, 900;
prothonotaries. $500; clerk of courts.
1880; register. $500; recorder, $500;
treasurer, $500; commissioners, 1920
each, and auditors $3.50. The counties
of the sixth class are those having less
than 10000 population. and the salaries
in these are to be: For district attor-
ney, $4,000; sheriff, $500 prothoaotary,
1850; clerk Of court, $1,000; treasurer,
1850; commissioners. $500 each; sur
veyor, 500; auditors. $3.50 each, and
coroner, $3.50. The bill also provides
that all fees collected by county Of
fcials, in addition to their salaries, are
to be turned over to either the county
or state.
The Hamilton Road Bill.
The Hamilton road bill is now receiv-
ing special consideration and is growing
in popularity The objections that have
been made to 1t in some of the country
districts have now been met-when a
comparison is made between the ex-
penses incurred in the operation of the
present law. By a careful investiga-
tion 1t is found that the Hamilton. or
a
to the taxpayers of s320,s31, because
the present system of supervision costs
for the salaries of 1920 supervisors an
average of $50 each annually, which
makes a total of s4S4,500. The HAM
ilton road bill would allow to each
supervisor only s54 for the supervision
Of each township. In Pennsylvania
there are 1888 townships, making the
total cost of supervision under the
Hamilton bill ss3.052, while the salary
of the treasurer of the board under
this same law cannot exceed 5 per
cent Of the money tax collected, and
may be fixed at little lower sum.
The entire road tax in Pennsylvania in
1895 amounted to s3622, ,70s. BY the
Hamilton bill one-half Of this sum
would be payable in cash. II the maxi
mum sum of 5 per cent were allowed
It would make the salaries of all the
treasurers of the boards of supervisors
n the commonwealth SIS, ,5s7. This sum,
added to the supervisors salaries.
would amount to s15S,619 as the total
cost Of supervision for the state under
the Hamilton law. Thus it is plain to
be seen that, instead Of increasing the
tax on the farmers, a saving would
De effected Of 1926, ,ss1. The present sys-
.em Of taxation for road purposes costs
10 4-l0 per cent for road supervision.
while by the Hamilton law II would
cost only 3-l0 per cent, thereby saving
lilo per cent to the taxpayers.
The owners Of bicycles are very much
exercised over the introduction of a bill
% impose tax on each bicycle in the
the proceeds of which
ire to be used for the Improvement of
me pubic roads. They are bringing
very considerable pressure to bear
against the passage Of this bill, and
.hey have very Just ground for COM
'laint. They claim that, by the present
and extravagant system of
'oadmaking, no amount Of money ex-
)ended would be Of much benefit to
ne public roads Of the state. They
'ay they are not opposed to the pay
nent OF a tax on bicycles II the state
lad any systematic system of improv-
ng the highways that was In any way
n Keeping with judicious and substan-
lal Improvement but unless there is
better system adopted they will
contend bitterly against imposing any
ak on their wheels.
Electric Light Legislation.
Since the Introduction of the e,ectr,o
light there has been a disposition
lmong the members to legislate in
espect to fixing the price of this H.
uminant. Several bills have been in
reduced recently which. If they be-
ome laws, would drive this svstern
II hghting out Of the market. Such |
>eislation as this has a tendency to |
Int